Russian Revolution & Interwar Years: Key Causes, Leaders, and Policies

What are common causes of a revolution?

Grievances from individuals or groups, weak leadership, a vision of something better, big class differences, failure of government to meet needs, weak armed forces, and a triggering event.

What was the triggering event for the Russian Revolution?

World War I

What did Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels argue in The Communist Manifesto?

They argued that history is driven by class conflict.

What are the two main classes identified by Marx?

Bourgeoisie (wealthy class) and Proletariat (working class).

What happens in Marx's vision of revolution?

Workers overthrow the old order, private property is removed, and the state owns property and production.

What type of government ruled Russia before the revolution?

An autocracy led by a tsar.

What were serfs in Tsarist Russia?

Peasants tied to the land who worked agriculture.

What political groups existed in Russia before the revolution?

Tsarists, Liberals, Socialist Revolutionaries, and Marxists (split into Mensheviks and Bolsheviks).

What was the outcome of the 1905 Revolution?

The government was shown to be weak, leading to the creation of the Duma with limited power.

What were the impacts of WWI on Russia?

Military disasters, huge casualties, food and fuel shortages, and weak leadership by Nicholas II.

What were the causes of the February (March) Revolution of 1917?

Poverty, weak leadership, failures after the 1905 Revolution, corruption, and WWI shortages.

What happened during the February (March) Revolution?

Workers protested, troops joined them, Nicholas II abdicated, and a provisional government was formed.

What were the problems faced by the Provisional Government?

Continued the war, did not resolve land issues, and lacked support.

What was Lenin's April Theses?

A call for all power to the soviets, end to the war, land to peasants, factories to workers, and a worldwide workers' revolution.

Who was Kerensky?

A leader in the Provisional Government who tried to keep Russia in WWI.

What was the Kornilov Affair?

An attempt by General Kornilov to move against the government, which weakened the Provisional Government.

How did Lenin adapt Marxism to Russian society?

He argued for a small elite revolutionary party to lead the people instead of relying on the industrial proletariat.

What was the Bolsheviks' approach to revolution?

They wanted immediate revolution led by a small, disciplined party.

What was the outcome of the October (November) Revolution?

The Bolsheviks took control and established a new government.

What did Lenin believe was necessary for socialism in Russia?

Only a full revolution could bring socialism to Russia.

What was the significance of the Duma?

It was created after the 1905 Revolution but had very little real power.

What was the impact of WWI on European stability?

It created economic hardship, political unrest, social anger, and a desire for strong leaders.

What was the role of Soviets during the Provisional Government?

Soviets were councils of workers and soldiers that gained power alongside the Provisional Government.

What did the term 'dictatorship of the proletariat' mean in Lenin's context?

A government led by the working class to establish socialism.

What was the significance of the Bolshevik Revolution?

It marked the beginning of communist rule in Russia and the establishment of a one-party state.

What was the long-term effect of the Russian Revolution?

It led to the establishment of the Soviet Union and influenced global politics for decades.

What promises did the Bolsheviks make in October/November 1917?

Peace, Land, and Bread

What led to the fall of Kerensky's government?

Staying in WWI, failed land reform, continued shortages, collapsed army morale, and the failed Kerensky Offensive.

What was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

A treaty signed in 1918 with Germany that caused Russia to withdraw from WWI and gave up significant territory.

Who were the Reds and Whites in the Russian Civil War?

Reds were the Bolsheviks/Communists; Whites were anti-Bolshevik forces including tsarists, liberals, and nationalists.

Why did the Reds win the Russian Civil War?

The Whites were divided, Trotsky built a strong Red Army, Reds held central territory, and Bolsheviks used terror and strict control.

What was the Cheka?

The Bolshevik secret police that used terror against enemies and suspected enemies.

What was War Communism?

A policy where the government seized banks, factories, mines, and railroads, and peasants had to give up crops.

What was Lenin's New Economic Policy (NEP)?

A policy introduced in 1921 that allowed small businesses to reopen for private profit and peasants to keep small plots of land.

How did Stalin come to power?

After Lenin's death, Stalin outmaneuvered Trotsky, removed him from the party, forced him into exile, and later had him murdered.

What were Stalin's major policies?

Five-Year Plans for rapid industrialization and collectivization of agriculture.

What is fascism?

A political system that is authoritarian, ultra-nationalist, anti-democratic, and willing to use violence and terror.

What were the key features of fascism?

Glorifies the nation, uses propaganda, promotes obedience to a strong leader, and preserves private property under state direction.

Who was Mussolini?

The Italian fascist dictator and founder of the Fascist Party.

How did Mussolini rise to power?

He organized the Blackshirts, used violence against opponents, and carried out the March on Rome in 1922.

What transformation did the Fascist party bring to Italy?

It transformed Italy from a parliamentary democracy into a one-party dictatorship.

What similarities exist between fascism and communism?

Both have single-party rule, authoritarian governments, use propaganda, and limit individual rights.

What are the main beliefs of the Nazi Party (NSDAP)?

Extreme nationalism, anti-Semitism, racism, anti-communism, and the belief in Aryan racial superiority.

What was the significance of the Nazi Party?

It brought Hitler to power, destroyed German democracy, created the Third Reich, and led Germany into WWII and the Holocaust.

What was the purpose of the Five-Year Plans under Stalin?

To achieve rapid industrialization and make the USSR an industrial power.

What was collectivization under Stalin?

The forced consolidation of individual peasant farms into large collective farms to increase food production.

What role did terror play in Stalin's rule?

Terror was used through purges, arrests, executions, and labor camps (gulags) to maintain control.

How did Lenin and Trotsky use terror to win the Russian Civil War?

They created the Cheka and implemented war communism, using strict discipline in the Red Army and instilling fear.

What was the impact of the failed Kerensky Offensive?

It made the Kerensky government appear weak and incompetent, contributing to its fall.

Why did many Italians support fascism?

Fear of disorder, fear of communism, anger after WWI, economic hardship, and desire for national pride.

What was the significance of the March on Rome?

It was a pivotal event that led to Mussolini being asked to form a government in 1922.

What was the role of propaganda in fascist regimes?

To promote loyalty to the state and its leader, and to control public perception.

What was the outcome of the Russian Civil War?

The Bolsheviks (Reds) emerged victorious, establishing a communist government.

Where was Hitler born?

Austria in 1889

What beliefs did Hitler develop while living in Vienna?

Strong anti-Semitic and nationalist beliefs

What role did Hitler serve in during World War I?

He served in the German army.

What political party did Hitler join after WWI?

A small right-wing party that later became the Nazi Party.

What was the Beer Hall Putsch?

A failed coup attempt by Hitler in 1923.

What book did Hitler write while in prison?

Mein Kampf

What was Hitler's view on Aryans?

He believed Aryans were the master race.

What did Hitler claim was Germany's enemy?

The Jews

What did Hitler believe Germany needed for its future?

A strong leader (the Führer) and expansion for living space.

How did the Great Depression affect the Nazi Party's rise?

It caused unemployment and suffering, leading to increased support for the Nazis.

What event led to Hitler being legally appointed chancellor?

The political instability and support from conservatives.

What was the Enabling Act?

A law that allowed Hitler to rule without parliament.

What was the Third Reich?

The Nazi name for Hitler's regime, meaning Germany's 'Third Empire.'

What type of state did Hitler establish?

A one-party totalitarian state.

What were the Nuremberg Laws?

1935 laws that stripped Jews of German citizenship and restricted their rights.

What was Kristallnacht?

An organized anti-Jewish violence in 1938, involving the destruction of synagogues and businesses.

What was the Weimar Republic?

Germany's democratic government created in 1919.

What were the political problems of the Weimar Republic?

Too many small parties and unstable coalitions.

What economic crisis did Germany face in 1923?

Hyperinflation

What was the impact of the Great Depression on the Weimar Republic?

It destroyed stability and led to the rise of the Nazis.

What was the cultural situation in Weimar Germany?

A vibrant modern culture flourished, but some conservatives saw it as immoral.

What was the significance of the Ruhr Valley?

A coal-rich industrial region of Germany affected by reparations.

What did the term 'Gestapo' refer to?

The Nazi secret police.

How did authoritarian states grow in Eastern Europe after WWI?

Weak, poor, and divided states turned to dictators for order and strength.

What was the difference between fascism and communism?

Fascism emphasizes nationalism and state over individual, while communism focuses on class struggle and state ownership.

Who were the Bolsheviks?

The group that took power in Russia during the revolution, led by Lenin.

What was the role of propaganda in Nazi Germany?

To glorify Hitler and promote Nazi ideology.