GCSE History - Russia

Impacts of WWI

- Rasputin had a large influence over the Tsar

- He influenced Alexandra to remove capable ministers

- He was assassinated in 1919

- Russia's army was poorly equipped

- They won the Brusilov Offensive in 1916 but they did not take advantage of it

- The Tsar was personally in command of the Army

- Overcrowding in Russian cities

- Low wages but high prices

- Food and fuel shortages in 1916

- Discontent throughout Russia

- Few peasants were on the land due to conscription

- Severe winter in 1916-17 led to deserters and starvation

February Revolution

- In 1917 the Putilov Steel Works striked

- Bread quest turned into riots

- Leaders of the Duma openly opposed the Tsar

- In February the army mutinied

- On 3rd March 1917 the Tsar abdicated

- The provisional government (P.G.) replaced the Tsar

Weakness of the Provisional Government

- Poor conditions in 1917

- Peasants stole food from landowners

- Revolt at the Kronstadt Naval Base in July

- Petrograd soviet was hostile to the P.G.

- Continuing war led to more food shortages

- P.G. allowed opposition to campaign freely

- The P.G. was temporary so they could not make large changes to Russia

Lenin and the Bolsheviks

- Lenin was in exile in Germany

- He returned in April to overthrow the P.G.

- He published his 'April Thesis' in 1917

- He promised 'Peace, Bread and Land'

- The Bolsheviks were involved in the 'July days' revolution

- Peaceful protest in Petrograd led by Lenin

- 518,000 protestors, 700 killed

- Lenin was forced back into exile

Kornilov Revolt

- August 1917

- Kerensky (P.G. Leader) was challenged by Kornilov

- Kerensky used the Bolsheviks to defeat Kornilov

- Workers prevented Kornilov entering Moscow

- Kerensky now relied on the Petrograd Soviet for support

Bolshevik Revolution

- By September the Bolsheviks were the largest party in the Petrograd Soviet

- They controlled the Military Committee there

- In October 1917 Lenin returned from exile

- He was convinced it was the right time for revolution

- On 24th and 25th October Red Guards seized power

- They stormed the winter palace

Reasons for Bolshevik Success

- The P.G. was very unpopular

- Lenin carefully planed the party, 800,000 members

- Half the army and the navy supported the Bolsheviks

- Petrograd and Moscow soviets were pro Bolsheviks

- Trotsky organised the tactical seizure of specific places

Civil War

- 1918-1921

- 'Council of People's Commissars' was set up

- Lenin followed the ideas of Karl Marx

- Elections in 1917 showed Lenin had little support

- Lenin became a dictator

- Cheka (secret police) intimidated/murdered opponents

- The Bolsheviks agreed a ceasefire with Germany in December 1917

- The 'Treaty of Brest-Litovsk' was signed in March 1918

- Russia had to pay 300million gold roubles

- They lost territory but the war ended

- Cooperative farms were made

- By May 1918 the Bolsheviks had many enemies

- 'Whites' opposed the Bolsheviks

Whites v Reds

- Reds had a large well organised army

- Reds used propaganda against the whites

- Cheka kept a ruthless rule in Russia

- Reds held major cities and factories

- Reds used War Communism to feed soldiers

- Whites were made of multiple different armies

- Whites dislike each other

- White armies were spread out across Russia

- Whites treated Russians harshly

War Communism and the NEP

- Land and industry was nationalised

- Harsh discipline was in factories

- Peasants were forced to hand over surplus produce

- Armies were well equipped and fed

- Opposition was destroyed by the Cheka

- Millions died in 1921

- Kronstadt Mutiny in 1921 showed opposition to war communism, the Kronstadt sailers were key supporters

- NEP was introduced by Lenin in March 1921

- It aimed to improve people's lives

- Peasants could sell extra produce

- Private businesses could be set up