Russia and the Soviet Union

What was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and when was it signed?

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was Russia's withdrawal from WWI, signed on March 3, 1918, negotiating an armistice with Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey.

What were the consequences of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk for Russia?

Russia faced huge territorial losses (including Ukraine, Finland, and Poland), economic losses (75% of iron and coal mines), and a population loss of 62 million.

How did the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk help the Bolsheviks consolidate power?

It removed outside threats from Germany and reduced the possibility of civil war.

What did historian E.H. Carr say about the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

He described it as a gamble and a humiliation, but a necessary one for the survival of the Soviet state.

What was the October Coup and who was involved?

The October Coup was the Bolshevik takeover of Petrograd in October 1917, eliminating the provisional government led by Kerensky.

What role did Trotsky play in the October Coup?

Trotsky led the Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) that carried out the coup using force to seize the Winter Palace.

What was SOVNARKOM and what reforms did it implement?

SOVNARKOM was the new provisional government established by the Bolsheviks, implementing reforms such as the Peace decree, Land decree, and measures for workers.

What were the two sides in the Russian Civil War?

The two sides were the Red Army (Bolsheviks and supporters) and the White Army (opposition groups including anti-Bolsheviks from various factions and foreign powers).

What were the causes of the Russian Civil War?

Causes included the embarrassment of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Lenin's elimination of elected government, fear of the Triple Entente, and Lenin's Comintern.

What factors contributed to the Red Army's victory in the Civil War?

The Red Army's victory was due to White disunity, geographical advantages, war communism, better organization, and the use of terror.

What did historian Richard Pipes say about the White Army's failure?

He stated that the White failure was less about Red strength and more about their own disunity and incompetence.

What was War Communism and why was it introduced?

War Communism was introduced by Lenin to address economic issues during the Civil War, involving nationalization of land, banks, and trade.

What were the six principles of War Communism?

1. Production run by the state 2. The army as a labor army 3. State control over people 4. Centralization of factories 5. State as sole food distributor 6. Abolish money and increase taxes on the rich.

What were the impacts of War Communism?

While it kept armies and people supplied, it also created significant economic issues.

What did historian Richard Service argue about War Communism?

He argued that it was not just an emergency measure but an attempt to apply communist principles.

What was the New Economic Policy (NEP) and why was it created?

The NEP was introduced in 1921 as a response to the unpopularity of War Communism, marking a step back towards socialism due to economic collapse and social tensions.

What events indicated the need for the New Economic Policy?

The need arose from rising social tensions, workers' strikes, famine resulting in 5 million deaths, and the 1921 Kronstadt Uprising.

What was the significance of the Kronstadt Uprising?

The Kronstadt Uprising was significant as it highlighted discontent among sailors and workers, contributing to the call for the NEP.

What was the Bolshevik's approach to religion during their consolidation of power?

The Bolsheviks implemented measures to remove religion as part of their reforms.

What was the political hub of Russia that the Bolsheviks targeted during the October Coup?

The Winter Palace.

What was the role of the Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) in the October Coup?

The MRC, created by Trotsky, was responsible for organizing and executing the Bolshevik takeover.

What was the ideological basis for the policies implemented during War Communism?

The policies were based on communist ideology as articulated by Karl Marx in the Communist Manifesto.

What was the purpose of the New Economic Policy (NEP) introduced at the 10th Party Congress in 1921?

To serve as a tactical retreat allowing small private trade, small businesses, and an end to grain rationing.

What short-term effect did the NEP have on the Soviet economy?

It solved economic issues.

What long-term issue did the NEP create in the Soviet economy?

The scissors crisis, which was the gap between agricultural and industrial prices, forcing peasants to pay more for industrial goods.

How did the NEP demonstrate the Bolsheviks' approach to ideology?

It showcased their ability to adapt ideology pragmatically to gain support.

What slogan did Lenin use to appeal to the working class in 1917?

"Peace, Bread, and Land."

What did Richard J. Crampton say about the Bolsheviks' strategy regarding the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

He noted it was a device to trade space for time needed to consolidate their revolution.

What advantage did the Bolsheviks have over the Whites during the civil war according to Orlando Figes?

The Bolsheviks had a single unified command, while the Whites were hopelessly divided.

What was the impact of War Communism on the economy according to Sheila Fitzpatrick?

The collapse of the economy under War Communism was catastrophic.

How did the NEP affect social tensions in Soviet society?

It created new social tensions, especially with the emergence of NEPmen and kulaks.

What was the primary goal of Stalin's Five-Year Plans?

To achieve rapid economic growth and transform the USSR into an industrialized socialist world power.

What were the three main focuses of Stalin's Five-Year Plans?

Rapid industrialization, collectivization, and erasing traces of capitalism.

What was the outcome of the first Five-Year Plan (1928-1932)?

It successfully moved Russia from 5th to 2nd in the world for industrialization, though it prioritized quantity over quality.

What significant infrastructure project was created during the second Five-Year Plan (1933-1937)?

The Dnieper Dam.

What was the focus of the third Five-Year Plan (1938-1941) and why did it not achieve its goals?

It intended to focus on consumer goods but ended up focusing on military resources due to WWII.

What problems arose from Stalin's economic policies?

Famine, depletion of workforce, disruption of agricultural productivity, and shortages of consumer goods.

What were some flaws in Stalin's industrialization efforts?

Russia was overstretched, parts for machines were hard to obtain, and workers lacked the skills to operate machinery.

What were the successes of Stalin's industrialization policies?

The USSR was transformed into a modern state with communist enthusiasm, education, and no unemployment.

What was collectivization in the context of Soviet agriculture?

The move from small independent farms to larger state-run farms (Sovkhoz) and cooperatively run farms (Kolkhoz).

What was the rationale behind collectivization?

To improve grain production, align with Marxist ideology, and pave the way for industrialization.

What were the impacts of collectivization on the peasantry?

Many kulaks were killed, landowners were displaced, and there was resistance such as killing animals and burning crops.

How did Orlando Figes characterize the outcome of collectivization?

He described it as a 'dismal failure.'

What was the significance of the Dnieper Dam and other infrastructure projects during Stalin's rule?

They contributed to the rapid industrialization and transformation of the USSR into an industrialized superpower.

What was Alec Nove's perspective on the Soviet Union's achievements?

He described it as a remarkable achievement in growth figures but an extremely inefficient system by Western standards.

How did E.H. Carr characterize the transformation of the Soviet Union?

He stated that the Soviet Union was transformed into a major industrial power within a decade.

What methods did Stalin use to consolidate his power in Russia?

Stalin used terror to rid Russia of any opposition, which included purges and show trials.

What were the Purges from 1934-1938?

Led by the NKVD under Yezhov, the Purges aimed to eliminate threats to Stalin's power, resulting in 750,000 executions and over a million sent to Gulags.

What were Show Trials and their purpose?

Public trials of leading party members accused of crimes, intended to increase Stalin's power by forcing confessions.

What were Gulags and the conditions faced by prisoners?

Gulags were labor camps where prisoners, known as Zeks, endured extreme conditions and long working hours, leading to many deaths.

How effective was terror in consolidating Stalin's power?

Terror was very successful in eliminating opposition and generating fear, ensuring compliance across the USSR.

What role did propaganda play in Stalin's regime?

Propaganda promoted Stalin's ideas and depicted him as a savior, controlling all forms of media to support his 5-year plans.

What was the purpose of censorship under Stalin?

Censorship removed all opposition from existence and history, controlling the narrative in media.

What was the goal of the 1936 Constitution in the USSR?

To establish the USSR as a socialist state with elections every four years for only the communist party, creating a false sense of democracy.

How did Sheila Fitzpatrick view Stalin's control over the government?

She believed that while Stalin had immense power, he had to negotiate with bureaucracy and popular resistance.

What did Richard Pipes assert about the Stalinist regime?

He claimed that the regime maintained total control over political life, enforced by terror.

What changes did Stalin implement regarding women's rights?

Rights were removed, reverting to traditional roles, with the 1936 family code restricting abortion and making divorce difficult.

How was education transformed under Stalin?

Education was skewed to support the 5-year plans, with bourgeois teachers removed and a revised history taught to indoctrinate students.

What was the stance of Stalin's regime on religion?

Religion was condemned as non-existent under Marxism, with churches shut down and church leaders arrested.

What was the League of Militant Atheists?

Founded in 1925, it promoted atheism and sought to eliminate religious influence.

How did the class structure change under Stalin?

The kulaks and bourgeois were removed, while the proletariat gained status and a new class of apparatchiks emerged.

What did Chris Ward suggest about Stalinism?

He argued that Stalinism created a new Soviet citizen, a new elite, and a new culture, not just repression.

What did Robert Service say about the war on religion?

He noted that the war on religion drove faith underground but did not destroy it.

What was Stalin's rationale for economic change in the USSR?

He stated that the USSR was fifty or a hundred years behind advanced nations and needed to catch up in ten years to avoid being crushed.

What was the aim of the Soviet cultural revolution according to Sheila Fitzpatrick?

To create a new Soviet person, although artistic conformity masked deep resistance and fear.

What did Robert Service say about the war on religion in the Soviet Union?

It drove faith underground but did not destroy it.

What contradiction arose under Stalin regarding social classes?

A new elite emerged, contradicting the promise of a classless society.

How did Stalin view education?

As a weapon whose effects depend on who holds it and at whom it is aimed.

What social tensions arose from the NEP according to Sheila Fitzpatrick?

The emergence of NEPmen and kulaks created new social tensions.

What was the Great Terror according to Robert Conquest?

A deliberate policy of mass murder aimed at eliminating any potential opposition to Stalin's rule.

What significant event occurred on August 30th, 1918?

The death of Lenin.

What did Lenin's testament indicate about his preferred successor?

It suggested he likely wanted Trotsky as his successor, not Stalin.

What did Isaac Deutscher claim about Lenin's Testament and Stalin's rise to power?

He claimed that had Lenin lived or his Testament been heeded, Stalin would never have come to power.

What was Robert Service's perspective on Lenin's control at the time of his death?

He stated that by the time of Lenin's death, the machinery of party rule was already slipping from his hands.

What was Trotsky's role in the civil war?

He was responsible for the success of the civil war and was the most likely to succeed Lenin in gaining power.

What were Trotsky's political characteristics according to historians?

He was seen as left-wing, arrogant, and not liked by the whole party, and he advocated for ending the NEP.

How did Stalin undermine Trotsky during the power struggle?

Stalin tricked Trotsky into not attending Lenin's funeral and targeted him with the Triumvirate of Stalin, Zinoviev, and Kamenev.

What was the purpose of the Triumvirate formed by Zinoviev, Kamenev, and Stalin?

To keep Trotsky out of the top job.

What was Zinoviev's position in the party?

He was the leader of the Petrograd party and part of the left wing.

What happened to Zinoviev and Kamenev during Stalin's purges?

Both were killed by Stalin in his purge in 1936.

What was the fate of Rykov in the power struggles?

He was a member of the Politburo, slightly right-wing, lost the power struggle in 1931, and was executed in 1937.

What position did Tomsky hold in the Soviet Union?

He was a member of the Politburo and head of the trade unions, slightly right-wing.

What happened to Bukharin during Stalin's purges?

He was a young leader and editor of Pravda, helped Stalin eradicate the left, and was killed for editing Izvestia, which went against his ideology.

What was the outcome for the left wing of the party by 1926?

The left wing was gone after losing every vote at the 14th Party Congress.

What did Stalin's shift to the right wing signify in terms of party dynamics?

It put the right wing at odds with the left, as he supported the NEP.

What significant economic policy did Stalin abandon in 1927?

The New Economic Policy (NEP)

What was Bukharin's stance towards Stalin in 1928?

He denounced Stalin as a tyrant.

What happened to Bukharin, Rykov, and Tomsky at the 15th Party Congress in 1929?

They were forced out of the Politburo and later the party.

What was Stalin's role in the Communist Party before Lenin's death?

He was the editor of Pravda and a member of the Politburo.

How did Stalin's pragmatism influence his policies?

He promoted socialism and supported the NEP initially, then called for rapid industrialization.

What was Stalin's proposal to counter Trotsky's idea of world revolution?

'Socialism in one country'

What did Stalin declare war on after consolidating power?

Internal enemies, leading to purges of the left wing of the party.

What was the outcome of Stalin's manipulation of the party dynamics?

He became the sole ruler of Russia and the leader of the USSR by 1929.

How did Stalin use Lenin's death to his advantage?

He posed as Lenin's true heir and ensured Trotsky missed the funeral.

What was the significance of Stalin's position in the Communist Party?

He controlled the party, which meant controlling Russia, as only one political party was allowed.

What role did Stalin hold that contributed to his power within the party?

General Secretary of the Communist Party.

How did historians view Stalin's understanding of power?

He understood how the Party worked and exploited its weaknesses.

What did Lenin's testament reveal about his feelings towards Stalin?

Lenin expressed uncertainty about Stalin's ability to use power cautiously.

What did J.N. Westwood say about Stalin's manipulation of rivals?

He would watch rivals dig their own graves while occasionally assisting them.

What was Bukharin's mistake regarding Stalin?

His commitment to the NEP blinded him to the dangers posed by Stalin.