Key Events and Figures in Russian Revolution and Stalin Era

Revolution in 1905

Defeat in war, Bloody Sunday, poor conditions, and lack of reform.

Events of February Revolution 1917

Protests, mutinies, Tsar abdicates, Provisional Government formed.

Role of Lenin & Trotsky in Feb 1917

Lenin in exile; Trotsky returned later, helped organize revolution.

Alexander Kerensky

Key Provisional Government leader, overthrown in Oct. Revolution.

Mensheviks

Moderate socialists; opposed Bolshevik methods.

Provisional Government

Temporary post-Tsar government before elections.

Dual Authority

Power shared by Provisional Government & Petrograd Soviet.

Order Number 1

Gave soldiers control of weapons, weakening Provisional Govt.

April Theses

Lenin's radical program: Peace, Land, Bread, Soviets take power.

Lenin's party control in 1917

Strong leadership, purges, Bolshevik control of Soviets.

July Days

Unsuccessful Bolshevik uprising; leaders arrested/fled.

Kornilov Affair

Failed coup; Bolsheviks defended Petrograd, gained support.

Lenin's dissolution in 1917

The Constituent Assembly.

One-party rule establishment

Banned opposition, used Cheka, censored media.

Sovnarkom

Bolshevik government executive council, led by Lenin.

Lenin's 1917 decrees

Land, peace, workers' control, self-determination.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Ended WWI; Russia lost territory to Germany.

1918 Constitution

Legalized Bolshevik rule; power to Soviets, no opposition.

Effectiveness of Lenin's decrees

Appealed to masses but caused chaos and opposition.

Spartacists

German communist revolutionaries.

Russo-Polish War 1920

Bolsheviks defeated, revolution halted in Europe.

Zinoviev Letter

Forged letter hurt USSR-UK relations.

Causes of the Civil War

Anti-Bolshevik forces, foreign opposition, nationalism.

Leaders of Red & White armies

Trotsky (Red), Denikin/Kolchak/Yudenich (White).

Lenin's help to the Reds

Used Cheka, War Communism, propaganda.

Civil War combatants

Reds vs Whites, nationalists, anarchists, foreign powers.

Democratic centralism

Party unity; debate allowed internally, not publicly.

Foreign powers intervention

Stop communism, support Whites, protect supplies.

Red vs White

Reds = Bolsheviks; Whites = anti-Bolsheviks.

Red Terror

Bolshevik violence to suppress opposition.

Impact of Red Terror

Intimidated opposition, secured Bolshevik victory.

State Capitalism

Temporary system with state-run industry & private trade.

War Communism

Support Red Army during Civil War.

Features of War Communism

Grain seizure, industry nationalized, rationing, banned trade.

Effects of War Communism

Peasants rebelled, workers suffered, Bolsheviks lost support.

Kronstadt Mutiny

Naval revolt demanding reforms, crushed by Red Army.

Government's response to Kronstadt

Brutal suppression, many killed or imprisoned.

Significance of Kronstadt

Showed Bolshevik loss of support; led to NEP.

Replacement of War Communism with NEP

Economic collapse, unrest, famines.

NEP

Economic policy replacing War Communism due to economic collapse, unrest, and famines.

Features of NEP

Small-scale capitalism, grain tax, state control of industry.

Factions banned with NEP

Lenin banned factions within the Party.

Scissor Crisis

A situation where industrial prices rose while agricultural prices fell.

NEP success

Revived economy but seen as a betrayal of socialism.

Socialism in One Country

Stalin's idea to build socialism without global revolution.

Lenin's Testament

A document warning against Stalin's power and criticizing top leaders.

Triumvirate

Alliance of Stalin, Kamenev, and Zinoviev against Trotsky.

Stalin's title in the 1920s

General Secretary.

Main Left Opposition leaders

Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev.

Main Right Opposition leaders

Bukharin, Rykov, Tomsky.

United Opposition

Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev — expelled in 1926.

Collectivisation

Merging farms into state-controlled units.

Importance of General Secretary

Controlled Party structure, gave Stalin power.

NEPman

Private traders who profited under NEP.

Bukharin on NEP

Supported gradual socialism through growth.

Kamenev

Senior Bolshevik who briefly opposed Stalin.

Zinoviev's role vs Trotsky

Helped discredit Trotsky before turning against Stalin.

Lenin's funeral

Stalin led; Trotsky absent; boosted Stalin's image.

Date of Lenin's funeral

January 27, 1924.

Date of the 13th Party Congress

1924

Triumvirate definition

Alliance of Stalin, Zinoviev, and Kamenev.

Literary Discussion

Debate discrediting Trotsky's views (1924-25).

Stalin's defeat of the Right

Turned on Bukharin, ended NEP, expelled opposition.

Despot

Cruel, absolute ruler.

When did Stalin become a despot

Early 1930s — purges, repression, cult of personality.

Great Turn

Stalin's move to collectivization & 5-Year Plans (1928).

Aim of Five Year Plans

Rapid industrialization and military strength.

Effect on workers under 5YPs

Harsh discipline, long hours, low quality of life.

Kulaks

Wealthy peasants targeted during collectivization.

Dekulakisation

Campaign to eliminate Kulaks via violence and exile.

Human cost of collectivisation

Famine, deaths, deportations, rural devastation.

Why Ukraine hit hardest

Major grain region; Stalin targeted nationalism (Holodomor).

Impact of collectivisation

State gained control; mass suffering and economic issues.

Why were Five Year Plans introduced

Industrialize, strengthen USSR, outpace the West.

Main features of First 5YP

Heavy industry, targets, labor discipline, poor consumer goods.

Success of First 5YP

Industrial growth but inefficiency, poor living standards.

Stakhanovite movement

Model workers exceeding quotas — used for propaganda.

Gulag

Forced labor camp system under Stalin.

Why purge Communist Party

Eliminate rivals, ensure loyalty, consolidate power.

Show trials

Public trials with forced confessions to justify purges.

Impact of purges

Widespread fear, loss of talent, Stalin's total control.