Russia Flashcards

Question

Key events of the civil war (1918 - 1920)

Answer 1

1. Signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. This united opposition against the Bolsheviks and ensured that other countries, such as Britain, France and the USA, gave support to the Whites so that Russia might rejoin the war 2. Trotsky becomes War Commissar, in March 1918. He was brilliant in ensuring the Red Army maintained discipline and morale for success 3. Czech Legion becomes involved, May 1918. 50,000 men from the Legion were leaving Russia, but Trotsky ordered them to give up weapons. They refused and took over large sections of the Trans-Siberian railway. Czech Legion was a large and experienced military force which boosted support against the Reds 4. Royal Family executed, July 1918. Being held prisoner in Yekaterinburg, when White forces arrived near the city, the Bolsheviks shot Nicholas and his family. Many of the Whites wanted the Tsar restored to power, and the Bolsheviks ensured this did not happen 5. Fanya Kaplan shoots Lenin, August 1918. She believed Lenin was a traitor for shutting down the Constituent Assembly. She shot him three times, seriously wounding but not killing him. Key event because it led to the Red Terror. The Bolsheviks used the Cheka to arrest opponents and execute them without trial. The Cheka would intimidate people in White-captured areas to support the Reds and punish White supporters 6. Kolchak Eastern Russian Offensive, Nov 1918. Initially very successful, but by June 1919, forces split by disagreements and Red Army could force them back 7. Advance on Petrograd and Moscow, Oct 1919. Yudenich almost reached Petrograd but desperate fighting from Reds drove them back. Denikin advanced to Moscow from the south, but Trotsky organised a counter-attack that forced them to retreat. Closest the Whites came to winning the war 8. Tambov Uprisings, August 1920. Bolsheviks increased grain tax on peasants, uprisings took place in Tambov, and a peasant Green army defended their area from the Reds. 100,000 troops sent in using poison gas to kill peasants 9. Battle of Perekop, Nov 1920. Final battle of the civil war, Bolsheviks defeated the White army led by General Wrangel

Answer 2

- Introduced so that the Russian economy could meet the needs of workers and the Red Army, but huge sacrifices for others - Peasants were not allowed to sell crops, state requisitioned crops and left peasants only a small amount. Peasants often hid grain - Food rationing began - Central planning organisation, Supreme Economic Council (Vesenkha) introduced December 1917. Decided what economy needed and set targets - Factories with over 10 workers were nationalised - Workers were put under government control, and strikes banned. Everyone old enough was forced into labour conscription

Answer 3

Effects on peasants: - Requisitioning turned peasants against Bolsheviks; they were left with practically nothing to eat and less grain to plant the next harvest. By 1920, farm production fell to 37 % of what it was in 1913. Food shortages increased - Requisitioning brigades used increasing levels of violence to meet targets, since peasants often hid grain stores. Thousands were killed, and these skirmishes grew into larger conflicts. Some even killed animals to avoid having them requisitioned Kulaks: - Bolsheviks blamed unrest on rich peasants who were resisting brigades (kulak means closed fist). Kulaks seen as counter revolutionary capitalist, whereas ordinary peasants seen as strugglers for the revolution Effects on workers: - Made sure Red Army had supplies it needed, but the same could not be said for workers. Food became hard to find and so workers left cities to return to family villages. In Moscow and Petrograd, much of the population returned to the countryside. Production of goods halved, and industries were now solely producing goods for the Red Army, and virtually nothing for the ordinary people - Everyone had to use the black market to get what they needed, supplying 70% of food under War Communism, but prices were very high which made life more difficult - Bolsheviks convinced people that during the war it was the Whites responsible for the economic hardship and hard living conditions during the war, but afterwards there were protests against harsh conditions

Answer 4

- Kronstadt sailors had long been supporters of the revolution, important naval base as it guarded Petrograd - Sailors mutinied against officers in 1917, took part in July Days, helped defend Petrograd against Kornilov. Trotsky called them the 'reddest of the red' - However, there was a mutiny of sailors on the ship Petropavlovsk, spreading to the whole base. Over 15,000 sailors mutinied Reasons: - Growing opposition to difficulties from War Communism. They began to strike in Moscow and Petrograd over food shortages and lack of freedom. - Bolshevik bureaucrats had more food than workers and had comfortable housing, which angered workers. Kronstadt sailors shared this anger, and were furious that Bolsheviks were imprisoning and executing people without trial - Bolshevik leadership was shocked, but nonetheless put down the mutiny with violence. 50,000 Red Army soldiers stormed the naval base across the frozen Gulf of Finland, and it took some time before the base was recaptured. Prisoners were handed to the Cheka and executed - However, the mutiny was significant as it showed Lenin that War Communism was not working and putting control of Russia at risk. Lenin abandoned War Communism for the New Economic Policy

Answer 5

- Lenin decided that after the Kronstadt Naval Mutiny, significant changes were needed to the policy of War Communism, as it seemed to be destroying the trust of the workers and peasants in the Bolshevik regime Features of the NEP: - Free market reintroduced. Peasants could sell produce once again and decide at what price, but needed to pay 10% tax on sold products - Grain requisitioning was ended - Big factories were still state-owned but smaller businesses (>20 people) were privately owned for profit - Foreign experts were brought in from the US and Canada to improve the efficiency of factories - Any Russians could open shops for profit. They became known as Nepmen (NEP - men)

Answer 6

Effects on the Soviet Union (formed in 1922 from the soviet socialist republics): - Agricultural production rapidly increased because peasants grew much more food. This was because they were able to sell surplus for profit (they still had to product enough for the state). But by 1923, many were paying this requirement in cash and this made them eager to earn more - Supplies of food increased. Only the state bought and sold products under War Communism, but now traders began to sell food in cities. A new currency, the chervonets, was established in 1922. Rationing was abolished and people had to buy food with their own money - Industrial growth increased, more so for small businesses. Lots of demand for manufactured goods like clothes and shoes in the countryside - Some foreign countries hoped that the NEP meant that communism was over in the Soviet Union. Britain, for example, made trade deals with the Soviet Union to encourage it back into capitalism, which boosted the USSR's finances Scissor crisis: - So much food was being produced that food prices went down, but industry was developing more slowly so prices of manufactured goods stayed high - This meant that peasants were less eager to sell goods, since they were getting less money, and would have to spend more money on manufactured goods. Government took steps to lower industrial prices, which helped to reduce the problem Social effects: - Good for the peasants, especially those with lots of land since they were able to grow lots of surplus crop, and gradually, peasant revolts ended. Peasants were generally happy to tolerate the government, although uncertain about what would happen next - Life in cities recovered, restaurants, shops, cinemas and other types of entertainment opened. The Nepmen went around trading and travelling to sell products where prices were the highest. However, the NEP did contribute towards social inequality in the Soviet Union, which was not the aim of socialism

Answer 7

- Worrying towards Bolsheviks for a number of reasons. War Communism was in line with communist theory because of the central planning aspect, and state control of industry and agriculture, despite being painful - The NEP looked like a return to capitalism leading to class divides once more - The NEP did not prioritise workers and keep food prices low, but favoured peasants and allowed them to charge high prices for crops - Making successful peasant farmers much richer than other peasants. Despite efforts to wipe out bourgeoisie and kulaks, there were still classes of rich and poor in the countryside and cities

Answer 8

Death: - Lenin died in 1924 at age 53. He suffered two strokes throughout 1922, and one in 1923 which left him unable to speak. Stress of leadership, overworking (14 hours a day regularly) and injuries from Fanya Kaplan's assassination attempt in 1918 may have contributed - Lenin was seen as a hero and after his death the cult worship of him increased greatly. His image was everywhere, and Petrograd was even renamed to Leningrad in his honour. Achievements: - April Theses, changed aims of Bolshevik party and provided a clear message to workers about Bolshevik aims, which gave them more support - Lenin convinced people that the time for a socialist revolution was now and not in the future until there was a large proletariat population. He also convinced other Bolsheviks that power needed to be taken by force and not via getting into elections in the Constituent Assembly - War Communism, although unpopular and damaging, did help the Bolsheviks win the civil war by ensuring the Red Army had enough key supplies - NEP, ensured the Bolsheviks remained in power and allowed some prosperity in the Soviet Union following the civil war - Lenin masterminded the October Revolution and Trotsky put it into place. Without him the revolution would not have succeeded

Russia Flashcards

(32 cards)