russia

Question 1

Who was supportive of tsarist regime

Answer 1

army, okhrana (secret police), conservatives, church

Question 2

who wasn’t supportive of tsarist regime

Answer 2

peasants (wanted more land),workers (wanted better conditions), liberals (wanted more political freedom), nationalists (wanted independence from the empire, radicals (wanted to otherthrow the regime)

Question 3

How did peasants live in the 1917s

Answer 3

They lived in poverty with famines being a frequent threat

Question 4

what was life like for town workers in 1917s

Answer 4

living and working conditions were terrible: homes were overcrowded and working hours were long in dangerous factories

Question 5

who were the opposition to the tsar

Answer 5

radicals, liberals, conservatives-wanted to defend the interests of the gentry, ultra nationalists (protect empire), socialist revolutionaries- wanted a new soceity bases on peasant commune, social democrates were divided into 2: Bolsheviks- lead the workins into revolution to create communism, Menshaviks- thought communism in Russia was a long way off as it was not industrialised.

Question 6

what were the economic effects of WW1

Answer 6

Taxes rose to help pay for the cost of the war
Their national debt increased as they took loans from allies.
Inflation as the government printed more money.

Question 7

what were the political effects of WW1

Answer 7

The Duma (Russian parliament) had supported the war at first, but they started to critisce failures of the tsar, the tsar refused to give them any power which led to them becoming opposition

Question 8

When did the tsar become commander and what were the effects of this

Answer 8

august 1915 - lost alot of respect

Question 9

what were the social effects of WW1

Answer 9

government requisitioned peasant crops and horses

Question 10

When was the Feb revolution

Answer 10

feb 1917

Question 11

what were the triggers for the feb revolution

Answer 11

Tsar being away from Petrograd, food shortages, announcement of bread rationing, international women’s day march, demonstrations in support of the Duma, unusually mild weather, mutiny in the army, contempt for the tsarina

Question 12

what happened to the duma after the feb revolution

Answer 12

They asked the tsar to create a new cabinet involving the duma. He refused and ordered the Duma to dissolve, most government ministers left petrograd. Half of the duma refused and continued meeting. Army commanders suspected they could no long rely on their troops to follow their orders.

Question 13

how did the tsar abdicate

Answer 13

Army leaders and duma leaders met the with the tsar. They suggested he should abdicate in order to save Russia.

Question 14

What was the petrograd soviet

Answer 14

workers, soldiers and sailors elected representatives to the soviet.

Question 15

what was the provisional government and what were it’s first aids

Answer 15

it was made up of politicians from a mix of parties. It’s first aids were to release political or religious prisoners, promised full democratic freedom, ending death penalty, transferring power to zemstvos (local councils)

Question 16

what was the link between the PG and petrograd soviet

Answer 16

the PG was set up with the approval of the PS, the PG and PS and meetings

Question 17

the Petrograd soviet agreed to support the PG if what 8 principles were followed

Answer 17

Amnesty for all political prisoners, freedom of speech, no privileges of class religion or nationality, elections for a constituent assembly, elected people militia to replace all police units, local government to be elected, military units that took part in the revolution to stat together, off duty soldiers to have the same rights as citizens.

Question 18

Who was the leader of the PG and when did he become it

Answer 18

Kerensky - July 1917

Question 19

what were keresnky’s mistakes

Answer 19

Continued to support the war, acted against old ruling classes (lost support from conservatives), failed to control Bolsheviks

Question 20

what was dual power

Answer 20

when both the PG and PS tried to lead Russia

Question 21

what were the weaknesses and failures of the PG

Answer 21

lack of decisive leadership , lack of control over military - the PS had control over it, dual power meant that it had no control over some areas, failure to hold a general election, failure to provide more land for peasants, more democracy meant they could be criticized more, failure to improve economy, contining to fight war

Question 22

what was the June offensive

Answer 22

Kerensky was war minister when the PG decided to attack German and Austrian forces in June 1917. There was 200,000 russian casualties and a further loss of territory. This led to Kerensky taking over the leadership of the PG from Prince Lvov

Question 23

what was the kornilov revolt

Answer 23

In July 1917 Kerensky made Kornilov head of the army. On 24th august Kornilov sent troops into Petrograd to shut down the Petrograd soviet. The Bolsheviks armed their supporters to defend Petrograd from Kornilov’s troops. These armed supporters where names as the red guards. Railway workers also blocked the route to Petrograd and the Bolsheviks met the troops and convinced them not to attack.

Question 24

what was the significance of the Kornilov revolt

Answer 24

increased the popularity and influence of the Bolsheviks and further weakened the PG. On 31 August, the Bolsheviks won the most seats in the Petrograd soviet election.

Question 25

What was the April Theses

Answer 25

Lenin- Bolshevik leader, set out a manifesto of how the working class should take over Russia. It included: end the war, transfer all power to the soviets - the PG should not be supported, take land from rich land owners and give it to peasants.

Question 26

How did support for the Bolsheviks grow

Answer 26

Lenins's april thesis meant that they had a clear and powerful message to workers, peasants and soldiers, Bolshevik newspapers in most Russian cities constantly criticized the PG, the Germans send money to to fund the Bolshevik campaign.

Question 27

What were the July days

Answer 27

Riots and demonstrations against the PG 3rd and 7th Jul7 1917 turned into an uprising. Lenin believed the time was right to other throw the PG so the Bolsheviks joined in. Troops were sent in to put down the uprising, many Bolsheviks were arrested at they were blamed for starting it. Lenin escaped fleeing back to Finland.

Question 28

how many members did the Bolsheviks have by oct 1917

Answer 28

340,000

Question 29

What was the MRC

Answer 29

military revolutionary committee- Rumors spread that the Bolsheviks were planning an attack. Trotsky, as leader of the PS set up the MRC to bring together all soviet supporting troops in Petrograd. By 21 oct most of Petrograd's regiments promised loyalty to the MRC.

Question 30

What did Kerensky do on OCT 24 to try and crack down on Bolshevik's

Answer 30

closed Bolshevik newspapers, blocked river crossings, calling for arrest of MRC

Question 31

when did the Bolshevik's seize control

Answer 31

24-25 October red guards seized more key areas of the city. On 25-26 October Bolshevik soldiers climbed through the windows of the winter palace and arrested the final members of the PG

Question 32

why was the October revolution successful (Bolshevik takeover)

Answer 32

Lenin had a clear plan, Lenin made sure only the Bolsheviks were in charge, Kerensky didn't take Bolsheviks seriously after July days, Kerensky didn't disband the red guards after the Kornilov affair, the PG was very unpopular and no one defended it , trotsky was an amazing planner of the red gaurds

Question 33

What were the early decree's of the Bolshevik's

Answer 33

Peace - all countries to seek peace land - land taken from wealthy land owners now belonged to peasants workers rights - 8 hour day , decrease in unemployment nationalities - everyone could have their own governments that remained under Bolshevik control

Question 34

how was the constituent assembly shut down

Answer 34

Lenin ordered the red guards to shut to shut it down after the Bolsheviks lost the general election

Question 35

what was the cheka and when was it set up

Answer 35

7th Decemver 1917. The bolsheviks uses them as terror to arrest anyone who was suspected as being opposition to the Bolsheviks

Question 36

when was tsar nicholas executed along with his family and 4 servants

Answer 36

17th july 1918

Question 37

what was the aim of the treaty of Brest-Litvosk

Answer 37

To take Russia out of the war as many of the Bolsheviks supporters were desperate soldiers and sailors

Question 38

when was the treaty of brest-litvosk signed

Answer 38

3 march 1918

Question 39

what happend to the Russians in exchange for peace

Answer 39

lost huge amounts of land, had to pay Germany 300 million gold roubles

Question 40

who was in favour of the treaty

Answer 40

soldiers, bolsheviks

Question 41

who wasn't in favour of the treaty

Answer 41

the left SRs, nationalists and conservatives were horrified with loses to land

Question 42

when was the civil war

Answer 42

1918-21

Question 43

what were the reasons for the civil war

Answer 43

huge territorial loses appalled many Russians, Nationalists and conservatives had everything to lose, the bolsheviks made enemies with the czech legion- 40,000 czech troops who took control of the trans-siberian railway

Question 44

effects of the war of bolsheviks

Answer 44

cheka used terror tatics, harsh discipline on red army - deserters were shot, ideological victory, centralised control, bolsheviks feared foreign invasion

Question 45

bolshevik strengths in civil war

Answer 45

war communism, red army= 5 million soldiers, trotsky= good leader,effective propaganda, didnt have to fight everyone at once, coltrol of most of Russia's industries, control of central russia + most of population

Question 46

role of trotsky in the civil war

Answer 46

organised troops, employed ex tsarist officers, strict discipline, soldiers learnt to read and write, made the military oath- loyality to bolsheviks

Question 47

what foriegn intervention happened in the civil war

Answer 47

troops were sent to help the whites, this helped them and made them seem stronger than they really were

Question 48

white weakness's in civil war

Answer 48

geographically spread out, didn't have a large population to conscript from, didn't control many industrial areas, not popular with workers and peasants, they all disagreed, so single white leader, only 250,000 soldiers

Question 49

when was the red terror

Answer 49

september 1918 - feb 1919

Question 50

what was the role of the cheka

Answer 50

they could arrest, impirson, torture or execute anyone they suspected.

Question 51

why did Lenin introduce the red terror

Answer 51

after surviving an assassination attempt from an SR, the red terror grew massively during the civil war

Question 52

who could stand in elections (1918)

Answer 52

only communist party members

Question 53

what was the soviet government

Answer 53

local soviets were elected but the bolsheviks controlled what they did

Question 54

what did the all-russian-congress of soviets do

Answer 54

agree with what ever the government told it to- this made the soviet union a dictatorship

Question 55

when was war communism introduced

Answer 55

1918

Question 56

what were the features of war communism

Answer 56

peasants were not allowed to sell crops, peasants hiding grain were shot, industries were nationalized and given targets, people rights and restrictions were restricted, money was abolished and people payed in good and services.

Question 57

what was the Kronstadt mutiny

Answer 57

sailors rebelled against government on 28 feb 1921, it took till 17 march for soldiers to be defeated

Question 58

what was the reason for war communism

Answer 58

to control industry to supply soldiers with weapons, to control food supply to feed soldiers and workers

Question 59

what were the consequences of war communism

Answer 59

In 1920 farm production had fallen to 37% of 1913 levels, numbers of people working in factories fell, food shortages turned into famine, no consumer goods were being made, a black market developed

Question 60

what were the political consequences of war communism

Answer 60

factory workers organised strikes, peasant uprising in Tambov Province

Question 61

when was the NEP introduced

Answer 61

1921

Question 62

why was the NEP introduced

Answer 62

disastrous economic factors of war communism, political opposition caused by war communism

Question 63

what were the features of the NEP

Answer 63

peasants could decide what to do with their crops, state stopped requisitioning grain peasants now paid tax, state kept control of big factories but not small farms and businesses', money reintroduced, foreign experts were brought in to improve how factories were run

Question 64

economic effects of NEP

Answer 64

agricultural production increased, by 1923 grain production was 56 million tonnes. Industrial growth increases, some traders (NEP men and NEP women) made profits from the shortages of goods

Question 65

who was for the NEP

Answer 65

peasants and traders

Question 66

who was against NEP

Answer 66

some communist members as it was a step closer to capitalism

Question 67

what were the bolshevik policies on women

Answer 67

1917 - declared equal to men 1919 - womens organisation was set up called zhenotdel to increase freedom, equality and influence. 1920 - abortion made legal

Question 68

what were the communist education policies 1921-24

Answer 68

co-education introduced to reduce discrimination against women, literacy drive in red army, by 1926 58% of population was literate .

Question 69

how did the communist party use propaganda

Answer 69

it used art, literature, film and music to promote communist ideas

Question 70

what happened to artists

Answer 70

they were censored by the government so that everything portrayed socialism in a positive way. This was called socialist realism

Question 71

when did Lenin die

Answer 71

1924

Question 72

who were the rivals for bolshevik power after lenin died

Answer 72

stalin, trotsky, ziniviev and kamenev, bukharin

Question 73

pros and cons of stalin

Answer 73

powerful position of general secretary, appearance of moderation , rude and lust for power, boring unlike key rivals

Question 74

zinoviev and kamenev pros and cons

Answer 74

worked closely together, both party boses in different cities, worked with stalin to weaken trotsky after lenins death, only 2 senior bolsheviks to oppose lenins plane to seize power

Question 75

trotsky pros and cons

Answer 75

good speaker, lenin's close comrade, good organisation and leadership, arrogant and bossy, menshavik until 1917 unlike the others who were long standing bolsheviks, lack of supporters outside the military

Question 76

bukharin pros and cons

Answer 76

very popular , good writer and theorist, argued againts treaty of brest-litvosk which was used against him, main supporter of NEP which was viewed as capitalist

Question 77

how did stalin become leader

Answer 77

took lead part at lenins funeral, he worked with zinoviev and kamenev to undermine trotsky, but when they opposed Bukharin stalin criticized them for trying to split the party. There was pressure on NEP which bukharin supported, stalin started to argue for rapid industrialization and collectivization and won the party's support

Question 78

how did the purges start

Answer 78

stalin purges anyone in the party that didn't want him in power, this then spread to the whole of the soviet union. Kirov was the first person he killed after he called for a change in policy.

Question 79

what were the reasons for purges

Answer 79

economic problems were blamed on imaginary wreckers, to remove other rivals, stalin was paranoid about rivals, following lenin's red terror

Question 80

what happened in the purges

Answer 80

party members arrested, forced confessions, mess terror (yezhov), use of gulags (labour camps)

Question 81

what were the consequences of purges

Answer 81

stalin scared everyone else, old leninists destroyed, chaos in government and economy, weakened armed forces

Question 82

who administered stalin's terror

Answer 82

secret police - OGPU a new version of the cheka (later known as NKVD and then KGB)

Question 83

what were the conditions in gulags

Answer 83

prisoners uses as slaves to extract resources to build infrastructure for the soviet union. people sent to gulags were from all parts of society, thin uniforms, miserable food and shacks to live in

Question 84

how many people died in gulags

Answer 84

2 million

Question 85

what and when were show trials

Answer 85

1936-38 - only high leading party members had show trials. The public declarations of guilt where meant to make people believe the country really was under attack by enemies and that all problems could be blames on them

Question 86

pros of new constitution of 1936

Answer 86

replaces the congress of soviets with the supreme soviet of the USSR, everyone was now allowed to vote, voting was now done in secret, guaranteed workers rights to holidays, health care, education and other benefits, gave the 15 republics of the USSR the same rights as Russia

Question 87

cons of new constitution of 1936

Answer 87

Only 1 party to vote for, all rights could be ignored by secret police, activities of the republics of the USSR were closely controlled, stalin ignored the constitution and ran the USSR as a dictaorship

Question 88

what was the cult of stalin

Answer 88

stalin as the lenin of today focus on stalin's economic 'achievements' leader, teacher , friend

Question 89

what were the reasons for the cult of stalin

Answer 89

to give the people confidence that the hardships and sacrifices were worth it, long standing tradition in Russia for leader to be a father to the whole country, to gain support for the regime

Question 90

how was the cult of stalin achieved

Answer 90

art, propaganda messages, books, peoms and plays

Question 91

when was collectivization

Answer 91

1928-1933

Question 92

reasons for collectivization

Answer 92

falling grain production, communist ideology, concerns about NEP, stalin's rival bukharin who liked NEP, stalling industrial production

Question 93

what were the pros of collectivization

Answer 93

By 1935 90% of farmland had been collectivized, improvements in farming, more young people from agricultural areas went to school, rationing of bread ended by 1934, increased grain exports to other countries which earned the USSR money to invest in industrialization, peasants moved to cites, controlling the country side was a political success.

Question 94

what were the failures of collecitvisation

Answer 94

famine- 3.3 million peasants died, liquidation of kulkas policy removed the most experienced farmers, too few tractors and most were poorly made, very hard to leave collective farms, collective workers did as little work as possible so production was still low

Question 95

when and what was the famine in Ukraine

Answer 95

1932-33. The red army had defeated Ukrainian nationalists in the civil war, peasants refused to join collective farms, the state took more and more grain away from Ukraine, the government refused to help them and 3 million died

Question 96

what were the motives for rapid industrialization

Answer 96

ideological motives, political motives, scissor crisis- food prices dropped so peasants had less money

Question 97

what was gosplan

Answer 97

the state planning comittee they were responsible for setting targets

Question 98

when and what was the first 5 year plan

Answer 98

1928-32. increased output of heavy industry

Question 99

when and what was the 2nd five year plan

Answer 99

1933-37. increase output of heavy industry but with more efficiency and increased output of some consumer products

Question 100

when and what was the 3rd five year plan

Answer 100

1938-41. Increase in military production and improvements to education.

Question 101

what was the stakhanovite movement

Answer 101

Stakhanov was a miner who became famous for mining 14x his quota. Soviet propaganda made him a celebrity and encouraged all workers to become Stakhanovites and try to go over their target. In reality Stakhanov had a lot of help and better equipment.

Question 102

what were the failures of industrialization

Answer 102

some production was slave labour from gulags, factories were dangerous, living conditions did not improve - some lived in tents, targets meant quality was compromised, productivity was low compared to other countries, targets were set low and missed targets were overlooked- factor managers could not be trusted to give accurate figures.

Question 103

what were successes of industrialisation

Answer 103

USSR was now a fully industrialised nation, increased production helped repel german invasion in WW2, supply of raw materials increased, new towns such as magnitogorsk were built, no umemployment, new factories were built, communisnt had more support from workers

Question 104

what was the truth of rapid industrialisation

Answer 104

it caused chaos in the economy, materials often never arrived so there were no spare parts to fix anything. The only way to meet targets was to lie or to make products that would break as soon as they are used.

Question 105

how did living conditions change by 1941

Answer 105

they were better but space was still and issue and families had 1 or 2 rooms

Question 106

how did working conditions change by 1941

Answer 106

workers were given holidays, days off, housing, health care and education but trade unions were banned and workers couldnt change jobs.

Question 107

what did bolsheviks do to make women closer to men

Answer 107

divorce made simple, abortion and contraception easy to obtain, women and equal pay or equal work, equal educational opportunities.

Question 108

what happend to women after 1936

Answer 108

abolition of zhenotdel, abortions banned, hard to obtain contraception, incentives for women to have children - money if you had 6 children or more, stricter conditions for divorces

Question 109

why did stalin make changes for women after 1936

Answer 109

birth rates were falling which is not good for industrialisation, there were gangs of children which were blamed on divorces

Question 110

what happend to ethnic minorities in 1932-41

Answer 110

they were pruged

Question 111

why did stalin purges ethnic minorities

Answer 111

people were criticized for putting their ethnic identities first, resistance to collectivization was strongest where national identities were strongest, stalin was convinced they were a threat to the USSR