The end of Tsardom

Who ruled Russia in 1914?

Tsar Nicholas II (of the Romanov Family)

What kind of government did Nicholas II run?

autocracy

Reasons for Nicholas II' unpopularity

felt he was appointed by God to rule, Russo-Japanese War, didn't delegate tasks, appointed his friends and family to government

What kind of employment did the majority of Russians have in 1914?

agriculture

What problems did peasants in Russia face?

didn't own their land, famine/ food shortages, low wages, disease, out of date farming methods (strip farming)

What problems did workers in Russia face?

poor food quality, alcoholism, overcrowded living conditions (due to population increase), 12 - 15 hour working days, child labour, trade unions illegal

When had there been an attempt to overthrow the government before 1914? What was the main event of this attempt

1905, Bloody Sunday

Where did Bloody Sunday take place? What happened?

Outside of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. Father Gapon organised a march of about 200,000 workers to present a petition to the Tsar asking for help. Tsarist troops opened fire, killing over 100 and injuring hundreds more. Protests and strikes continued throughout 1905.

how many people died and were injured in bloody sunday?

approx. 200 died. a further 800 were injured.

Potemkin Mutiny

June, 1905, sailors on the Potemkin battleship, mutinied against the serving of rotten meat, in support of the striking workers. The captain ordered that the ringleaders to be shot. The firing-squad refused to carry out the order and joined with the rest of the crew in throwing the officers overboard.

The October Manifesto (1905)

issued by Nich. II, attempted to quiet strikes, local revolts, promised freedom of speech and assembly, called the Duma into session

Sergei Witte

russian minister of finance from 1892-1903; economic modernizer responsible for high tariffs, improved banking system; encouraged western investors to build factories in russia. founder of the Transiberian Railway.

What was the Dumas?

'parliament'

How successful were the Dumas?

4 dumas, increasing unsuccessful. Began with a large franchise ended with a narrow. Tsar never really listened to them anyway.

Fundamental Law

restores Nicholas' supreme autocratic power, Tsar uses this to reinstate himself as more powerful.

Opposition groups of the Tsar

Social Revolutionaries, Cadets, Social Democratic Party (later break into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks)

How did the government deal with revolutionaries?

exile to Siberia, arrest from the Okhrana

Which countries did Russia fight against in WW1?

Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary

Which countries were on the same side as Russia in WW1?

Britain, France, (little bit of USA)

Was the War popular in Russia in 1914? If so, why?

yes, national pride/patriotism

Weaknesses of the Russian army?

old methods of attack, bayonet + cavalry charge. Tsar made himself Commander in Chief. telling soldiers to take weapons from dead bodies…

Strengths of the Russian Army?

numbers, 'the steamroller'

How well did the Russians do in the War?

not very well/ badly. blaimed the Tsar for this.

Capital of Russia before the war?

St Petersburg

Capital of Russia during the war?

Petrograd

who was stolypin?

Minister Peter Stolypin (1906 - 1911) who intended to placate the peasantry in the aftermath of the 1905 Revolution; included reduction in redemption payments.

Stolypin's oppression?

twnty thousand protesters exiled to places such as Siberia + over one thousand protesters and revolutionaries were hanged.

Stolypin's necktie?

nickname for the noose used to hang people

Stolypin's reforms?

allowed kulaks to opt out of the village commune and buy land, invested in the building of railways, created Peasants' Land Bank to loan kulaks money to help them buy land and invest in it.

successes of stolypin's reforms?

1890 - 1913: grain production doubled. 1890 - 1913: pig iron production increased and coal production more than tripled. 1908 - 1911: number of strikes halved and peasant disturbances under control

failures of stolypin's reforms?

90% of land in the west of Rusia remained under the control of the mir in 1916, wages remained low and the cost of food and housing remained high, Even in Russia's empire best farmland (Ukraine) farms remained small

stolypin's death?

assassinated in 1911

how did stolypin's death affect the Tsar

public support decreased, oppression continued when soldiers opened fire on striking workers at the Lena Goldfields in 1912

Lena Goldfields?

soldiers opened fire on striking workers in 1912, 250 were killed. reminded people of Bloody Sunday

Why was the Tsarina unpopular?

German, close relationship with Rasputin

Who was Rasputin?

faith healer, took care of the tsar's son (haemophilia), became close with the Tsarina, is unfairly blamed for Russia's issues (we know was not his fault bc when he died problems in Russia continued)

What were the effects of WW1 in the towns?

low morale, hunger, food shortages

What were the effects of WW1 on the troops?

low morale, depression, depleting numbers, increase in interest in revolutionary ideas 'vote with your feet'

What form did the March Revolution, 1917 take?

abdication of the Tsar, although wasn't planned by revolutionaries

What was the name of the government who took over power following the March Revolution?

Provisional Government

Leading figure of the Provisional Government?

Alexander Kerensky

What happened to the Tsar when the Provisional Government gained power?

house arrest

Main policies of the Provisional Government

election of a Constituent Assembly, carrying on the war, liberties (freedom of speech, human rights (allowed Lenin to come back in April)), keeping land with land owners

biggest mistake made by the new government?

carrying on the war

unsuccesful attempt to overthrow the provisional government?

Kornilov Revolt

why was the kornilov revolt unsuccessful?

Kerensky sought the help of the Red Guards

Who was the leading Bolshevik?

Lenin

When and how did Lenin return to Russia?

April to deliver his April Theses, by a sealed train.

What name is given to the ideas Lenin followed? What were these ideas?

Communism, Marxist-Leninism - nationalisation of industry and resources

Who first though up Communist ideas?

Karl Marx, German philosopher. wrote the communist manifesto in 1848; based off of the ideas that London had a large population of workers who could revolt and start a republic.

2 Bolshevik slogans?

'Peace, Bread, Land and Freedom' and 'All Power to the Soviets'

Why were Bolshevik slogans effective?

described exactly what people wanted

Name of the committee of workers and soldiers in the capital?

Petrograd Soviets

Leading member of the Petrograd Soviets

Trotsky

What unsuccessful attempt to take power did the Bolsheviks share in?

July Days

July Days

when the Bolsheviks rose in insurrection but ended up failing. This hardened political lines in Russia. Bolsheviks were arrested. Lenin escaped disguised as an engine driver and crossed into Finland.

What did the Bolsheviks learn from the 'July Days'

timing and organisation was everything. (hence, when they finally did revolt and succeed they planned it for when there was a national soviet's meeting)

When did the Bolsheviks take over power?

October 1917

What was the signal for the start of the October Revolution?

A blank shot was fired from the aurora (ship) at the Winter Palace. Starting of the revolution/ coup d'etat

How much fighting was there in the Capital (at the start of the October Revolution)?

little to none, was a bloodless coup for the most part.

Where was there more serious fighting (at the start of the Octoer Revolution)?

more serious fighting in Moscow

How much of Russia did the Bolsheviks control at the end of 1917?

The central areas; Petrograd and Moscow. Were surrounded by the whites.

When was the Russian Civil War taking place?

1918 - 1921

What names were given to the two sides in the civil war?

'Reds' and 'Whites'

Who organised the Communist forces in the Civil War?

Trotsky

3 leaders of the non-communist forces in the Civil War?

Denikin, Kolchak, Yudenich

Which areas of Russia were under communist control at the start of the Civil War?

central areas; moscow and petrograd

Other name for the Russian Civil War?

War of Allied Intervention

Which European countries sent troops to fight in the Russian Civil War?

France, Britain

Why did the European countries send troops to Russia during the Civil War?

to stop the 'revolution' before it even happened, also annoyed that Russia had left the war

What were the weaknessses of the 'Whites'?

weren't coordinated, poor leadership, had disagreements, different aims (because made up of so many different groups of people), painted as unpatriotic due to foreign intervention

What groups made up the 'Whites'?

Tsarists, Dispossessed landowners, Mensheviks, ex-officers who disliked the peace terms, Social Revolutionaries, religious groups, a Czech army

About how many died during the Russian Civil War?

approx 10 million

What was the name of the economic policy used by Lenin during the War?

War Communism

What was involved in War Communism?

• government control of all large factories, government organised and planned production - harsh rules and discipline for workers (strikers could be shot) - free enterprise and private trade made illegal (all production and trade controlled by the government) - rationing of food (priority to workers and soldiers (they recieved more food than nobles and clergymen) - peasants shot if they refused to hand over surplus food to the government

Aims of War Communism?

begin to create communism in Russia by sharing resources more equally amongst people + win the Civil War by ensuring that workers in towns and the Red Army were supplied with food and weapons.

Reasons for Red Victory

• Red Terror - Bolshevik propaganda - Red Army and towns kept supplied (War Communism) - Red Army under Trotsky - Held central areas including the railway network

why was bolshevik propaganda effective to support their victory?

consistency of messages, use of railway network, propaganda pamphlets

What was the Constituent Assembly?

democratic permanent government to follow the Provisional Government

What happened to the Constituent Assembly?

Lenin closed it/dissolved it when they didn't win

secret police force under Lenin

Cheka

What changes were made to the economy under Lenin after the Civil War?

New Economic Policy (NEP)

NEP

New Economic policy in Soviet Russia to prevent Russia's economy from collapsing. Reintroduction of capitalism into some parts of Russian society. Kulaks returned, NEPmen, private trade allowed.

Why were the NEP changes out of line with Communist ideas?

allowed private trade

What is meant by the term 'nationalisation'?

collection of nation's resources by the state

When did Lenin die?

1924

Which two leaders emerged in a power struggle after Lenin's death?

Trotsky, Stalin

Outcome of the power struggle?

Stalin emerged as Lenin's successor.