Soviet Russia and the Cold War

SOVIET RUSSIA

• Two Revolutions in 1917

  • March 1917: Unrest in Russia forces the Czar to abdicate.

  • A provisional government is established by the Duma (Parliament).

  • The provisional government worked toward creating a Republic and drafting a Constitution.

  • Remaining in World War I proved to be a huge mistake for the Republican Government.

  • Soviets (councils of Russian peasants/workers/soldiers that support communism) make matters worse by undermining the government.

TWO REVOLUTIONS IN 1917

• November 1917: Led by Vladimir Lenin, the Bolsheviks, a group of Russian communists, overthrew the government and created the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - a communist nation).

• Bolsheviks won support by:

  • Promising to feed starving Russians by forcing peasants to bring their crops to the cities.

  • Ending Russia’s involvement in WWI.

• The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk formally ends the war for Russia.

  • Russia was forced to give away a large piece of land in the Western part of the country.

• The Russian Civil War existed from 1918 to 1921 between the Reds (Communist Army) and the Whites (anti-communist forces).

  • The Reds won the civil war.

SOVIET GOVERNMENT

• A Soviet Constitution was created in 1922, but real power was in the hands of the communists.

• Each region of Russia became a Soviet Republic with representation in the Supreme Soviet (elected communist legislature).

• Russia (the largest republic) was the most powerful.

• The Soviet Government used the military and secret police to keep people in line.

VLADIMIR LENIN

• Early on, Lenin used “War Communism.”

  • Bolsheviks seized control of the banks, mines, factories, and railroads.

  • Forced peasants to bring surplus crops to cities to feed the hungry.

  • Peasants were forced to serve in the military or work in factories.

• Trotsky (Lenin’s #2 man) organized the Red Army into an effective fighting force.

  • He used commissars (communist party officers) to keep an eye on the units and teach communism.

VLADIMIR LENIN

• Lenin’s N.E.P. (New Economic Policy).

• War Communism failed because peasants didn’t want to produce food or goods since the government always took it.

• Lenin’s new plan allowed for private business ventures, and peasants were allowed to sell their surplus crops and keep their profits.

• This plan helped the economy, and food/industrial production began to improve.

• Lenin planned to return to pure communism again but died suddenly in 1924.

Stalin Comes to Power

• Vladimir Lenin died suddenly in 1924, and his death led to a power struggle in the Communist Party.

• Primary contenders were Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky.

• Stalin was a shrewd political operator who had many people who owed him allegiance.

• Trotsky had helped Lenin establish the Bolshevik revolution and was a well-educated and talented leader.

JOSEPH STALIN

• Stalin created a Totalitarian State.

• Stalin and the Soviet Government held total control over every citizen’s life.

  • They used secret police, censorship, violent purges, and terror to maintain control.

• Propaganda was used to get people’s support, and terror to enforce its will.

Stalin’s 5-Year Plans

• Stalin wanted the Soviet Union to become a modern industrialized power.

• He proposed the first of several “five-year plans” in 1928 to:

  • Build industry.

  • Improve transportation.

  • Increase farm production.

• To achieve these goals, Stalin set up a command economy.

  • Command Economy - government officials make all basic economic decisions and own means of production.

Collectivization

• Stalin brought the agricultural industry under government control.

• The government wanted farmers to produce more grain to feed city workers.

• Peasants worked on large state-owned farms called collectives.

  • The government provided tractors, fertilizers, and seeds.

• Peasants’ farm animals, tools, and machines were seized by the government.

• The state set all prices and controlled access to supplies.

Resistance to Collectivization

• Peasants tried to resist collectivization by killing farm animals, destroying tools, and burning crops, but the government responded brutally.

• Peasants then tried growing just enough to feed themselves.

  • The government responded by seizing all of their grain for cities, purposely leaving them to starve; 5-8 million died in the Ukraine alone.

• While collectivization did increase Stalin’s control over the peasantry, it did not successfully improve farm output.

Control Through Terror

• Under Stalin, the Soviet Union becomes a totalitarian state.

• To ensure obedience, Stalin used secret police, torture, and violent purges of his enemies.

• Anyone who dissented or spoke out against Stalin was sent to the Gulag, a series of brutal labor camps.

  • Prisoners were given little food, inadequate shelter and clothing, and were forced to do extreme physical labor.

The Great Purge

• Stalin was paranoid that rival leaders were plotting against him.

• He launched the Great Purge in 1934.

  • Targeted “Old Bolsheviks”, army heroes, industrial managers, academics, and ordinary citizens.

• 1936-1938: series of “show trials” where former Communist leaders confessed to various crimes after being tortured or their families threatened.

  • Most targets of the Great Purge were sent straight to the Gulag.

• The first five marshals (generals) of the Soviet Union were among those purged.

Impact of the Great Purge

• The purges increased/solidified Stalin’s power.

  • They destroyed the old generation of revolutionaries and replaced them with younger party members who owed Stalin loyalty, plus highlighted the danger of dissent.

• But it also destroyed many of the best and brightest.

  • Experts in industry, economics, engineering, talented writers and thinkers, most military leaders, and half the military officers were lost.

• The loss of so many military leaders would hurt the Soviet Union in 1941 when Germany invaded.

Controlling Culture

• Stalin forced artists and writers to follow a style called “socialist realism” to show the Soviet Union in a positive light.

• Those who ignored these guidelines found their access to materials and jobs limited or faced persecution by the government.

• Also had a policy of Russification across the Soviet Empire.

• Atheism became the state policy.

  • Communists targeted the Russian Orthodox Church, Roman Catholics, and Jews.

• They tried to create their own ideology based on the writings of Marx and Lenin.

Propaganda

• Stalin attempted to improve morale and faith in the communist system through propaganda.

USSR AND WORLD WAR II

• Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (Aug. 1939)

  • Agreement between Hitler and Stalin.

  • Germany and the USSR would not attack each other, and they secretly divided up Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe.

  • This shocked the world because Communists and Fascists hated each other.

• Siege of Leningrad (begins Sept. 1941)

  • Germans lay siege to the city for over 900 days.

  • Over 1 million Russians die during the conflict.

WORLD WAR II

• Siege of Stalingrad (1943)

  • The battle for this city on the Volga River became a battle of egos and ideas between Hitler and Stalin.

  • Vicious house-to-house fighting during the winter lead to over 1 million Russian deaths, and over 300,000 Germans are killed.

  • Winter forces the Germans to surrender: Huge turning point in the war!

• Impact of WWII on USSR

  • It devastated the USSR (over 20 million dead).

  • The western part of the country was in ruin.

  • Factories, railroads, and cities all had to be rebuilt.

THE COLD WAR BEGINS

• Distrust existed between the Allied Powers.

• Stalin accused the Allies of delaying a European invasion (letting the communists and fascists kill each other).

• As the Soviets “liberated” Eastern Europe from the Nazis, they created communist governments in those countries.

  • Western Allies were upset; they wanted free elections in those countries.

• Soviets ignore requests of Allies and create Satellite Nations.

  • Nations in Eastern Europe with Communist Governments.

  • Soviet goals: to spread communism and create a buffer from Germany and possible invasions.

  • Satellite nations include East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, etc.

THE COLD WAR BEGINS

• Issues with Eastern Europe, War Crime Trials, and the Occupation of Germany lead to a break in the Alliance.

• “Iron Curtain” Speech (1946)

  • Speech made by Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister during WWII).

  • Described Soviet control of Eastern Europe as an Iron Curtain dividing Europe into Western (free) & Eastern (communist) Blocs.

THE COLD WAR BEGINS

• This division becomes known as the Cold War.

• A period of tension/hostility between the USA (the West) and the USSR (the East).

• This war of words and ideas (cold war) sometimes led to period of “hot” conflicts but never directly between the USA and USSR.

• Many conflicts occur in developing nations.

• The USA and USSR get involved in developing nations to win the support of countries around the world by providing economic and military aid.

• China fell to communists in 1949 - a great scare to the West!

• Hot Conflicts occur in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and even over CUBA!

Eastern Bloc

• Union of Soviet Socialist Republics:

  • 15 Republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

• 7 Satellite Countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia

Issues of Conflict During The Cold War

1. The spread of communism

   • Belief if communism spreads, it overthrows free market systems.

   • While the Soviets tried to spread communism, the West feared a “Domino Effect” and supported a policy of “Containment.”

2. Divisions in Europe

   • Marshall Plan and rebuilding Europe

   • Division of Germany (and Berlin)

   • Military Alliances: NATO and Warsaw Pact

THE COLD WAR

3. The Arms Race

   • The USA had the first nukes, but the Soviets developed their own in 1949.

   • Soviets/Americans race to develop more advanced ways to deliver nukes - from bombers, rockets/missiles, submarines, etc.

   • Policy of MAD - mutual assured destruction kept both sides in check.

4. Propaganda War (War of Ideas)

NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV

• Came to power after Stalin’s death in 1953.

• In 1956, he denounced Stalin’s abuse of power and began a policy of De-Stalinization.

  • Freed many political prisoners.

  • Eased censorship.

• When needed, Khrushchev could use force.

  • The Soviet Military was used to crush protesters in Hungary.

  • Critics in Russia also get silenced.

• The legacy of Stalin’s use of force continues.

NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV

• Foreign Policy was a mixture of Détente and confrontation with the West.

  • Détente: (thawing of the cold war) an attempt for peaceful co-existence between the USA and the USSR.

• 1955: The Warsaw Pact was created as a communist mutual defense pact against NATO (also used to suppress dissidents in Eastern Europe).

• 1957: the USSR launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth.

  • This created American fears of a “missile gap” = the space race.

    • Was the Soviet Union ahead of the USA in math and science?

    • Could the USA be safe from Soviet Missiles?

NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV

• 1961: the Berlin Wall is built to keep East Germans fleeing to West Berlin.

  • East Berlin = Communist

  • West Berlin = Democratic

• 1962: Khrushchev begins to build nuclear missile bases in Cuba, setting up the Cuban Missile Crisis.

  • This event was as close as the USSR and USA ever got to World War III (and potentially a nuclear exchange).

LEONID BREZHNEV

• Mid-1960s: Brezhnev replaced Khrushchev as Soviet Premier.

• Continued a mixture of détente and confrontation with the West.

• Supported some disarmament agreements with the USA.

• Created the Brezhnev Doctrine: The USSR could intervene in any Soviet Bloc nation.

• The USSR had a huge military buildup under Brezhnev.

• 1979: Détente ended with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

LEONID BREZHNEV

• Domestically, Brezhnev silenced many critics and protesters of the Soviet government.

• Despite some positives, the USSR continued to struggle economically.

  • The state controls prices and wages, and there was no unemployment.

  • Pay was low, but food and rent were cheap, and citizens had free state-sponsored health care.

  • The Soviet Union’s command economy could not match Western industrial output.

  • Production was poor; the USSR had shortages of poor-quality consumer goods.

  • Citizens spent long hours waiting in line for all types of food and products.

  • Collective farms still failed to produce enough, so the Soviet Union had to import grain.

MIKHAIL GORBACHEV

• Came to power in 1985.

• Worked to end Cold War Tension between Super Powers.

• Pulled Soviet Troops out of Afghanistan.

• Renounced the Brezhnev Doctrine.

• Worked to reach Arms Control agreements with the USA.

MIKHAIL GORBACHEV

• Domestic Policy was designed to reform the USSR to help it become more efficient and compete in the global market.

  • Glasnost (Openness) was introduced to help it become more efficient and compete in the global market.

    • Ended Censorship.

    • Encouraged people to discuss the country’s problems openly.

  • Perestroika (Restructuring)

    • The policy of introducing freedoms (speech, press) to the Russian people.

    • Restructuring the Government and Economy

    • Reduce the size of the Government Bureaucracy to increase efficiency.

    • Wanted to keep Communism but did support some free market ideas and limited private enterprises.

    • Increase industrial production and produce higher quality goods by placing production power in the hands of factory managers.

    • Closed factories that didn’t produce.

COLLAPSE OF THE USSR

• Gorbachev’s reforms brought economic turmoil.

  • Shortages increased.

  • Prices (inflation) soared.

  • Factories closed (couldn’t produce).

  • Unemployment skyrocketed.

  • Critics on both sides spoke out against the changes.

• 1991: East Germany, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria broke away from the Soviet Union.

• Conservative Communists in the USSR Government staged a coup to overthrow Gorbachev; it failed but further weakened the USSR.

• Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia broke away from the USSR, and other Soviet Republics began to break away as well.

  • After 74 years, the Soviet Union ceased to exist.

• Gorbachev was forced to resign in 1991, handing power over to Yeltsin.

RUSSIAN REPUBLIC

• Boris Yeltsin began the changeover from Communism.

  • Allowed for more private control of industry and agriculture.

  • Without government controls, inflation and unemployment continued to grow.

  • Crime flourished; organized crime gained power.

• 1993: The Russian Constitution creates a Parliament.

  • With no democratic experience, many problems and fights between Yeltsin and Parliament make many matters worse.

RUSSIAN REPUBLIC

• 1994: Chechnya attempts to break away from Russia.

  • By 2000, Russia has the territory under control.

• 1998: Russia defaulted on its foreign debts.

  • The value of the Ruble collapsed.

  • Businesses and banks closed.

  • More people lost jobs and their savings.

RUSSIAN REPUBLIC

• 2000: Vladimir Putin is “elected” in the first free elections in Russian history.

  • Putin is the hand-picked successor to Yeltsin.

  • Becomes very popular with economic success.

• Putin continued many of Yeltsin’s reforms and supported the United States in the war on terror after 9/11.

  • But he got rid of some of the cultural freedoms.

  • He took control of national television networks, allowing his government to influence news reports.

VLADIMIR PUTIN

• Treats criticism of the government very harshly.

• Created an illiberal democracy

  • 2012 Putin ran again for president and won.

  • But he wasn’t as popular among the people.

  • Citizens protested unfair elections.

  • His government arrested many political opponents and called the protesters traitors to Russia who wanted to be more like the West, especially the United States.

• In 2014, Russian troops invaded the Crimean Peninsula, an area of land in southern Ukraine bordered by the Black Sea.

  • Putin said that the people of Crimea had voted for independence from Ukraine.

VLADIMIR PUTIN

• February 2022, Putin announced an invasion of Ukraine and sent troops to take over major cities, including the capital, Kyiv.

  • Ukrainian citizens have been fighting back against the attacks.

  • Ukrainian President Zelensky has vowed to remain in the country and fight until Ukraine regains its freedom.

• Many world leaders strongly condemned Putin’s actions.

  • Some punished Russia by stopping trade with the country or putting travel bans in place.

  • These punishments are called sanctions, with the goal to hurt Putin and Russia enough to stop the fighting before the war spreads into other European nations.