Topic #3: The Russian Revolution Under Lenin

soviet

• councils of workers and soldiers who wanted to get more rights for people
• at first, they worked democratically within the government until the Bolsheviks took power

"war communism"

• Lenin used this strategy in the Russian Civil War
• goal: turn Russia into an effective fighting force
• took over banks, mines, factories, and railroads
• peasants forced to give all their crops to feed army and hungry people in cities
• peasants and laborers drafted or forced to work in factories
• the economic front of this brought the economy near collapse: factory + mine output fell under party control and peasants stopped growing grain, knowing the government would just seize it
• betrayed the peace promise because they were in a civil war
• betrayed the bread promise because they took their crops away
• peasants did not agree with this and tried to resist it by stop giving grain, hiding grain, and refusing to work in a factory

commissars

• Communist party officials assigned to army to teach party principles and ensure party loyalty
• closely watched former tsarist officers who were used to turn the Red Army into an effective fighting force

Vladimir Lenin

• older brother was arrested and hanged for plotting to kill the tsar when he was 17 →family was branded as a threat to state
• read Karl Marx and participated in student demonstrations → spread Marxist ideas among workers and socialists
• arrested and sent to Siberia in 1895 (married his wife while imprisoned), once released went into exile in Switzerland with his wife
• initial goals once he returned to Russia in 1917: further the revolution
• overthrew the provisional government within days
• he and the Bolsheviks promised the people "Peace, Land, and Bread"
• after the Bolshevik Revolution, 1917: created a new flag, ended private ownership of land, distributed land to peasants, gave workers control of factories and mines
• gave the Bolsheviks new name: the Communists
• used "war communism" during the Civil War
• after victory in the Russian Civil War he faced the challenge of helping the USSR recover from the physical destruction, human toll, and economic cost of WWI and the Russian Civil War
• launched the New Economic Policy (NEP) to help USSR recover financially from WWI and the Russian Civil War
• rationalized the NEP by saying it was only temporary
• changes he made that brought hope: ended private ownership of land, gave peasants land, "Peace, Land, and Bread", gave workers control of factories and mines, let all citizens over 18 vote, people felt represented
• life under his rule that mirrored life under the tsars: the Cheka, peasants still poor, workers treated badly (low wages, forced labor)
• did not like Stalin; thought he was too rude and should be replaced by someone more tolerant, loyal, and polite
• thought if Stalin got power, a civil war would occur and Russia would split
• 1922: suffered the first of a series of debilitating strokes; his weakened, fragile state was kept out of public eye for 2 yrs

the Bolsheviks

• Lenin changed their name to "the Communists" after the October / November Revolution, 1917
• significance of their new name: Russians finally thought they had control of their lives but "the Communists" would soon become their new masters
• with Lenin, they promised the people of Russia "Peace, Land, and Bread"
• led by Lenin, came into power of Russia after the October / November Revolution, 1917
• with Lenin, they created a new flag, ended private ownership of land, distributed land to peasants, and gave workers control of factories and mines
• were the Reds in the Russian Civil War

the Mensheviks

• another group of socialists in Russia
• believed socialism could be achieved through gradual and moderate reforms like higher wages, increased suffrage, and social welfare programs (favored this)
• on the side of the Whites in the Russian Civil War

Alexander Kerensky

• leader of the Provisional Government in Russia after the tsar abdicated
• decided to continue the war with Germany and failed to deal with land reform → caused widespread popular unrest
• July 1917: launched a disastrous offensive against Germany in his name

the Red Guards

• armed factory workers
• November, 1917: joined mutinous sailors from the Russian fleet in attacking the provisional government

the Bolshevik Revolution, 1917

• aka the October / November Revolution, 1917
• the Red Guards joined mutinous sailors from the Russian fleet in attacking to provisional government
• within days, Lenin's forces overthrew the provisional government
• Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, seized power in other cities in Russia, but it took a week in Moscow

the Russian Civil War

• the Red Army/Reds vs. the White Army/Whites
• the Reds: the Communists (Bolsheviks), factory workers, peasants
• the Reds' goals: keep themselves in power (in control of Russia)
• the Reds' strengths: had the support of the common people of Russia, more motivation to win, same language, home terf advantage
• the Reds' weaknesses: Britain, France, US, and Japan against them
• the Whites: counterrevolutionaries, tsarist imperial officers and advisers, the Mensheviks, democrats, people who wanted to defeat the Bolsheviks, tsar's troops, boyars; British, French, American, and Japanese troops; nationalist groups from many former empire non-Russian regions
• the Whites' goals: defeat the Bolsheviks to bring back the tsar!
• the Whites' strengths: US, Britain, France, and Japan sent troops to help; Japan also seized land tsarist Russia once claimed, more money for weapons = better weapons, experienced troops
• the Whites' weaknesses: language barriers, didn't know the land, didn't work well together, not as motivated (fighting for another country?), tired from WWI, fewer in numbers
• Lenin used "war communism" in this to give the Reds another edge
• both sides used acts of brutality to win
• Reds had the Cheka execute ordinary citizens during this
• Reds (Trotsky) said they would shoot every 10th man if a unit performed poorly
• Reds set up a network of labor camps (which grew under Stalin)
• Reds murdered the tsar, tsarina, and their 5 kids to prevent them from becoming a rallying symbol for the Whites who were trying to save them
• Whites slaughtered Communist prisoners
• Whites tried to assassinate Lenin
• 10 million Russians died by the end of this
• the Reds won this

the Cheka

• Lenin's secret police, much like the tsar's
• executed ordinary citizens, even if they were only suspected of taking action against the revolution
• used to enforce the Communist party's will

the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

• what Lenin's Communist government united much of the old Russian empire into
• had a constitution that seemed both democratic and socialist
• all political power, resources, and means of production would be in the hands of the workers and peasants
• multinational state made up of European and Asian people
• in theory, everyone in the republics had the same equal rights
• in reality, the Communist party (not the people) reigned supreme
• Russia, the largest republic, dominated the other republics

Moscow

• took a week for the Bolsheviks to get rid of the local government here from the walled Kremlin

• became the Bolsheviks capital, Kremlin their headquarters during the Russian Civil War

• safer than St. Petersburg because it was inland

the New Economic Policy (NEP)

• Lenin launched this to help the USSR heal financially in 1921
• let small businesses reopen for private profit
• peasants allowed to own small plots of land and could freely sell their surplus crops
• government stopped squeezing the peasants for grain
• allowed some capitalist ventures
• helped the Soviet economy and ended armed resistance to the new government
• but government still tightly controlled banks, foreign trade, and large industries
• Lenin rationalized this by saying it was only temporary
• succeeded because by 1928 food and industrial production were back to prewar levels and the standard of living improved

Leon Trotsky

• Lenin's potential successor
• strengths: brilliant Marxist thinker, skillful speaker (fiery! passionate!), good general, really involved in the Bolshevik Revolution, turned the Red Army into an effective fighting force (leader of the Reds!), everybody knows him → "Lenin's Right-Hand Man", got approval to kill and killed the royal family → famous!
• weaknesses: urged support for a worldwide revolution (didn't focus on Russia), ignored Russia's internal problems (economics, wars), known for brutality, had a temper = enemies!, wanted to spread the revolution now!
• anyone who agreed with this man and disagreed with Stalin labeled as a "Trotskyist" and were met with terrible persecution, slander, expulsion, victimization, imprisonment, driven into exile in Gulags or murdered
• fled from the USSR, aware that Stalin viewed him as a prime threat
• moved around Europe for years before settling down in Mexico
• August 20, 1940 (after surviving an earlier assassination attempt): this man died from wounds inflicted by an ice pick to the head
• his murder was a conclusion to Stalin's murder campaign against Old Bolshevik leadership
• Stalinist agent, Ramon Mercader, tried and found guilty for killing this man; after serving a 20 year sentence, he retured to Eastern Europe where he was a hailed as a hero

Joseph Stalin

• Lenin's potential successor
• strengths: cautious, wanted to focus on Russia first, General Secretary of the Communist Party (worked for the government), poker face! (never shared his opinion) → an unknown "blank slate"
• weaknesses: not a scholar, he was ambitious (but kept it to himself), not known outside then government
• Lenin did not like this man, he thought he was too rude and should be replaced by someone more tolerant, loyal, and polite
• Lenin thought if this man came into power, Russia would break out into a civil war and be split
• strongly disagreed with Trotsky's idea that the USSR should push the global proletariat into launching an immediate strike against the world's bourgeoisie
• saw Leon Trotsky as a prime threat
• Trotsky's murder was the conclusion to this man's monstrous preconceived murder campaign against the Old Bolshevik Leadership
• anyone who posted a threat to this man's totalitarian regime was systematically hunted down and eliminated by the NKVD

What three important turning points turned Lenin into a radical revolutionary?

• older brother arrested and hanged for plotting to kill the tsar when he was 17 = his family was branded a a threat to the state
• he read Karl Marx, participated in student demonstrations, and spread Marxist ideas among workers + socialists
• arrested and sent to Siberia in 1895, once released went into exile in Switzerland with his wife

What were Lenin's initial goals when he returned to Russia from exile in 1917?

furthering the Revolution!

What obstacles stood in his way to achieve in furthering the Revolution?

the Provisional Government, so he overthrew them in days

What short, simple message did Lenin and the Bolsheviks use to capture a broader base of popular support?

"Peace, Land, and Bread"

Who was the leader of the Provisional Government?

Alexander Kerensky

What choice did the Provisional Government make that caused widespread popular unrest?

They continued the war with Germany and failed to deal with land reform.

What happened in the October/ November Revolution, 1917?

The Red Guards (armed factory workers) joined mutinous sailors from the Russian fleet in attacking the Provisional Government.

Why was the October / November Revolution, 1917 such a major turning point in world history?

It was when the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, seized the control of Russia.

What were four specific action steps taken by Lenin and the Bolshevik shortly after the October / November Revolution that left many Russians feeling hopeful and optimistic about the future?

• a new flag, red with an entwined hammer and sickle
• ended private land ownership
• distributed land to peasants
• gave workers control of factories and mines

What new name did Lenin give the Bolsheviks?

the Communists

What was a overall significance of the new name Lenin gave to the Bolsheviks?

Russians thought that they were finally in control of their lives but the Communists would soon become their new masters

What is the symbolism behind the new flag Lenin chose for his nation?

The entwined hammer and sickle symbolized the union between the workers and the peasants

Who were the Reds?

the Communist (Bolsheviks), factory workers, and peasants

Who led the Reds army?

Leon Trotsky

What were the Reds' goals in the Civil War?

To keep themselves in power (stay in control of Russia)

What were the Reds' strengths?

• had the support of the common people of Russia
• more motivation to win
• more numbers
• same language
• home terf advantage

What were the Reds' weaknesses?

Britian, France, US, and Japan were against them

Who were the Whites?

• counterrevolutionaries
• tsarist imperial officers and advisors
• tsar's troops
• boyars
• the Mensheviks
• democrats
• troops from Britain, US, France, and Japan
• nationalist groups from many former empire non-Russian regions
• people who wanted to defeat the Bolsheviks

What was the Whites' goal in the Civil War?

to defeat the Bolsheviks and bring back the tsar!

What were the Whites' strengths?

• British, French, US, and Japanese troops helping
• Japan seized land tsarist Russia once claimed
• more money for weapons = better weapons
• experienced troops

What were the Whites' weaknesses?

• not as motivated (fighting for another country?)
• language barriers
• didn't know the land
• didn't work together well
• troops tired from WWI
• fewer in numbers

What was "war communism"'s goal?

turn Russia into an effective fighting force

What steps did "war communism" take to achieve its goal?

• took control of banks, mines, factories, and railroads
• peasants forced to grow grain to feed the army and hungry people in cites
• peasants + laborers drafted or forced to work in factories

How did war communism betray some of the Bolsheviks' initial promises?

• Peace because they were in a civil war
• Bread because their crops were seized by the government

Peasants did not agree with war communism. How did they try to resist it?

• they stopped giving grain
• they hide their grain
• they refused to go work in factories

What acts of brutality did the Reds used to win the Russian Civil War?

• used the Cheka to execute ordinary citizens
• shot every 10th soldier if a unit performed poorly
• set up a network of labor camps (grew into the Gulag under Stalin)
• murdered the tsar, tsarina, and their 5 children to prevent them from becoming a rallying symbol for the White who were trying to save them

How did the Whites use acts of brutality to win in the Russian Civil War?

• slaughtered Communist prisoners
• tried to assassinate Lenin

In total, approximately how many Russians died by the end of the Russian Civil War?

around 10 million

Ultimately, who won the Russian Civil War?

the Reds

What extremely challenging job did Lenin face after his victory in the Russian Civil War?

Helping the USSR rebound from the physical destruction, human toll, and economic costs of WWI and the Russian Civil War.

What did Lenin launch in 1921 to help the USSR heal financially?

the New Economic Policy (NEP)

What were four different strategies used in the NEP to help the economy recover quickly?

• small businesses allowed to reopen for private profit
• government stopped squeezing the peasants for grain
• peasants allowed to own small plots of land and freely sell their surplus crops
• allowed some capitalist ventures

In the NEP the government still played a critical role in the economy. What were three financial responsibilities that the government still tightly controlled?

• banks
• foreign trade
• large industries

Many key components of the NEP directly contradicted the core beliefs of communist ideology. How did Lenin rationalize the full range of policies he used in the NEP?

He said the NEP was only temporary.

Did the NEP succeed or fail?

It succeeded because the food and industrial production went back to pre-war levels and the standard of living improved.

Why did Lenin say the NEP was temporary?

His successor would bring back "pure" communism

When the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was initially established, millions of Russians had specific reasons to be optimistic. What changes did Lenin make that brought people great hope?

• "Peace, Land, and Bread"
• ended private ownership of land
• peasants given land
• workers given control of factories and mines
• citizens over 18 could vote
• people felt represented

By 1924, the year of Lenin's death, many of the optimistic hopes had been dashed by the realities of life under Lenin's rule. What elements of daily life mirrored the realities of life under the tsars?

• the Cheka was like the tsar's secret police
• peasants were still poor
• workers were treated badly (low wages and forced labor)

What happened to Lenin in 1922?

• he suffered the first of a series of debilitating strokes
• his weakened, fragile state was hidden from the public eye for two years
• members of the Communist Party wondered who could replace him as the next leader of the USSR…

What were Leon Trotsky's strengths as a potential successor to Lenin?

• brilliant Marxist thinker
• skillful speaker (fiery! passionate!)
• good general
• really involved in the Bolshevik Revolution
• turned the Red Army into an effective fighting force (leader of the Red Army!)
• everybody knows him → "Lenin's Right-Hand Man"
• got approval to kill and killed the royal family → famous!

What were Leon Trotsky's weaknesses as a potential successor to Lenin?

• urged support for a worldwide revolution, didn't focus on Russia
• ignored Russia's internal problems (economic, wars)
• known for his brutality
• had a temper → enemies!
• wanted to spread revolution now!

What were Joseph Stalin's strengths as a potential successor to Lenin?

• cautious
• wanted to focus on Russia first
• General Secretary of the Communist Party (worked for the government)
• poker face! → never shared his opinion, an unknown "blank slate"

What were Joseph Stalin's weaknesses as a potential successor to Lenin?

• not a scholar
• he was very ambitious (but kept it to himself)
• he was not known outside the government

What were Lenin's thoughts on Stalin and him taking power?

• he thought Stalin was too rude and needed to be replaced by someone more tolerant, loyal and polite
• if Stalin came into power, a civil war would occur and Russia would be split

What was someone who disagreed with Stalin and agreed with Trotsky's conclusion be called?

"Trotskyist"

How was someone who joined the Trotskyist opposition be treated?

Met with terrible persecution, slander, expulsion, victimization, imprisonment, and later driven into exile in Stalin's gulag camps or murdered.

Why did Leon Trotsky run away from the USSR in 1929?

He knew Stalin viewed him as a prime threat. And because Stalin had isolated him in the party and stripped him of membership.

What did Leon Trotsky do for years before settling down in Mexico?

He moved across Europe.

What happened to Leon Trotsky on August 20th, 1940?

He died from wounds inflicted by an ice pick to the head at the hands of a Stalinist agent Ramon Mercader. Ramon Mercader was later tried and found guilty for killing Trotsky. But, when he returned to Eastern Europe after his 20 year sentence, he was hailed as a hero for his services by the Stalinist regime.

Leon Trotsky's murder was the conclusion to what?

Stalin's murder campaign (Great Purge) against the Old Bolshevik leadership.