The Bolsheviks in Power (1917-24) Flashcards

Question

How did leadership of Lenin help the Bolsheviks win the Russian Civil War (1918-21)?

Answer 1

- Centralised and unified leadership of Lenin & Trotsky - Lenin = inspirational figure who provided central political leadership and direction - Lenin = ruthless in conducting the war (i.e. War communism and use of Cheka)

Answer 2

War Communism - ruthless discipline enforced in factories - strict food rationing introduced (largest rations going to Red Army - all necessary resources went to Red Army (even if this meant peasants and workers went hungry) Cheka - terrified ordinary Russians (conspirators could expect no mercy)

Answer 3

- appointed Commissar of War in March 1918 - 1 army (Red Army) & 1 commander - inspired and rallied men - restored discipline and professionalism into 'Workers' and Peasants' Red Army', making it an effective fighting force - restored conscription - reintroduced traditional officer structure - reinstated 1000s of former Tsarist officers (poor and unemployed and experienced) - kept their families hostage to ensure loyalty - promoted talented soldiers to generals (who never made officers in the nobility-dominated tsarist army) - appointed a Bolshevik political commissars to each army unit to ensure the officers were following the party line - restored strict military discipline (restoring death penalty for a range of offences) - decided overall strategy of the Bolsheviks (to defend internal lines of communication and to deny the Whites the opportunity to concentrate large forces into one location)

Answer 4

- used railways to transport men and munitions to battlefront - most of population lived in central areas (easier to conscript more people as they were needed) - Red armies often vastly outnumbers Whites - contained main armaments factories in Russia (produce war materials) - raw materials and finished goods transported easily by train - control of Tsarist arms stores

Answer 5

- inclined to support Bolsheviks (but didn't really want to support whites or reds) - Decree on land gave peasants right to land (Whites made clear that they would restore land to its former owners - Kolchak even gave estates to landlords who had not owned them before the revolution) - Brutality of White armies (Cossacks = ethnic cleasing of non-cossack peasants)

Answer 6

- whites would take land away from the peasants - foreign invaders were supporting the Whites and would control Russia - the Reds offered a wonderful new society for workers and peasants

Answer 7

- impossible to develop a common political aim - no co-ordinated military strategy (White generals didn't trust/like each other so they didn't work together) SO Trotsky could deal with each White army in turn rather than a joint, simultaneous attack on all fronts - lost support of nationalist groups (wanted to restore Russian Empire which antagonised separatist groups who were looking for greater self-government, if not independence)

Answer 8

- Some generals were cruel so soldiers were disloyal (many deserted) - high levels of corruption and indiscipline (officers lived in brothels / were often under the influence of vodka or cocaine / uniforms and munitions supplied by foreign allies were sold on black market)

Answer 9

- communications = difficult (esp. men and weapons) - co-ordination of attacks = difficult - many of White-controlled areas were underpopulated (difficult to conscript) - no control of railways & no telephone links

Answer 10

- British government and public didn't really support the Whites - French soldiers were unkeen to fight (led to mutinies in the Black Sea) - Japanese focused on seizing territory than fighting Bolsheviks - gave Bolsheviks a propaganda opportunity

Answer 11

Cheka = 100 in 1917 but 30,000 by 1921 - used to remove political opposition - shoot army deserters Red Terror - after an assassination attempt on Lenin - all those suspected of working against the revolution were arrested, tortured and executed (even children) - Cheka were random (could be arrested for being an acquaintance of a suspect) - opponents imprisoned in concentration and labour camps - by end of 1918, more than 50,000 killed - created a climate of fear, making it difficult to criticise the government

Answer 12

- Central control through the Politburo, and economic centralisation Politburo - leading decision making body of the Bolshevik Party - consisted of 5 members chosen by the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party - intended to make day-to-day decisions which were too urgent to wait for a Central Committee debate - however, under Lenin's leadership, all major decisions were made by the Politburo (due to nature of decision making during civil war) War Communism

Answer 13

25th May 1922 = stroke leaving partially paralysed and temporarily unable to speak SO during summer of 1922, Russia was ruled by Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev In December 1922, he wrote a Testament, outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the main leaders; in January 1923, worried by some of Stalin's actions, he added a Postscript, recommending Stalin be dismissed. 15th December 1922 = 2nd stroke 9th March = 3rd stroke resulting in almost complete loss of speech January 1924 = DEATH

Answer 14

- introduced in 1918 - method of controlling the economy to ensure every area of economic life was focused on supplying the needs of the Red Army and winning the Civil War - strict rationing in cities during food shortages - private trading banned (peasants could no longer sell surplus for profit & had to give it to government - requisition squads to seize food if peasants resisted) - factories with more than 10 workers were nationalised (by 1919, 80% of enterprises were controlled by government) - rapid inflation = money became valueless (people exchanged goods rather than using money War communism = unpopular - Kulaks (peasants who gave their surplus) turned against other peasants - Bolsheviks even took grain needed for sowing the next crop, resulting in terrible famine 1920-21 (7 million peasants and workers died) - Led to Kronstadt Mutiny - 37.6 million tonnes of grain harvested in 1921

Answer 15

- March 1921 - rebellion of sailors at naval base of Kronstadt against the Bolshevik government Led to the demands: 1. The present soviets don't express the will of the workers and peasants so new elections should be held 2. Freedom of speech and press to be granted to workers and peasants 3. Freedom of assemble and of trade unions and peasants' associations 4. All political prisoners belonging to Socialist parties to be set free Mutiny = put down by Red Army (20,000 killed over 3 weeks, and surviving rebels were executed by Cheka or put in a gulag. Lenin introduced NEP in response to mutiny

Answer 16

- set up in 1921 - intended primarily to fulfil Russia's urgent need for food - because the civil war was effectively over - Food in markets in cities and growing trade in other goods - Shops, cafes and restaurants reopened - Rapid growth in industrial activity - Nepmen - private traders (handled about ¾ of the retail trade) - around 25,000 Nepmen in Moscow - Peasants = produce and hand-crafted goods + side trade in cities via Nepmen - Peasants able to farm their land without government interference - Flourishing crime and prostitution - Peasants could sell surplus grain for profit again - Factories w/ under 20 workers privatised - Grain production increases 72. 5 million tonnes of grain harvest in 1925

Answer 17

- Women formed 10% of party membership. - Highest marriage rate in Europe - Abortion on demand made legal in all state hospitals → 1st country to legalise abortion - Communist Party Programme education provided each child with 9 years of free universal education schooling. - 2/3 of Moscow marriages ended in divorce, 40% of which were initiated by men - State-controlled youth organisations set up - Curriculum included history of the the revolution & communism - More practical education (technical subjects + industrial training) + visits to factories & state farms & power stations - Authorities of teachers (bourgeoise) reduced - 'School workers' forbidden to set homework or disciple students - Pressure on NEP = universal schooling abandoned - Pioneers children for <15 (activities include trips & camping) Komsomol = 15-20 (more serious, propaganda in activities + preparation for entry into communist party)

Answer 18

Social Realism

The Bolsheviks in Power (1917-24) Flashcards

(43 cards)