Lenin's Russia (1917-1924)

Who commanded the overwhelming support of the Soviets?

the Social Revolutionaries - party of the peasants

What did Lenin do when the Social Revolutionaries were elected and rejected the idea of a proletarian dictatoship?

dissolved the assembly

Name 4 measures Lenin put in place after seizing control of Russia

1. censhorship was imposed

2. right to strike was abolished

3. lands and banks were nationalised

4. russia retreated from the war

Who did Lenin use to crush his already weakened opponents?

the Red Army

Name of the political police that was created to persecute members of the SR and Mensheviks

Cheka

Who did the gov. execute? and when?

Romanov family (imperial family) in July 1918

Name of the treaty that Russia signed with Germany to get out of the war

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

What territories did Russia have to cede?

Finland, the Baltic states, and Poland

What was established in Russia? and what happened as a result?

communist dictatorship - civil war broke out

Who were the two opposing groups of the civil war?

White Army and Bolsheviks

Dates of the civil war

1918 to 1921

Who formed part of the White Army

• liberals

• conservatives

• moderate socialists

Which two countries supported the White Army?

France and the UK

What was a major flaw in the White Army, that prevented them from winning the civil war?

they were deeply divided and had no common cause

What cities did the Bolsheviks control, giving them a significant geographical advantage?

Moscow and St Petersburg

What did Lenin do initially to minimise opposition from minorities? vs what did he end up doing once he realised it didn’t work?

promoted self-determination - then forced them into submission

What drastic policy did Lenin adopt during the civil war? - nationalisation of industry, making workers powerless, requisitioning “surplus” food from peasants

War Communism

What did War Communism create?

deep resentment of the Bolsheviks as it brought the country to the verge of chaos

Who won the civil war?

Bolsheviks

How many people died?

8 million

What does the USSR stand for? and when was it established?

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics established in 1922

In the Constitution of the USSR, which was the only political party that was legal?

communist party

Who became disillusioned with the Bolsheviks despite being fervent supporters beforehand?

the Kronstadt sailors

When did the Kronstadt Rebellion take place?

1921

What was the slogan of the Kronstadt sailors?

Soviets without Bolsheviks

How many soldiers signed the petition for “Soviets without Bolsheviks”?

16,000

Who crushed the rebellion of the Kronstadt sailors?

Trotsky

As a result of the rebellion, what did Lenin put in place?

New Economic Policy (NEP)

Until when was the NEP in use?

1927

What did the NEP involve?

allowed limited capitalism to allow Russia to recover from the war

What happened as a result of NEP?

Agriculture - recovered rapidly and prices fell

Industry - didn’t recover and prices increased

What was the result of this growing gap?

Farmers could not afford to buy industrial goods

Why was there a civil war after the October Rev? Explain the main features of the two opponent sides.

• Cause of the War: The civil war broke out as a reaction to the radical measures imposed by the Bolshevik government, such as the dissolution of the Duma, the establishment of a communist dictatorship, the banning of other political parties, and the execution of the Imperial family.

• The White Army: This side was composed of counter-revolutionaries, including liberals, conservatives, and moderate socialists who opposed the Bolsheviks.

• The Red Army: This side consisted of the Bolshevik forces fighting to consolidate their revolutionary control over Russia.

Explain how the Russian civil war was an international issue.

• Foreign Support: The White Army received support from foreign powers, specifically France and the United Kingdom.

• Fear of Communism: These nations intervened because they feared the spread of communism throughout Europe following the Bolshevik victory in Russia.

Summarize the economic measures imposed during the civil war. Research about its results.

• War Communism: To guarantee supplies for the cities and the war fronts, the government imposed a system known as War Communism.

• Key Measures: This included the nationalization of all industries and lands and the forced seizure of crops from peasants to feed the Red Army.

• Results: While these measures helped the Bolsheviks win the war, they caused massive social discontent, led to 8 million deaths, and eventually triggered the Kronstadt mutiny where even loyal supporters demanded an end to the policy due to the resulting economic hardship

What type of economic policy was established replacing War Communism? List its main economic and political consequences.

• New Economic Policy (NEP): Established in 1921, the NEP replaced War Communism to stabilize the country.

• Economic Consequences: It introduced a degree of economic freedom, allowing peasants to sell surplus, permitting small private companies, and encouraging foreign investment and international exchange.

• Social and Cultural Consequences: Local nationalities were allowed to use their own languages and customs again, and churches and mosques were reopened.

• Political Consequences: The economy improved significantly; however, the policy caused internal conflict within the Bolshevik party, leading some members to leave because they felt Lenin was selling out to capitalism.

When did Lenin die?

1924

Who succeeded Lenin? and who lost to him?

Joseph Stalin won against Trotsky to get the gov.

When was Trotsky murdered after being sent to exile?

1940