Poles

Question 1

Synoptic statement

Answer 1

Across the 109 years, Poland was a very difficult region to control and they constantly aimed to break free. These attempts received better results under the Communists as they gained greater political rights especially under Lenin

Question 2

How did Poles gain greater political rights under Lenin?

Answer 2

Poland received independence in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, this was confirmed in the 1920 Armistice
freedoms, language and culture were restored
stark contrast to Alex II who established Russian as the official language of gov + administration

Question 3

What leaders can you talk about with the Poles?

Answer 3

Alex II (Polish revolt + Milyutin’s plans)
Lenin(Treaty, Russo-Polish Civil War, Armistice)
Stalin(lead up to WW2, impact of WW2, London Poles, Katyn Massacre, wartime conferences)
Khrushchev (freed Gomulka, listened to the Poles’ demands)

Question 4

What did Alex II’s reforms lead to?

Answer 4

gave renewed hope to Poles they would receive certain freedoms + led to rise in Polish nationalism

Question 5

How can you C/C Alex II and Khrushchev?

Answer 5

Both raised the Poles’ hopes

Question 6

Who was the Prime Minister of Poland in 1862?

Answer 6

Marquis Aleksander Wielopolski
campaigned for partial independence

Question 7

What happened as a result of the rise in Polish nationalism?

Answer 7

attempted assassination attempt of Wielopolski + his viceroy Grand Duke Konstantin
PM retaliated by introducing forced conscription of young Polish males into Russian army
new recruits failed to operated + fled to woods to create rebels

Question 8

When was the Polish Revolt?

Answer 8

1863
wide scale rebellion
adopted guerrilla warfare
failed to get support from majority of population
revolt put down

Question 9

What was the impact of the Polish Revolt?

Answer 9

Milyutin’s plan put in place
hundreds members of Polish nobility exiled to Siberia, estates transferred to Russian officials
Polish peasants emancipated + gained more favourable terms than Russian counterparts eg gained freehold rights to allotted lands
Rural districts set up to contained members from all sections of Polish society

Question 10

What were the consequences of the Milyutin plan?

Answer 10

Russian became official lang of gov + administration
level of nationalism diminished
start of Russification process

Question 11

Why was WW1 a major turning point for Russian Poles?

Answer 11

by Sept 1915, German and Austrian advances meant Russia was forced to five up jurisdiction over Warsaw + Vilna
Poland free from Russian rule, official independence not granted until 1918 with signing of Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Question 12

What happened in the Russo-Polish War 1920?

Answer 12

Red Army tried to recapture Polish territory + suffered major defeat
Poles did not welcome Lenin, Russian forces halted outside Warsaw + forced to retreat.
16th October 1920, armistice signed between Poland + Russia
Confirmed Polish independence + agreed Western Ukraine + Western Belorussia should come under Polish authority
freedom + territory gained remained until post WW2

Question 13

What were Russo-Polish relations 1933-39 influenced by?

Answer 13

neutrality pact between Russia + Germany (Treaty of Berlin)
Russia’s admittance to League of Nations
Growing concern that Germany would attempt an invasion of Russia via Poland
formation of Anti-Comintern alliance

Question 14

Why did the Anti-Comintern alliance not bode well for Poland?

Answer 14

inferred that Germany was considering a direct challenge to Russian authority through invasion
only Poland that stood in the way

Question 15

Why did tensions peak between Russia + Germany?

Answer 15

Russia would be left alone to defend Poland
so signed Nazi-Soviet non aggression pact in 1939
admission to Poland that Russia leadership would not interfere if Germany made an attempt to invade
Invasion occurred, Russia took time to prepare

Question 16

What happened in the early stages of the WW2?

Answer 16

early stages, Polish gov decided to flee to London + go into exile
main aim of London poles was to ensure Poland would not endure any territorial loss when war ended
Nazi-Soviet Pact had soured relations between Poland + Russia but took sharp turn for the worse in 1943 - Katyn Forest Massacre

Question 17

What was the Katyn Forest Massacre?

Answer 17

German occupying forces in Poland revealed they had uncovered the mass graves of 4231 Polish officers in a forest at Katyn
each corpse had his hands tied behind his back + had been killed by a bullet to the head
Germans suggested the killings had been carried out by NKVD in 1940
Russian soldiers blamed Germans
London poles pushed for investigation by International Red Cross, caused Russians to accuse exiled gov of attempting to collaborate with gov
Russia ceased all diplomatic relations

Question 18

What happened in 1944?

Answer 18

Russian launched massive offensive against German forces
Russian troops ordered to procees to Poland but 2 main cities (Warsaw + Lublin) bypassed
In Warsaw, Polish Home Army encouraged to rise up+fight , Russians hoped they would be badly damaged by Germans so they could swoop in and install Soviet-type regime.
At same time, NLC in Lublin was established

Question 19

What happened at Yalta wartime conference?

Answer 19

Stalin demanded the new Russo-Polish frontier should be established along the so-called Curzon line + whole of Poland should be governed by Soviet-backed Lublin-Style regime
agreed, London poles abandoned

Question 20

What happened at Potsdam?

Answer 20

Stalin persuaded Truman + Churchill to accept western demarcation at the ‘Oder-Neisse line’ pathed way Russia to fully implement a Soviet-style gov across Poland

Question 21

What happened in 1947?

Answer 21

provisional constitution instigated which set up Council of state
Council had executive power + was dominated by Stalinist-influenced Polish Workers’ Party

Question 22

What happened in 1952?

Answer 22

Poland officially renamed the People’s Republic of Poland

Question 23

What did Khrushchev’s secret speech provoke?

Answer 23

a demand from Polish intellectuals for Stalinist politicians in Poland to stand down
Khrushchev largely agreed to their demands, 1956 Gomulka released from prison to take over leadership in Poland
Easing of control over polish people followed
Generally until K’s removal of power, Polish experienced elements of relief