History of The Soviet Union DSST

What are good resources for this DSST Part 1

1. History of Russia by Epic History, 35:55-47:00 (Covers Russia under the Tsars and intro to the Revolution)

2. Oversimplified Russian Revolution part 1 and 2 (Some parts are probably more helpful than others)

3. Oversimplified Cold War part 1 and 2 (Some parts are probably more helpful than others)

4. History Brief: Joseph Stalin’s USSR

5. The Real Story of Joseph Stalin: Best Stalin Documentary (Start at the 5:50 minute mark)

What are good resources for this DSST Part 2

6. Crash course European History

7. Any other small videos about Nikita Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and Gorbachev’s Soviet Union.

In order, who were the last 3 Tsars

Alexander II, Alexander III, and Nicholas II. (History of Russia video)

What was Russia’s secret police known as before the Revolution

“The Okhranka” They infiltrated many revolutionary groups. These groups were hanged or sent into exile in Siberia (History of Russia video)

Russia’s secret police targeted what group usually

They targeted Jews in riots known as “Pogroms” (History of Russia video)

What was Russia’s secret police known as before the Revolution

“The Okhranka” They infiltrated many revolutionary groups. These groups were hanged or sent into exile in Siberia (History of Russia video)

Russia’s secret police targeted what group usually

They targeted Jews in riots known as “Pogroms” (History of Russia video)

What significant event in 1905 served as a major precursor to the Russian Revolutions?

The 1905 Revolution, sparked by 'Bloody Sunday' where unarmed protestors were fired upon, leading to widespread strikes and demands for reform. (History of Russia video)

What was a key characteristic of Tsar Nicholas II's rule leading up to the Russian Revolution?

His autocratic rule, resistance to modern reforms, and perceived incompetence, especially after Russia's poor performance in the Russo-Japanese War and WWI, fueled public discontent. (History of Russia video)

What war served as a precursor to World War I and humiliated Russia

Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905. It was humiliated by a tiny Asian country. (History of Russia video)

Who was Grigori Rasputin and what was his impact on the Romanov dynasty? (History of Russia video)

A self-proclaimed holy man who gained significant influence over Empress Alexandra due to his perceived ability to help her hemophiliac son, Alexei. His controversial presence further damaged the monarchy's reputation. (History of Russia video)

What major event on January 22, 1905, is known as 'Bloody Sunday'?

A peaceful protest march of workers and their families to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, led by Father Gapon, was fired upon by Imperial Guard soldiers, killing hundreds and igniting the 1905 Revolution. (History of Russia video)

What was the result of the 1905 Revolution regarding political reform?

Tsar Nicholas II issued the October Manifesto in October 1905, promising civil liberties and the creation of an elected legislative assembly, the State Duma, although its powers were limited. (History of Russia video)

When did Russia enter World War I and what was its state at the beginning of the war?

Russia entered WWI in August 1914. Despite its large army, it was technologically and industrially underdeveloped compared to other major powers, leading to early and devastating losses. (History of Russia video)

What impact did Tsar Nicholas II's decision to take personal command of the army in 1915 have?

It removed him from St. Petersburg, leaving Empress Alexandra and Rasputin in charge of affairs, further destabilizing the government and eroding public trust. (History of Russia video)

What happened as a result of Russia’s role in World War I.

Food shortages, rising prices, Rasputin’s murder and Nicholas’s Abdication. (History of Russia video)

What were the immediate causes of the February Revolution in 1917?

Widespread food shortages, especially in Petrograd (St. Petersburg), and extreme discontent with the war effort and the autocratic government, which led to mass strikes and demonstrations in February 1917. (History of Russia video)

When did Tsar Nicholas II abdicate, bringing an end to the Romanov dynasty?

Tsar Nicholas II abdicated on March 15, 1917, under pressure from military leaders and the Provisional Committee of the State Duma, following the February Revolution. (History of Russia video)

What happened during the October Revolution

The Bolsheviks overthrew the Provisional government with little resistance and took control of the country. (History of Russia video)

Who was Grigori Rasputin and what was his impact on the Romanov dynasty? (History of Russia video)

A self-proclaimed holy man who gained significant influence over Empress Alexandra due to his perceived ability to help her hemophiliac son, Alexei. His controversial presence further damaged the monarchy's reputation. (History of Russia video)

What major event on January 22, 1905, is known as 'Bloody Sunday'?

A peaceful protest march of workers and their families to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, led by Father Gapon, was fired upon by Imperial Guard soldiers, killing hundreds and igniting the 1905 Revolution. (History of Russia video)

When did Russia enter World War I and what was its state at the beginning of the war?

Russia entered WWI in August 1914. Despite its large army, it was technologically and industrially underdeveloped compared to other major powers, leading to early and devastating losses. (History of Russia video)

What impact did Tsar Nicholas II's decision to take personal command of the army in 1915 have?

It removed him from St. Petersburg, leaving Empress Alexandra and Rasputin in charge of affairs, further destabilizing the government and eroding public trust. (History of Russia video)

What happened as a result of Russia’s role in World War I.

Food shortages, rising prices, Rasputin’s murder and Nicholas’s Abdication. (History of Russia video)

What was the Provisional Government, formed after the February Revolution?

It was an interim government established in Russia after Tsar Nicholas II's abdication in March 1917, intended to rule until a Constituent Assembly could be elected. Led primarily by liberal politicians, with Alexander Kerensky eventually becoming Prime Minister. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What was the "dual power" situation in Russia after the February Revolution?

It was the co-existence of two governing bodies: the Provisional Government, which held official state power, and the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, which commanded significant popular support and military allegiance. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

Who was Vladimir Lenin, and what was his role in the Russian Revolution?

The leader of the Bolshevik Party, he returned to Russia in April 1917 (via a "sealed train" financed by Germany) and advocated for an immediate socialist revolution with his "April Theses." (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What were the main demands or slogans of the Bolsheviks that gained them popular support?

Their key slogans were "Peace, Land, and Bread," and "All Power to the Soviets," which resonated with war-weary soldiers, land-hungry peasants, and starving workers. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What was the significance of the Kornilov Affair in August 1917?

An attempted military coup by General Lavr Kornilov against the Provisional Government. To suppress it, Prime Minister Kerensky armed the Bolsheviks, who then appeared as saviors of the revolution, greatly increasing their influence and popularity. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

When did the October Revolution occur, and who led it?

The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky, seized power from the Provisional Government primarily on October 25-26 (November 7-8 by the Gregorian calendar) in 1917. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What were the immediate actions taken by the Bolsheviks after seizing power?

They issued the Decree on Peace, proposing an end to WWI, and the Decree on Land, which abolished private land ownership and redistributed it to peasants. They also formed the Council of People's Commissars (Sovnarkom) with Lenin as its head. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What was the fate of the Constituent Assembly, elected after the October Revolution?

Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in November 1917, but when the Bolsheviks failed to secure a majority, Lenin dissolved it in January 1918 after its first session, cementing Bolshevik one-party rule. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and why was it controversial?

A peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, between the new Bolshevik government of Russia and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria) ending Russia's participation in WWI. It was controversial for granting vast territories and resources to Germany. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What was the Russian Civil War, and who were the main factions?

A multi-party civil war from 1917 to 1922 (or 1923 in some regions) fought between the Bolshevik Red Army and the loose alliance of anti-Bolshevik forces known as the White Army, along with foreign interventionist forces. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What was "War Communism" during the Russian Civil War?

An economic policy implemented by the Bolsheviks from 1918 to 1921 during the Civil War. It involved nationalization of industry, forced requisition of agricultural produce, and a monopoly on foreign trade to support the Red Army. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What was the "Red Terror" associated with the Bolshevik rule?

A campaign of political repression and executions conducted by the Bolsheviks (primarily through the Cheka, their secret police) from 1918 to 1922. It was aimed at eliminating political opposition and securing Bolshevik power. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

When and how did the Romanov imperial family meet their end?

Tsar Nicholas II and his entire family were executed by Bolshevik forces on July 17, 1918, in Yekaterinburg during the Russian Civil War, to prevent their rescue by the advancing White Army. (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What were the Bolsheviks main slogan

“Peace, land, and bread” (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

What were some reasons people were unhappy with Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks after their takeover

Reasons include oppression of political dissent, continuing economic hardships, and the treat of Brest-Litovsk (Oversimplified Russian Revolution video)

Stalin had a policy known as collective farming. What did this mean?

Individual farms were now government owned. (History Brief)

What did the red army do when peasants resisted collective farming

They suppressed resistance through violence and took the crops. This collectivization policy led to widespread famine, particularly in Ukraine, which led to 7 million deaths from 1932-3 (History Brief)

Stalin often did what to political opponents

He ordered them to be executed, or imprisoned in labor camps called Gulags, in Siberia (History Brief)

The punishment of Stalin’s Opponents is known as what

The Great Purge or Great Terror (History Brief)

In what year was the Soviet Union established

1922 (Real Story of Joseph Stalin)

What was the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

A non-aggression treaty between Nazi Germany and Soviet Union in 1939. They both invaded Poland. Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union on June 22 1941. (Real Story of Joseph Stalin)

How many people did the Soviet Union lose in World War II

25 million (Real Story of Joseph Stalin)

Satellite states were established in the East due to the Soviet Union taking over territories. What did Winston Churchill say because of this

“An iron curtain had ascended across the continent” (Real Story of Joseph Stalin) 

How, when, and why did Stalin die

Stalin died on March 5 1953 due to a stroke. His staff were scared to enter his room to check on him out of fear (Real Story of Joseph Stalin)

Which countries were part of the Eastern Bloc after World War II

East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Albania (Oversimplified Cold War Part 1)

During World War II, the British and Soviets jointly occupied which country

Iran (Oversimplified Cold War Part 1)

Why did the Soviets leave Iran after World War II

Pressure from the United Nations finally made them leave (They initially refused to leave after World War II) (Oversimplified Cold War Part 1)

What was the Truman Doctrine

A U.S. policy to contain the spread of communism by providing political, military, and economic assistance to countries threatened by Soviet influence. (Oversimplified Cold War Part 1)

What was Comecon

A response to the Marshall Plan to coordinate economic recovery among Eastern Socialist countries (Oversimplified Cold War Part 1)

What was the West’s response to Stalin’s blockade of West Berlin

The Berlin Airlift. This is when supplies were carried on planes and flown into the City to help people (Oversimplified Cold War Part 1)

What was the first major “Proxy War” during the cold war

. The Korean War. With Soviet aid, the North invaded the South and the South retaliated with the help of the west. Lasted from 1950-1953 (Oversimplified Cold War Part 1)

How did Nikita Khrushchev conduct De-Stalinization

He promoted some reforms. He mainly took down statues of Stalin, and renamed cities. (Oversimplified Cold War Part 1)

Relative to the USA, The Soviets were ahead in what area in the 1950’s

They were ahead in Space exploration and Missile Technology (Oversimplified Cold War Part 1)

On what day was the Berlin Wall constructed

The Berlin Wall was constructed on August 13, 1961, symbolizing the division between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. (Oversimplified Cold War Part 2)

What does the MAD principle say

The Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) principle posits that both sides in a nuclear conflict would face complete destruction if a nuclear attack were launched, therefore deterring them from initiating such an attack. (Oversimplified Cold War Part 2)

The easing of hostilities during the Nixon Administration was known as what

Détente, a policy aimed at improving relations between the United States and the Soviet Union. (Oversimplified Cold War Part 2)

What did the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) of 1972 do

The Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) of 1972 resulted in agreements between the United States and the Soviet Union to limit the growth of their nuclear arsenals, marking a significant step in arms control during the Cold War. (Oversimplified Cold War Part 2)

What did Glasnost refer to

Glasnost refers to the policy of openness and transparency in government and media that was instituted by Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s, aimed at reducing censorship and encouraging public discussion. (Oversimplified Cold War Part 2)

What did Perestroika refer to

Perestroika refers to the policy of restructuring the Soviet economy and political system that was introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s, aimed at increasing efficiency and decentralization. (Oversimplified Cold War Part 2)

What new freedoms did the Soviet people gain under Gorbachev

During Gorbachev's leadership, the Soviet people gained new freedoms such as greater freedom of speech, freedom to criticize the government, and increased access to information and media, contributing to a more open society. (Oversimplified Cold War Part 2)

Throughout 1989, countries in the Eastern Bloc started to do what

Revoke their communist governments and embrace democratic reforms, leading to significant political changes across the region. (Oversimplified Cold War Part 2)

In 1989, what democratic element was introduced in the Soviet Union

Candidates not from the communist party were allowed to run for office. And elections were held (Oversimplified Cold War Part 2)