History WJEC GCSE Revision Notes 

Russia 1905 - 1924

Exam Date:  Wednesday 10th June 2015 (AM)

 

Which social group formed over 80% of the population of Russia in 1900?

The peasants.

 

Name 1 problem faced by Russian factory workers in Russia in 1900.

Bad working conditions, low pay, poor housing, no trade unions.

 

Who became Tsar (emperor) in 1894?

Nicholas Romanov / Nicholas II

 

Which party won a majority of seats in the newly-elected Constituent Assembly?

The Social Revolutionaries (SRs)

 

How did the new government deal with the land question?

It passed a decree (law) which gave the lands of the Tsar, nobility and the Church to the peasants.

 

What happened in January 1905 in St Petersburg?

Bloody Sunday – A peaceful protest led by Father Gapon which was fired upon by Tsarist soldiers outside the Winter Palace.

 

Name 1 of the losses imposed on Russia by Germany in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

25% of the population lost; 27% of the best farmland; 26% of the railways; 70% of iron and coal industries.

 

Who were the 2 sides in the Russian Civil War 1918-1921?

The Reds (Bolsheviks) and Whites (Tsarists)

 

Why did Russia suffer so many defeats during WW1?

Poor leadership of the generals and the Tsar. Weak infrastructure, e.g. railway system and a lack of adequate supplies and weapons.

 

What were the effects of WW1 on Russia?

Reduced morale at the front due to defeats. The economy suffered badly, inflation rose and there were food and fuel shortages. There was also a severe winter (1916-17) and the reliance by the Tsarina on Rasputin made the monarchy unpopular. By 1916 there were strikes in Petrograd.

 

What was a soviet?

An elected council of workers who were not necessarily Bolsheviks.

 

Why did St Petersburg become known as Petrograd in 1914?

St Petersburg sounded too German (Russia’s enemy during WW1) and was therefore changed.    

               

Why was there a revolution in February 1917?

The effects of WW1 on the Russian people led to strikes. The effects had included food shortages and low wages and poor conditions. This led to strikes and protests. Soldiers mutinied in Petrograd, Soviet Order No. 1 was issued and then the Tsar abdicated following advice from his generals. (2 March 1917)

 

What was Dual Power?

The attempt at sharing power between the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet. It lasted between February and October 1917. (9 months)

 

What were the slogans of Lenin used by the Bolsheviks following his return from exile in April 1917?

Peace, bread and land.

All power to the soviets.

 

What were the July Days?

The mutiny by the sailors at Kronstadt calling for the end to the Provisional Government. It led to riots and was put down by Kerensky. 400 died. Kerensky replaced Lvov as leader of the PG.

 

Who was General Kornilov?

General appointed by Kerensky to lead the army in 1917; however he attempted to stage a coup by marching on Petrograd. Kerensky armed the Bolsheviks who put down the revolt. However they refused to give back their guns.

 

How did the Bolsheviks seize power in October 1917 during the Revolution?

Lenin called for the revolution to begin following his return from Finland. The Red Guards (Bolsheviks) took key points in Petrograd and sailed a warship up the River threatening the Winter Palace. The Palace was stormed and PG members arrested. Lenin announced the ‘Council of People’s Commissars’. (Sovnarkom/Bolshevik Government)

 

Were all soviets (councils) run by Bolsheviks in the towns and cities across Russia?

No, many were run by the SRs who were more popular in the countryside.

In the November 1917 general election the SRs proved more popular with the Russian voters.

 

What was the Constituent Assembly?

A parliament elected to draw up the constitution following the November 1917 election. It met once in January 1918 but was dissolved by Lenin.

 

What were the decrees passed by Sovnarkom at the end of 1917?

They were laws or directives which changed how Russia was run. E.g. Decree on Land.

 

What was the Cheka created in December 1917?

The Bolshevik secret police under Felix Dzerzhinsky. It was used to find and remove opponents of the Bolsheviks.

 

Why did Lenin want Russia out of WW1?

To help stabilise conditions within Russia. The war was also proving very costly and unpopular with many Russians.

 

What were the terms of the harsh Treaty of Brest Litovsk? (PIRL)

Russia lost the following to the Germans;

1. Land

2. Railways

3. Iron and coal reserves

4.  ¼ of its population

 

What were the causes of the Russian Civil War 1918-21?

Food shortages and starvation after WW1 including the farm region of the Ukraine taken by Germany.

The dissolving of the Constituent Assembly, unpopular with the SRs.

Opponents including the Czech Legion and Whites. (Tsarists)

Involvement of foreign powers that feared the spread of Communism.

 

What happened at 2am on 17th July 1918?

The Tsar and his family were murdered at the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg by the local Bolsheviks under Yakov Yurovsky.

 

Why were the Romanov family murdered?

The Czech Legion were closing in on Ekaterinburg and might have rescued the family.

The Bolsheviks probably under the request of Lenin ordered the execution.

The execution would affect the morale of the White forces in the RCW.

 

What was War Communism?

The control of industry and agriculture by the Bolshevik state during the RCW. The main achievement of WC was providing food to the Red Army from the farmers.

 

Why were the Reds successful during the RCW? (LCWPRP)

1. The inspirational and organisational abilities of Trotsky and Lenin.

2. The use of the Cheka in rooting out enemies.

3. The use of War Communism.

4. The use of propaganda using posters and films.

5. Control of the railways.

6. Support of the peasants who saw the Reds as a lesser of 2 evils.

 

What were the weaknesses of the Whites during the RCW?

1. A lack of unity between the political parties involved and the foreign forces.

2. Poor leadership.

3. Weak support from the foreign powers

4. The geographical spread of the Whites who were scattered all over Russia.

Low moral particularly after the murder of the Tsar in July 1918.

 

What was the NEP?

The New Economic Policy was introduced by Lenin in 1921 to win back the support of the people allowing them to make money and help feed the population by creating food surpluses. 

Why did Lenin introduce the NEP

1. The effects of War Communism meant peasant farmers were producing less food.

2. There was growing opposition in the country side from the farms.

3. Growing opposition in the cities such as Moscow.

4. The Kronstadt Naval mutiny in March 1921 which led to the intervention by the Red Army an 20,000 deaths or sent to the gulags.

 

What were the main features of the NEP?

a) Foreign trade was encouraged.

b) Peasants paid less tax if they produced more food.

c) Nepmen emerged making profits on the goods they sold.

d) Kulaks (rich farmers) sold their surplus grain for profit making them even richer.

e) Electricity was introduced in towns across Russia.

 

What were the successes of the NEP?

1) Food production increased in 1922 and 1923.

2) Shops, cafes and restaurants re-opened.

3) Nepmen were handling ¾ of all retail (shop) trade.

4) Kulaks also did well selling produce and employing poor farmers to harvest crops.

 

What were the failures of the NEP?

a) It went against the ideas of Marx and the October Revolution.

b) Nepmen and Kulaks were seen by many as greedy capitalists.

c) The NEP encouraged corruption and vice.

d) It created the ‘scissors crisis’ where a surplus of food meant prices fell. However, the prices of industrial goods fell due shortages.

 

When was Russia renamed the USSR?

It was renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1922 and comprised of 15 republics including Kazakhstan.

 

What was the Politburo?

The key decision making body of the Communist Party which met every day. It had 7-9 members and included Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin.

 

What was Comintern? (Com-Intern)

Organisation set up in 1919 to organise socialist and Communist revolutions across Europe.

 

What had Russia become by 1924?

A centralised 1 party dictatorship which did not allow anyone to challenge its power. Finance, industry, transport and foreign trade were controlled by the state.

 

What areas of society were affected by Communist rule?

1) Changes for women through equality.

2) Control over education with free schools for children up to 9 years of age.

3) Suppression of religion.

4) Control over art and culture.

5) Propaganda and censorship were used to promote Communist ideology. (Agitprop)

 

How were children ‘brainwashed’ into following the Communist ideas?

State controlled education in schools.

Pioneer youth groups set up for the under 15s.

The Komsomol set up for young people over 15.

 

What happened on the 30th August 1918?

There was an assassination attempt in Moscow on Lenin by a female SR supporter. It would lead to his sharp decline in health.

 

While Lenin was ill how was Russia ruled?

By a group of 3 Bolsheviks – Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev. Trotsky was disliked by all 3 and was left out.

 

When did Lenin die?

21st January 1924 following 3 strokes.

 

What was Lenin’s Testament?

His wish for how Russia should be run after his death. It also listed the strengths and weaknesses of the leading contenders. The Testament was kept secret by Stalin.

 

Why did Trotsky fail to go to Lenin’s funeral in Moscow?

He had been misinformed of the date of the funeral by Stalin. This made Trotsky disrespectful to Lenin and as a result he lost support with his fellow Bolsheviks.

 

Why did Stalin eventually become leader of Soviet Russia? (by 1929)

He used his role as General Secretary to appoint people who liked and supported him.

He created an image that he was close to Lenin.

He made others turn against Trotsky.

He favoured ‘Socialism in One Country’. This was more popular than Trotsky’s ‘World (Communist) Revolution’.

He got rid of his opponents or potential rivals either by sending them to the gulag or killing them.

 

What were the negative aspects of Lenin’s rule?

a) He ended democracy and created a one party state.

b) He introduced the NEP which was not a Communist idea.

c) He failed to secure a successor leading to in-fighting in the Bolshevik party and the creation of Stalin’s dictatorship.

 

What were the positive aspects of Lenin’s rule?

1) He directed the October Revolution in 1917 leading to the creation of the world’s first Communist state.

2) He was able to restore political, economical and social stability by 1924.

3) He was ruthless to his opponents through the use of the Cheka.

4) He was prepared to make unpopular decision which went against the ideas of Marxism, e.g. the NEP.

5) He created a new Russia which would eventually become a world superpower.

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