military/ army

Question 1

before the reforms, how large was alexander II’s army?

Answer 1

1.5 million serfs

Question 2

russia had been a leading military power since when?

Answer 2

1815

Question 3

what was the concern with military reforms (in terms of training serfs)?

Answer 3

that military reforms would mean thousands of serfs with training would join their village and potentially have the skills to do a revolution

Question 4

why did the bolsheviks gain support in the civil war? (in terms of reaction to the white’s policy)

Answer 4

•the whites supported returning land to the nobility, so bolsheviks gained support but it was more anti-whites than pro-reds

Question 5

how did leadership differ in WW1 compared to the civil war?

Answer 5

unlike WW1, the leadership was popular and boosted morale, eg Trotsky toured the front lines inspiring the troops

Question 6

what was the difference between red and white propaganda?

Answer 6

red propaganda was infinitely superior to the whites. many supported the reds for their right to their land.

Question 7

why were the whites ineffective?

Answer 7

they were deeply divided and it was not uncommon for them to fight eachother

Question 8

how did the cheka enforce grain requisitioning during the civil war?

Answer 8

the cheka helped grain requisitioning brigades to collect grain from the peasants, quotas were fulfilled even if the peasants were left starving

Question 9

how did the bolsheviks treat the mensheviks and the SR’s during the civil war?

Answer 9

•Mensheviks and SRs were banned from taking part in soviets and all kadets had been placed in prison
•prisoners could be shot out of hand and it’s thought that there were 500,000 killed during this period

Question 10

how big was the storming of the winter palace in october 1917?

Answer 10

small
•only about 5% of workers in petrograd participated