impact of war and revolution on russian empire Flashcards
(49 cards)
1
Q
when was the crimean war?
A
1853-56
2
Q
what were the causes and events of the crimean war?
A
- russia fought ottoman turks over land and control in crimea
- russia sent troops to provinces of wallachia and modavia and refused to withdraw them
- ottomans were supported by britain and france
- by time russia agreed to withdraw troops from areas, britain, ottomans and france had begun siege of sevastapol
3
Q
what was the treaty of paris (1856)?
A
- protection of christian subjects would be under european powers
- russian gave up claim as protector to principalities
- russia had to give part of south-west russian empire
- russia had to remove all naval fleet and fortifications from black sea
= humiliation to russia and concern over its borders with european and asia countries
4
Q
why did alexander II believe russia lost the crimean war?
A
lost because:
- russia’s economy, industry and transport was outdated compared to other countries
- believing serfdom meant a focus on agriculture and control by the nobility
5
Q
what were the impacts on peasants of the crimean war on russia?
A
emancipation of the serfs 1861 = some improvements in economy as peasants could sell surplus produce and could move to towns = industrial growth
6
Q
what were the impacts on military after the crimean war?
A
miliyutin = reduced service to 15 years, provided more modern training techniques = more professional and could be used to put down rebellions
7
Q
what were the impacts on the local government after the crimean war?
A
reforms to local government = loss of land = nobility had reduced power at local level. zemstva created but there were some property qualifications to vote. zemstva control increased from 1870s and their power reduced by creation of land captains
8
Q
what were the impacts on the transport after the crimean war?
A
further expansion of railways. foreign loans used and over 20,000km of track laid between 1861-78 = helped general communication and expansion of empire
9
Q
what could be said about the impacts of the crimean war on russia?
A
- could be argued that such reforms would have happened eventually but lessons learnt from war and fear of conflict sped up development
- limits as autocratic ideology and structure of government remained the same
- alexander II’s main aim to preserve autocracy from risk of revolution (after risk from war)
10
Q
when was the russo-japanese war?
A
1904-05
11
Q
what were the causes and events of the crimean war?
A
- both wanted to dominate far east (economic and trade purposes)
- japan felt threatened (russia agreeing with china to have 25 year lease of port arthur, occupation of manchuria and building of chinese railway
- russia agreed to withdraw troops from manchuria in 1903 but then refused to do it = japan attacked port arthur in 1904
- russia defeated in at battle of yahu, port arthur had to surrender russian naval fleet beaten due to superiority in technology
12
Q
what was the treaty that ended the russo-japanese war?
A
treaty of portsmouth 1905 = russia had to withdraw from port arthur, south sakhalin and south manchuria and it had to acknowledge japanes sovereignty in korea
13
Q
who was blamed for the loss of the russo-japanese war?
A
tsars and government blamed for losing to a side considered inferior to them = criticisms and questioning of autocratic power
14
Q
what were the effects of the russo-japanese war?
A
- assassination of plehve (minister of interior)
- nick II removed restrictions put on zemstva by alex III
- october manifesto 1905 = introduction of representative democracy in duma (appease opposition)
- fundamental laws 1906 reasserted autocratic control and reduced legislative power of duma (limited reform)
- improvement to railways and greater industrialisation (improve defense/industrial influence) = urbanisation and poor living standards in towns =
15
Q
what other factors, apart from war, led to the creation of the duma (opposition and rebellion from worker)?
A
- strike at putilov works in january, strike by railway workers in october
- bloody sunday in january = peaceful protest by father gapon over working conditions, pay, hours and desire to withdraw from war with japan
- all russian union of peasants created in june = st petersburg soviet established in october
- mutiny from sailors on battleship potemkin in june, mutiny from army in september
- highlighting possible revolution of 1905 and subsequent reforms were due to discontent over working and living, not just dissatisfaction of war
16
Q
what were the causes and events of world war one?
A
- conflict over control of balkans and eastern europe (especially austria-hungary)
- russia suffered 8 million casualties with heavy defeats at tannenburg, the brusilov offensive etc
- nick II made himself wartime leader = held responsible for loss
17
Q
why was world war one a significant turning point with regards to russian government?
A
- military failures = extensive economic problems (food shortages, high inflation etc) increasing social unrest
- industry = inadequate to deal with demands of military forces (weapons, clothes, transport)
- tsars errors in war = took control of armed forces (without experience), was away from petrograd and left domestic affairs to wife (support of rasputin = very unpopular)
- provisional government = autocracy ended and reform and elements of democracy introduced
18
Q
why wasn’t world war one a significant turning point with regards to russian government?
A
- tsars had been struggling to keep control for many years (e.g.alex II assassination and events in 1905)
- opposition from working class had been growing for years (e.g. legalised political parties, trade unions and creation of soviets in 1905)
19
Q
what happened during the february revolution in 1917?
A
- opposition intensified (strikes and protesters over war and shortages) were fired upon by government troops
- some petrograd garrison defected and joined protesters
- finally, petrograd soviet created to rule alongside provisional duma committee
- nick II persuaded to abdicate in march 1917 = prov gov formed to rule until constituent assembly elected later
20
Q
what happened during the october revolution in 1917?
A
- bolsheviks (leaders had been released by prov gov) and petrograd soviet had become angry at the prov gov due to economic issues (e.g. land redistribution) and continuation in war
- by october = bolsheviks gained majority in petrograd soviet and siezed power from prov gov (stormed winter palace)
21
Q
what was the impact of the revolutions on russia?
A
- initially autocracy replaced by prov gov = introduction of more liberal society, reforms introduced freedom of speech and release of political prisoners
- under bolsheviks = lenin promised to introduce rule by proletariat but really totalitarian rule returned
- bolsheviks removed political figures in prov gov and were replaced by bolsheviks
22
Q
what happened in october 1917 as a result of the october revolution?
A
- the second all-russian congress of soviets = met and agreed to support bolsheviks
- most srs and mensheviks walked out of meeting, fearing it would lead to bolshevik dominance
- soviets developed in other regions to spread ideas
- constituent assembly elections in novermber 1917 but shut down by lenin (bolsheviks lost)
23
Q
when was the third all-russian congress of soviets and what happened?
A
- january 1918
- established the russian soviet federalist republic
- a new political structure with sovnarkom at the centre (council of people’s commissars)
- sovnarkom (though elections) however there was only bolshevik members to vote for (one party state)
24
Q
when was the civil war?
A
1917-22
25
what were the events during the civil war?
course of war: (+ good for russia/bolsheviks, - bad for russia/bolsheviks)
- novermber 1917 = kerensky and krasnov's offensive fighting was stopped (+)
- april 1918 = kornilov's volunteer army defeated (+) but british sent marines to help whites
- december 1918-20 = red army fought against whites. ukraine and other regions also demanded freedom and independence (-)
- april - august = fighting between red army and poland in ukraine area = red army eventually retreated and new boundary agreed (treaty of riga) (-)
- november 1921 - red army drove out white's from southern russia (+)
- 1921 - peasants (greens) fought against bolsheviks (-)
26
what was the impact on foreign policy of the civil war?
- lenin had to adopt more peaceful relationships with other world powers
- kept organisation of cominform together = brought together communist countries and promoted spread of communism
- lenin concerned by strength of poland and support of britain for whites
27
what was the impact on domestic policy of the civil war?
- centralisation and discipline helped bolsheviks win war
- war communism = nationalisation, economic control, militarisation of labour and grain and goods requisitioning
- unpopularity and opposition to war communism = nep (denationalisation of small industry, peasants able to sell surplus) but created conflict within country
28
what was the orgburo and politburo?
1) orgburo = for organisation
2) politburo = policy making
= made the party more centralised under lenin
29
when was the second war?
1939-45
30
what were the events during ww2?
NEED TO MAKE THIS. PAGE 64
31
what impact did ww2 have on stakin's methods of government and control economically and socially?
huge effects on economic and social issues (loss of life, starvation and collapse of industry) but little impact on political impact (eventual victory)
32
what impact did ww2 have on stakin's methods of government and control militarily?
became supreme commander of military = control of military and factories (similar to nick II) but he listened to those in politburo
33
what impact did ww2 have on stakin's methods of government and control (repression)?
nkvd targeted minority groups suspected of collaborating with nazis but after war = reverted to purging those in communist party and other suspected opponents
34
what impact did ww2 have on stakin's methods of government and control on propaganda?
continued throughput war and strengthened "cult of personality" as hero who led armed forced to defeat germans
35
what impact did world war 2 have on foreign policy?
- tehran 1943 and yalta 1945 secured russia's claim to land in areas of easter europe
- after war = stalin allowed to have influnece in many countries (believed this was necessary to for defense against western powers and stop spread of capitalist ideas (western countries believed he was trying to spread communism)
- churchill's iron curtain = division between communist and capitalist countries
- germany increased tensions with west (divisions between eats and west germany, berlin divided = open conflict e.g. berlin blockade of 1948 and berlin wall 1961
36
when was the cold war?
1941-91
37
why did relations deteriorate between east and west during the cold war?
tensions as both sides feared the other was planning to spread capitalism or communism
38
when was the truman doctrine and what did it do?
- march 1947
- due to fears of the spread of communism
- usa announced plan to stop spread
39
when was the marshall plan and what did it do?
- june 1947
- usa offered financial aid to countries to europe to help them recover after war (more susceptible to communism)
- russai rejected = feared it was an attempt to spread capitalism
40
when was cominform created and what did it do?
- september 1947
- organise all communist countries and russia
- in response to truman doctrine and marshall plan
41
when was nato created and what did it do?
- 1949
- between western countries
- support each other if attacked
- mainly due to increased perceived threat from russia
42
when was the berline blockade and what did it do?
- 1948-49
- open hospitality from russia against west
- fear of spread and dominance of capitalist ideas
- stalin backed down
43
when was the warsaw pact created and what did it do?
- 1955
- defense and peace traty between ussr and other communist countries in eastern europe
44
when was the hungarian uprising and what did it do?
- 1956
- attempted independence (tried to leave warsaw pact)
- invaded russia to stop revolution and assert dominance
45
when was the berlin wall built and what did it do?
- 1961
- stop and separate influence from west
- "brain drain" prevention
46
when was the u2 spy plane showt down and what did it do?
- 1962
- khrushchev blamed eisenhower
- shut down by russia and they lied but pilot gary power was interrogated
47
how did the cold war arms race effect russia?
- greater investment in industry by khrushchev (especially heavy industry, new technologies and chemicals etc)
- consumer good and improved standards of living became limited
- opposition = novocherkassk workers in 1962 about rise in food prices and higher quotas = many killed and violently put down
48
how did the cold war effect foreign policy in russia?
- events, like cuban missile crisis = khrushchev prepared to confront usa but also compromise
- crisis = us planes discovered ballistic missile in cuba = blockade = russain ships forced to return to russia = decided to dimantle missile sites in cuba
49
why did khrushchev do destalinisation?
attempt for russia to be seen more favorable by west
