Russia (1917-1924) - Lenin's tenure and Civil War Flashcards
1
Q
Social impacts of the Civil War (1918-1920)
Reds v Whites and Greens participate.
A
- 10m died, and 1.7m in WW1.
- Factories + bakeries closed and shops boarded up…
- (Jan 1920) Ukrainian city Nikolaev lose all its central boulevards.
- People burned their belongings in winter to keep warm.
- Diseases such as cholera killed thousands yearly, e.g. cholera, influenza etc.
- Avg worker consumed under 2k kcal, under half the recommended intake.
- 7m children homeless.
- Poor sanitary conditions.
2
Q
Impact of the Civil War (1918-1920) on government + party…
A
- Power shifts from annual congresses to the Politburo (Soviet to Communist)
- Govt. have to make choices suited to Politburo.
- Local soviets only had Party members.
- (1921) Lenin bans factions and any Central Committee decision had to be agreed on by whole party.
- Lenin’s NEP helped to consolidate the party.
- (1922) ‘General Secretary’ role made to control its workings.
- Stalin made General Secretary, (least respected party member).
(You had to belong to a Communist Party!) + Party’s the Politburo.
3
Q
What was the Nomenklatura?
A
- (1922) Nomenklatura est. and this was the bureaucracy.
- 5.5k key party posts made to appear more reputable.
- This was a new party elite!
4
Q
Impacts of the Civil War on national minorities + 1922 constitution
Civil War (1918-1920)
A
- Govt. allowed self-determination across their empire, as they don’t have resources to stamp down authority…
- Empire nations permitted national culture/native languages.
5
Q
When was the USSR formed?
(Plus additional info)
A
- (Dec 1922) USSR formed, forming a new constitution.
- Lenin’s compromise was a federation of states under strict control, not direct control!
- Republics of govt. seen as regional Sovnarkom branches, open to manipulation.
6
Q
What were gulags?
A
- Used during tsarist regime.
- For criminals and political opponents.
- (Summer 1918) Tsar dies and Bols. experiment with labour camps.
- (By 1923) 200 prisoners on Solovski Islands.
7
Q
Some causes of the Civil War (1918-1920):
A
- Lenin assassination attempt (summer 1918)
- Capitalists feared communism.
- (May 1918) Bols attempt to arrest Czech Legion members as they passed through the Trans-Siberian railway + (1918) Czech Legion members have 45k soldiers.
8
Q
Some of reasons for Red’s Civil War victory:
A
- Bols have better communication than Whites.
- Cheka + Trotsky heavily supervised Red Army.
- (Oct 1918) Bols have 430k men, 61 rifle divisions and 12 cavalry divisions.
- War Communism meant Central Committee heavily centralise all sectors.
- Whites’ leaders Kolchak and Denikan lacked experience to lead. + They had to deal with Greens, who opposed all authority and were anarchists.
- Bols had high centralisation + organisation + (By 1920) 5.4m in govt. bureaucracy.
9
Q
Civil War impacts (1918-1920)
A
- Reds lose 632k men + 531k from disease.
- Lenin’ NEP (1921) allowed private ownership, small-scale manufacturing and ended grain requisitioning.
- Later, Politburo, Nomenklatura etc.
10
Q
Stalin in Georgia…
A
- Stalin crushed the Georgians want for independence by the force of arms (1922)
11
Q
Some Politburo members…
A
Kamenev, Zinoviev, Bukharin, Trotsky and Stalin.
- Central Committee elected by Politburo.
12
Q
Factors that enabled Bols to est. a dictatorship
(By 1922-1923)
A
- Est. of Politburo and Nomenklatura
- USSR formation
- Social impacts Civil War
- Gulags
- Reds’ performance in Civil War
13
Q
What did ‘War Communism’ entail?
A
- (Spring 1918) Lenin introduced food requisitioning
- (May 1918) Food supplies policy set up to ensure grain was delivered to the State, and the Cheka heavily overlooked this, making it successful.
- Private trade prohibited.
- However, made more issues than it solved.
- Bartering economy est.
-> (By 1921) Industry output fell to 20% of its pre-war output.
-> Reports of cannabilism.
-> Dieseases such as cholera and dysentary were rife.
14
Q
Demands for economic change with stats/events
(Prior to Reds one-party state)
A
- (Aug 1920) Tambov Revolt saw 70k peasents form a revolt, which would spread, (happened after a poor harvest and almost no reserves).
- Bread rations fell to 1/3 in several cities.
- (Jan 1921) Martial law est. and Cheka crush any demonstrations.
- ## (Mar 1921) Kronstadt rebellion saw 30k soldiers at a Russian naval base revolt against the State, and the Cheka and Reds crush this rebellion, (15k rebels imprisoned).
15
Q
What entailed Lenin’s NEP in 1921?
(Announced at the 10th Party Congress in Aug 1921)
A
- Rationing and grain requisitioning ended
- Nepmen est. and they profitted from prduce and consumer items (they controlled 75% of retail trade by 1923). + (From 1923) Govt. capped industrial prices + Money taxes replaced peasants’ quotas.
- Private trade permitted.
(Some Marxist theory compromised)
