Russia Quiz world

geopolitics

the study of how geography affects politics and international relations. EX: in Russia, there was a limited amount of natural barriers, which made them prone to attacks. Russia had to constantly push their borders outward, which made them seem secluded from western Europe

Natural borders

things like mountains, oceans, etc. that provide defense for a country. Russia didn’t have any and was prone to invasions (mongols)

buffers

regions of land that surround a country to give an extra layer of protection against invasion

Autocracy

A government where a single person holds absolute power with no true limits (the tsar system in Russia)

divine right

the idea that a ruler recieves their authority directly from God, justifying their absolute rule. Rule cannot be impacted by any human, as it comes from a higher power. Also, standing up to the king or government was considered a sin

romanovs

the last royal family in Russia, turned Russia into a giant world empire, but ended with the abdication of Nicholas II during the Russian Revolution. (included peter the great, Nicholas I, Alexander II, and Alexander III)

Alexander II

known for progressive initiatives emancipating serfs in 1861

Alexander III

leader who halted all reforms in Russia, and clung to the principles of autocracy. Anyone who worshiped outside the Russian Orthodox Church, questioned the leadership of the Tsar, or spoke a language besides Russian was labeled as dangerous. This Tsar used harsh measures to promote Russification. However, labeled as the peacemaker because Russia did not participate in any wars during his reign.

Okhrana

Russian secret police. Exposed and arrested revolutionaries and delt with political crimes. Regular police was not sufficient to handle the growing radical movements. Secret police exposed anyone involved in revolutionary activities.

Gulgags

A system of forced labor camps established in the soviet union where political prisoners and criminals were sent

the Duma

a legislative assembly (parliament) in the late Russian Empire, created by Nicholas II to appease citizens. However, since Nicholas was hesitant to share his power, and dissolved the parliament after 10 weeks

the orthodox church

the state christian church of Russia which was deeply tied to the monarchy and wielded significant culture and political influence

censorship

the suppression of books, newspapers, speech, and public expression to control information and stop anti- tsar ideas

nicholas II

last emperor of Russia. Known for his weakness in leadership, however, he was extremely young and it was clear that he did not have the capabilities to rule the Russian empire during the 20th century in order to keep the country together. Forced to abdicate during the Febuary revolution

bloody sunday

Refers to the events of January 22, 1905, when unarmed protesters marching to present a petition to Tsar Nicholas II were fired upon by Imperial troops, resulting in hundreds of deaths. This event sparked widespread unrest and is considered a pivotal moment in Russian history that contributed to the 1905 Revolution.

Nicholas II and Alexandra

the last Tsar and Tsarina of Russia. the Tsarinas reliance on rasputin, a mystical faith healer, caused public scandal and discontent with the monarchy, and the fact that she was german made her unpopular amoungst the people.

social structures

ridgin pyramidal class system in Russia; wealthy nobility, small middle class (bourgeoisie), and huge peasant population

Industrialization

the shift in Russia from an agriculture economy to one driven by factories, machinery, and urban manufacturing. Terrible working and living conditions for the new owrking class (proletariat)

Revolutionary Movements

groups that worked to overthrow the tsarist autocracy and change the social and economic structure in Russia

Karl Marx

german philosopher whose ideas argued that capitalism would be overthrown by a working class revolution

Vladimir lenin

leader of the Bolshevik party + first head of soviet state. Used marxist ideas to start the october revolution

Bolsheviks

radical revolutionary group led by Lenin that seized power in 1917 and eventually became the communist party

Mensheviks

more moderate faction that wanted socialism in Russia through gradual reform rather than revolution.

Russo- Japanese war

war fought over imperial (new territory) ambitions in Korea. Russias defeat exposed incompetence in the government, sparking unrest amongst the people. Big contributor to the start of the 1905 revolution

WW1

Russia suffered massive casualties, People suffered because of food shortages and economic collapse triggered the fall of the Romanov dynasty

February Revolution

uprising that led to the abdication of the tsar nicholas II led to the establishment of the provisional government and set the stage for many years of struggle in Russia

provisional government

emergency government established after the abdication of Nicholas II. They chose to keep Russia in World War I, which led to continued unrest. Eventually overthrown by the Bolsheviks

Kerensky

major political leader who served as minister of the provisional government, Refused to withdraw Russia from World War I and attempted to maintain order during the tumultuous period leading up to the Bolshevik Revolution.

October Revolution

Bolshevik lead coup in 1917 that overthrew provisional government establishing Lenin as leader

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

a peace treaty between central powers and Bolshevik government, taking Russia out of WW1; Russia lost lots of territory.

Leon Trotsky

Key bolshevik revolutionary. commander of the red army who was a key figure in the 1905 revolution, October revolution, and Russian civil war. Ultimately was assinated by Stalin’s agents

Russian Civil War

Brutal multi party civil wars fought between the bolsheviks and multiple anti-communist groups that combined.resulted in the establishment of Bolshevik control over Russia.

red army

The military force created by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War, responsible for defending the revolution against anti-communist forces and external threats. It was led by Leon Trotsky.

white army

loose alliance of anti-communists forces that fought against red army during the Russian Civil war.

new economic policy

introduced by Vladimir Lenin that temporarily allowed some private enterprise and capitalism to revive the economy post civil war.

Marxism- Leninism

official political ideology of soviet union, combining Marx’s theories of class struggle with Lenins additions of the vanguard party.

Vanguard Party

A core concept of Leninism. A dedicated group of revolutionaries that lead the working class in the communist revolution and guide the transition to socialism, steering the masses towards the establishment of a dictatorship of the proletariat.

socialist realism

an official government approved style of art and literature in the soviet union that glorified communist values, industrial workers, and state achievements.It aimed to promote socialism by depicting an idealized vision of Soviet life and the struggles of the working class. Mandated by Stalin

social impacts of the Revolution

sweeping changes, dismantling the old nobility system, attempts at gender equality, suppression of religion, free education + healthcare

Joseph Stalins rise

consolidated power after Lenin’s death creating totalitarian dictatorship in the soviet union.

5 year plans

centralized economic blue prints introduced by Stalin. Included collectivization and heavy industry.

Collectivization

individual farms were combined into a massive state run, collective farm. Caused peasant resistance and famine.

Iron Curtain

Political, military, and ideological barrier that divided eastern and western Europe during the cold war.

Containment

US. foreign policy that stopped the spread of communism (rather than trying to destroy what already existed.

Domino Theory

U.S theory that if one communist country feel they all would

Tariffs

taxes or duties placed on imported goods.

Economic Aid

financial assistance provided by wealthy countries to secure allies, stabilize economies, and prevent them from turning to communism

The Marshall Plan

a massive US economic aid program to rebuilt western Europe after WW2. America gave over 12 million dollars.

The Truman Doctrine

US foreign policy that states the US would provide political, military and economic assistance to nations worldwide.It was initially implemented to counter the spread of communism, particularly in Greece and Turkey.

The United Nations

International organization formed after WW2. Aimed at creating worldwide peace and preventing further war.

NATO

a military alliance formed by North America and Western Europe to provide collective security against communism and the USSR.

Warsaw Pact

military alliance formed by soviet union and eastern Europe as a response to NATO to consolidate power and support the Soviet influence in the region.

George Kennan

American diplomat and historian best known for his role in formulating the policy of containment during the Cold War, aimed at stopping the spread of Soviet influence.

NSC-68

top secret US policy that urged a massive expansion on American military government. It played a crucial role in shaping U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War by advocating for increased defense spending to counter the Soviet threat. Imposed during Trumans presidency.

Proxy Wars

conflicts where major superpowers indirectly fought each other by supporting opposing sides of smaller wars. ( Korea and Vietnam)

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over Soviet ballistic missiles deployed in Cuba, which brought both superpowers to the brink of nuclear war. Soviets deployed nuclear missiles in Cuba to potentially attack US

John F. Kennedy

35 president who navigated US through cuban missile crisis and was a prominent figure during the Cold War. He advocated for diplomatic solutions and emphasized the importance of maintaining peace while also strengthening U.S. military readiness.

Nikita Khrushchev

The leader of the soviet union during the height of the cold war. He was known for his confrontational stance against the United States, particularly during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and promoted de-Stalinization in the USSR.

Arms Race

A competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War to achieve superior military capabilities, particularly in nuclear weapons, leading to massive stockpiling and advancements in military technology.

MAD

Mutually Assured Destruction, a doctrine whereby both the US and the USSR would retaliate with overwhelming nuclear force in the event of a nuclear attack, deterring both sides from initiating conflict.

Deterrence

a military strategy aimed at preventing aggression by threatening significant retaliatory response, particularly through the use of nuclear weapons, to dissuade opponents from taking hostile actions.

Brinkmanship

the practice of pushing a dangerous situation to the edge of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome, often associated with Cold War tactics between the US and the USSR.

SALT I

The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, a series of negotiations between the US and USSR aimed at curbing the arms race by limiting the number of nuclear weapons and delivery systems.

Space Race

A competition between the US and USSR during the Cold War to achieve significant advancements in space exploration, including the launch of satellites, human spaceflight, and lunar missions. Culminated with the US moon landing

Detente

the easing of strained relations, especially between the US and USSR during the Cold War, through diplomacy and negotiations aimed at reducing tensions and promoting cooperation.

Ronald Reagan

President of the US whose tough anti-communist stance and defense spending put heavy pressure on the USSR. showed that the US was dominant.

Mikhail Gorbachev

final leader of the soviet union whose reform policies (glasnost and perestroika) contributed to the dissolution of the USSR

Glasnost

policy of openness allowing greater freedom of speech, expression, and press in the USSR implemented by Mikhail Gorbachev as part of his reforms to promote transparency and address societal issues.

Perestroika

political and economical restructuring aimed at making the soviet socialist system more efficient. It involved reforms such as decentralizing economic decision-making and introducing market-like mechanisms.

Soviet-Afghan War

a conflict from 1979 to 1989 where the Soviet Union intervened in Afghanistan to support a communist government against insurgent groups, leading to significant military and geopolitical consequences. soviets invaded Afghanistan to support a communist government facing fierce resistance from Afghans(backed by US)

Chernobyl

a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred in 1986 at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Exposed secrecy by the USSR and caused distrust amongst the people.

Solidarity Movement

a polish independent trade political union that challenged communist rule.It played a key role in advocating for workers' rights and political reforms in Poland during the 1980s.

Fall of the Berlin Wall

the barrier dividing East and West Berlin was breached symbolizing the end of the cold war/division in Europe

Rock and Roll

western music that gained massive underground appeal in the USSR behind the iron curtain

Blue Jeans

item of western fashion that became a major status symbol and black market commodity in the USSR

Command economy

an economic system where production, investment, prices, and incomes are centrally controlled by the government caused inefficiency and shortages in eastern Europe.