Russia & the Soviet Union 1917-1941 Practice Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the historical transformation of Russia and the Soviet Union from the 1917 revolution through Stalin's consolidation of power and pre-WWII foreign policy.

Bolshevik Ideology

A philosophy grounded in Marxism-Leninism that prioritized proletarian revolution, class struggle, and the dictatorship of the proletariat.

October Revolution (1917)

A relatively bloodless seizure of power in Petrograd where the Red Guards and Bolsheviks overthrew the Provisional Government.

Decrees on Land, Peace, and Workers' Rights

Radical immediate orders issued by the early Bolshevik government under Lenin to consolidate support and fulfill revolutionary promises.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March 1918)

A peace treaty that ended Russia's involvement in World War I at the cost of massive territorial losses, allowing the Bolsheviks to focus on internal enemies.

Russian Civil War (1918–1921)

A conflict pitting the Bolshevik Red Army against the White forces, foreign interventionists, and nationalist groups.

The Cheka

The Bolshevik secret police established to ruthlessly suppress dissent and eliminate enemies of the revolution through the Red Terror.

War Communism

An economic policy during the Civil War that nationalized industry and requisitioned grain from peasants to prioritize Red Army needs.

New Economic Policy (NEP)

A pragmatic retreat from strict communism introduced in 1921 that reintroduced limited market mechanisms and private trade to stabilize the economy.

Sovnarkom

The Council of People's Commissars, which served as the governing body of the early Soviet government.

USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)

Formally established in 1922, this structure institutionalized the one-party state and centralized Communist Party dominance.

Joseph Stalin

The General Secretary who manipulated party bureaucracy and ideological divisions to emerge as the sole leader after Lenin's death.

Leon Trotsky

A key Bolshevik leader and advocate for 'permanent revolution' who was outmanoeuvred by Stalin and eventually exiled in 1929.

Lenin's 'Testament'

A document that warned against Stalin's growing power and was suppressed by Stalin to protect his political standing during the power struggle.

Socialism in One Country

Stalin's ideological shift away from global revolution, prioritizing the internal strengthening and industrialization of the USSR.

Nomenklatura

A loyal bureaucratic base of cadres and appointees within the Communist Party that gave Stalin unmatched internal influence.

Totalitarian Dictatorship

A system characterized by total state control over public and private life, the absence of political pluralism, and a cult of personality.

Vozhd

A title used by state propaganda to portray Stalin as the infallible supreme leader.

Five-Year Plans

Sweeping economic reforms beginning in 1928 aimed at rapid industrialization and growth in heavy sectors, often at great human cost.

Collectivisation

The forced consolidation of individual peasant farms into state-run collectives to increase grain production and eliminate the kulaks.

Kulaks

A class of relatively wealthy peasants targeted for elimination as a social group during the process of collectivization.

Holodomor

A catastrophic man-made famine in Ukraine resulting from Stalin's agricultural policies, leading to the deaths of millions.

The Great Purge

A period of political repression involving the NKVD, show trials, and mass arrests to eliminate rivals and ensure absolute obedience.

Gulag System

A vast network of forced labor camps used to house and punish perceived enemies of the Soviet state.

Socialist Realism

The state-imposed art style that glorified the Soviet state and required cultural expression to promote socialist values.

Komsomol

The Communist Youth organization used for the indoctrination of students and ensuring loyalty to state ideology.

Comintern

The Communist International, established in 1919 to coordinate international movements and promote global proletarian revolution.

Treaty of Rapallo (1922)

A diplomatic agreement between the USSR and Germany, reflecting the shift from isolation to pragmatic foreign relations.

Collective Security

A 1930s foreign policy shift where the USSR sought anti-fascist alliances and joined the League of Nations in 1934.

Nazi-Soviet Pact (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact)

An August 1939 non-aggression agreement that secured Soviet borders and allowed for territorial expansion in Eastern Europe.