7.4 pt. 2 Russian Revolution

What did Lenin do in regards to Germany?

After the Bolshevik Revolution, Lenin quickly sought peace with Germany. Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918, giving up a huge chunk of its territory and its population.

What happened to Tsar Nicholas and his family in July 1918?

Counterrevolutionary forces slaughtered Communist prisoners and tried to assassinate Lenin. The Communists shot the former tsar and tsarina and their five children in July 1918 to keep them from becoming a rallying symbol for counterrevolutionary forces.

On the last page of the section, there is a photo of both Lenin and Stalin; it is claimed that Stalin airbrushed himself into the photo. Why would Stalin want photos of him with Lenin?

Eventually, Stalin isolated Trotsky within the party and stripped him of party membership. Trotsky fled the country in 1929, but continued to criticize Stalin. In 1940, a Stalinist agent murdered Trotsky in Mexico.

What two sides now fought in a three-year civil war in Russia?

For three years, civil war raged between the "Reds," as the Communists were known, and the counterrevolutionary "Whites."

Who was Alexander Kerensky?

He was leading the provisional government.

Lenin died in 1924, did he favor Leon Trotsky or Joseph Stalin as his successor? Why?

His death set off a power struggle among Communist leaders. The chief contenders were Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. Trotsky was a brilliant Marxist thinker, a skillful speaker, and an architect of the Bolshevik Revolution. Stalin, by contrast, was neither a scholar nor an orator. He was, however, a shrewd political operator and behind-the-scenes organizer. Trotsky and Stalin differed on the future of communism. Trotsky urged support for a worldwide revolution against capitalism. Stalin, who was more cautious, wanted to concentrate on building socialism at home first.

What did Lenin create in 1922?

In 1922, Lenin's Communist government united much of the old Russian empire into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), or Soviet Union.

How did the Bolsheviks seize power against the provisional government in Nov 1917?

In November 1917, squads of Red Guards—armed factory workers—joined mutinous sailors from the Russian fleet in attacking the provisional government. In just a matter of days, Lenin's forces overthrew the provisional government.

What was the New Economic Policy?

It allowed some capitalist ventures. Although the state kept control of banks, foreign trade, and large industries, small businesses were allowed to reopen for private profit. The government also stopped squeezing peasants for grain. Under the NEP, peasants held on to small plots of land and freely sold their surplus crops.

What did Bolsheviks promise the Russian people?

Lenin and the Bolsheviks promised "Peace, Land, and Bread."

Who helped Lenin in furthering the revolution?

Leon Trotsky

What were the causes of the October Revolution of 1917?

Meanwhile, the provisional government, led by Alexander Kerensky, continued the war effort and failed to deal with land reform. Those decisions proved fatal. Most Russians were tired of war. Troops at the front were deserting in droves. Peasants wanted land, while city workers demanded an end to the desperate shortages.

What was the difference between the Communist theory of running the country compared to the reality?

Reality, however, differed greatly from theory. The Communist party, not the people, reigned supreme. Just as the Russian tsars had, the party used the army and secret police to enforce its will. Russia, which was the largest republic, dominated the other republics.

What was the Cheka and how was it used?

The Cheka, a secret police force much like the tsar's. The Cheka executed ordinary citizens, even if they were only suspected of taking action against the revolution.

What was "war communism"?

The Communists adopted a policy known as "war communism." They took over banks, mines, factories, and railroads. Peasants in the countryside were forced to deliver almost all of their crops to feed the army and hungry people in the cities. Peasant laborers were drafted into the military or forced to work in factories.

What advantages did the Red Army have over the White Army?

The Reds' position in the center of Russia gave them a strategic advantage. The White armies were forced to attack separately from all sides.

Why did the Allies intervene in the Russian Civil War? How did it backfire on them?

They hoped that the Whites might overthrow the Communists and support the fight against Germany. Britain, France, and the United States sent forces to help the Whites. Japan seized land in East Asia that tsarist Russia had once claimed. The Allied presence, however, did little to help the Whites. The Reds appealed to nationalism and urged Russians to drive out the foreigners. In the long run, the Allied invasion fed Communist distrust of the West.

Why did the Russian people now believe they have just gained control over their own lives? Were they correct?

Throughout the land, millions thought they had, at last, gained control over their own lives. In fact, the Bolsheviks—renamed Communists—would soon become their new masters.