In Class: Lenin Between the Revolutions

1. Using Documents C, D, and E (page 2 - all numbers referred to are the big hand written page numbers) explain how Lenin and Stalin worked to secure the supremacy of the party.

In source C Lenin talks about how it's not good to criticise the Party and if they do then the Congress must immediately disperse all of the groups without exception. Stalin's way was to basically kill anyone in his way and in Source E they used propaganda to secure the supremacy of the party.

2. In what ways do Documents A, B and C (pages 3 - 4) support the assertion made in Document C that "Lenin wanted power, Lenin's rivals did not want it"?

Lenin wanted power because he tells the people not to listen to the Provisional Government which leaves him left and also he makes all of these speeches and plans for the people to get them on his side and get their support, and as soon as he came back from exile he picked up the power. Lenin's rivals "did not want it" because no one stepped up to Lenin to take it from him and if someone did then they were killed so no rivals really wanted to take that chance. So if his rivals really did want power, then they would have done something about it.

3. What can be inferred from Document D (page 4) about the following?

a: Why soldiers wanted to go home
The soldiers wanted to go home because they didn't want to fight anymore and if they stayed they probably would have starved to death or have been killed. They also weren't there while the peasants were getting all the land, so the only thing they could do was leave and go home.

b: Why the soldiers now supported the Bolsheviks.
The soldiers supported the Bolsheviks because of their slogan, "Peace, Bread, Land". It was everything that the soldiers didn't have and what they wanted. Plus the Bolsheviks were on the rise at the time.

Lenin in Power

Read the shared reading, "New Economic Policy" Answer questions 1 -4.

1. Read Source 20. What aspects of War Communism are the sailors most angry about? Would you expect peasants in Russia to feel the same?

The working classes hoped for freedom, but instead gained more slavery. They also said that "the glorious emblem of the workers' state -the hammer and sickle-has been replaced by the Communist authorities with the bayonet and barred window." The peasants in Russia probably would feel the same way as the sailors.

2. Does the evidence of Source 23 prove the NEP was a success? Explain your answer with reference to Sources 22, 24 and 25.

Source 23 does prove that the NEP was a success because the level of production under the Tsar in each category was moving downward, but once the New Economic Policy was made, the production for everything just shot up on the graph. In source 24, Bukharin says that "The NEP will transform the Russian economy and rebuild a broken nation. The future is endless and beautiful." Bukharin was pretty much right about the NEP transforming the Russian economy because everything got better after the NEP was made according to Source 23.

3. From all you have found about Lenin, do you agree with Source 26? Why or why not?

Yes because Lenin really did all he could to help the people and take out the government, but I think that he mostly did it because he was that determined to change the government into communism.

4. Write an explanation of how the Bolsheviks made their rule more secure.

The Bolsheviks made their rule more secure by the power of the Red Army because after taking the Provisional Government down, they gained military power and that had also gained the respect of the people because now they viewed the Bolsheviks as loyal heroes. The promise of a new society, for example their slogan "Peace, Bread, and Land", got the people of Russia's attention and got them on Lenin's side because that was all that they really wanted to hear and if he could really fix those problems for them then would become happy. Also the New Economic Policy helped secure their rule because when that was made, it increased the level of production in Russia.

Lenin in Power

Read the shared reading, "Lenin in Power" and "Why the Reds Won the Civil War" Answer questions 1 -6.

1. What was the Sovnarkom?
The Sovnarkom was the Council of the People's Commissar.

2. Why was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk bad for Russia?
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a bad idea for Russia because they pretty much lost almost everything. They lost 34% of their population, 32% of agricultural land, 54% of it's industry, 26% of it's railways, and 89% of coalmines. As well as a fine of 300 gold roubles.

3. Who were the "Whites"?
The "Whites" were the enemies of the Bolsheviks from inside and outside of Russia who had united to crush them.

4.. Read Source 3. What evidence does it provide of Lenin's
a) political skill: "The partisans of the Bourgeoisie, especially the higer officials, bank clerks, etc., are sabotaging and organizing strikes in order to block the government's efforts to reconstruct the state on a socialistic basis."

b) ruthlessness: "Sabotage has spread even to food-supply organizations and millions of people are threatned with famine."

5. Use Sources 5 and 7 to describe how the Civil War affected ordinary people.

Ordinary people such as the peasants, hated the Bourgeoisie and wouldn't give up their grain for them; they would rather die. Owners and managers were forced to do labour and hundreds of people were dying from hunger. The ordinary people are stuck in the middle of all the fighting and have no place to go, so like in source 7 when the Whites fired towards the village, the people had to take cover and many of them probably died. Also the male population under 45 were whipped and the Whites stole everything from the people.

6. "Most Russians saw the Bolsheviks as the lesser of two evils." With reference to Sources 5, 7, 13 and 16 explain whether or not you agree with this statement or not.

I do agree with the statement, "Most Russians saw the Bolsheviks as the lesser of the two evils." because the village people were picked on by the Bolsheviks and hated them for fighting village people for their grain and other things. Source 5 says, "In the villages the peasants will not give grain to the Bolsheviks because he hates them. Armed companies are sent to take grain from the peasant and everyday, all over Russia, fights for grain are fought to a finish."

October 1917 Revolution

Read the .pdf file Provisional Government, then:

How effective was the Provisional Government?
1. Here is a list of some decisions that faced the Provisional Government when it took over in March 1917:
-- What to do about the war: Provisional Government promised Russia's allies that it would continue the war, while trying to settle the situation in Russia. The war effort was failing and the soldiers were deserting from the army.
-- What to do about land: Urged peasants to be restrained and wait for elections before taking any land. The peasants ignored the orders of the government to wait and were simply taking over the countryside.
-- What to do about food: they didn't deal with it
For each one, say how the government dealt with it, and what the result of the action was.

2. Look for evidence in the reading of how the actions of its opponents harmed the Provisional Government:
-- Members of the soviets: The Soviets held the real power and they had a Bolshevik majority and a Bolshevik chairman. They also ahd the support of most of the army and all of the industrial workers.
-- Bolsheviks: Bolshevik-led protests against the war turned into rebellions and when people found out that Lenin got help from Germany, they didn't really want to support him, so when Lenin fled Kerensky took over and they took over the government.
-- General Kornilov: Kornilov wanted to get rid of the Bolsheviks as well as the Provisional Government.

3. Based on your answers to questions 1 & 2, how effective do you think the Provisional Government was? Your answer should be at least two paragraphs. Make sure you provide key details and analysis.

The Provisional Government wasn't very effective at all because it seems as though no one likes them at all. They had no support, therefore it wasn't hard for a group of people to crush them and take over their government.

Read the .pdf file Lenin & Trotsky, then:

The Appeal of Lenin and Trotsky
1. Using Sources 42 - 44, and the Profile of Lenin, add extra details to the profile of Lenin:
-- Why Lenin appealed to people

• The people saw Lenin as one of them because he dressed like them
• He dealt with internal divisions within the party
• His brilliant speeches
  

-- His personal qualities

• Professional revolutionary
• Ruthless and used humans as mere material for his purpose

-- His strengths as a leader

• Had tight control over everyone
  
• His party was well disciplined
• He took care of everything such as their struggles
  
• His speeches inspired workers and soldiers
• Led Bolsheviks to power in November 1917
  

2. Using Sources 45 - 47, and the Profile of Trotsky, add extra details to the profile of Trotsky:

-- Why Trotsky appealed to people

• No one else in the leadership came anywhere near him as a public speaker
• Used examples and comparisons from the real life of the audience
  

-- His personal qualities

• A genius
• His talents as an orator and a writer
  

-- His strengths as a leader

• Politically active
• 1918 became the Commissar for war and led the Bolsheviks to victory in the civil war
  

3. Finally, write a short report on the contribution of each individual to the Bolsheviks' success in 1917.
Lenin was the master strategist of the party, whereas Trotsky did all of the writing and talking. Trotsky published two Bolshevik newspapers and played a key role in the Bolshevik revolution. Both led the Bolsheviks to success, Lenin led them to power while Trotsky led them to victory in the Civil War.

Lenin and the Bolsheviks Take Power

Read the Epilogue (pages 39-45)

1. Why was Lenin reluctant to compromise with the Mensheviks or Socialist Revolutionaries?
Lenin was reluctant to compromise because he thought that it would ruin his revolutionary agenda.

2. List two reasons why the Provisional Government under Kerensky could not govern.

• Socialists and liberal democrats respected or trusted him
• Everything he did didn't work out at all
  

3. The Bolsheviks did not have a majority at the Congress of Soviets after the October Revolution. How did they manage to assume power?
Since the Mensheviks and SRs walked out of the Congress because they were angry about the armed insurrection against the Provisional Government, they relinquished their chance to decide the future of the government. This left the Bolsheviks and that's how they assumed control of all government functions.

4. What did the Bolsheviks have to give up in order to get out of World War I? What was the name of the Treaty?
The Bolsheviks would have to conclude a peace with Germany and its allies and this treaty was called the treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

5. What was the Checka?
The Cheka was led by Felix Dzerzhinsky and it was an All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Struggle against Counter-Revolution, sabotage, and speculation.

6. What supporters joined the Red Army? White Army?
The Bolsheviks joined the Red Army and the anti-Bolsheviks joined the White Army.

7. How many Russians died during the Civil War? How many emigrated to other countries?
13 million died during the Civil war and 2 million Russians emigrated to other countries.

Russia: Revolutionary Period, 1905-1917

Read Part II - (pages 13-22)

1. Peter Stolypin believed that the crown's survival depended on what two factors?
The restoration of order and genuine cooperation with the Duma.

2. What was the "Stolypin's necktie"?
"Stolypin's necktie" was the hangman's noose

3. Economic conditions between 1910 and 1914 in Russia were mixed.

a. What are examples of the postive economic conditions?
Iron and coal production increased as did Russia's imports and exports and Russia was the world's leading grain exporter because the Ministry of Finance negotiated a series of massive loans from Western European banks so as not to be dependent on appropriations from the new Duma.

b. What are examples of negative economic conditions?
Workplace violence returned after the massacre of 350 striking gold miners in Siberia by government troops. Following 2 years 3 million laborers participated in over 9 thousand strikes. Ethnic tensions simmered.

4. List three ways that Russia financed its costs during World War I.

• Increasing taxes
• securing foreign loans
• Increasing the supply of paper money 6 times over
  

5. Why was Rasputin an important figure? How was he regarded by many Russians?
Rasputin had control over jobs in the government and church hierarchies and his reputation was scandalous.

6. List two reasons why workers called for a change of government in the winter of 1916-17.

• The cities confronted a food shortage; they endured shortages of boots, firewood, kerosene, soap, sugar, and textiles. There was also a fuel shortage during the winter.
  
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7. Why was the soldiers' mutiny of February 27 so important?
It was the turning point because the troops of the Volynsky Regiment who, repelled by their own part in the previous day's carnage, had decided to disobey future orders to fire on demonstrators. When their commander issued this order, he was shot in the back. By day's end about 66,000 uniformed soldiers had cast their lot with the striking workers. At least 170,000 firearms made their way from military arsenals and weapons factories onto the streets and the streets became even more violent.

8. How did the Soviet gain the loyality of the soldiers?
The Provisional Government sought to exercise formal authority over Russia's domestic and foreign affairs.

9. List five of the political reforms of the Provisional Government.

• Government outlawed capital punishment
• Reformed the judicial system
• Took steps to place the police under control of local government
• Granted the political freedoms of assembly, press, speech, and universal suffrage
• Repealed legal restrictions that applied to religion, class, and race
  

Russia, 1861-1905

1. Why was modernization needed?
Modernization was needed because Russia wanted to be a great power/play a major role on the world stage in the twentieth century and Russia was poor.

2.Why was modernization dangerous to the Tsar?
Modernization would be dangerous to the Tsar because it would be difficult to maintain the institutions of tsarist autocracy in a modernized Russia.

3.How did Witte try to build up industry?
Witte's plan was to make a huge investment in industry to create a spiral of upward industrial growth: the more industry grew, the more demand there would be for other industrial products, which would lead to further growth, and so on. And Witte had his eye on the railways to help start his plan.

4.How successful was Witte's economic policy?
Witte's economic policy was not successful at all because Witte had to increase the prices of everyday items and state tax, and he also cut the wages of workers so that he could get all of the extra money to pay off his loans for industrialization. So after a while it all caught up and peasants couldn't pay for manufactured goods anymore and thousands of industrial workers lost their jobs.

Russia, 1861-1905

Read Part I (pages 1 - 12) The Beginning of the End - 1861 - 1905.


1. List the general goals of the:

a. socialists: Hoped to create a classless society that would end the exploitation and suffering of the peasants and workers.

b. liberal reformers : Put in place western constitutional practices and the rule of law to solce Russia's problems and correct the injustices of the past.


2. List three characteristics of serfs' lives.

• Living simply in small, dark, and dank cottages, the peasants often shared their modest homes with chickens and other farm animals.


• Lived in remote villages that lacked schools or communication with the rest of the world
• Extremely harsh and lasted an average of only thirty-five years

3. List four reforms of Tsar Alexander II.

• Elimination of the system of serfdom; in 1861 tens of millions of serfs were liberated and a new system of land transference was established. (emancipation)
  
• Created local assemblies known as zemstvos, which were established to address issues such as road maintenance, irrigation, primary education, and taxation.
• Jury trials and relaxed censorship laws
• State supported reforms- wanted to increase industrial production and reduce the industrialization gap between Russia and the West
  

4. Why did the populists go "to the people" in 1873-1874?
They wanted to get closer to the peasants, such as a more personal level, hoping to persuade them to join the revolutionary cause.


5. List two consequences of the famine in 1891.
Famine and disease struck thirty-six million peasants who lived between the Ural Mountains and the Black Sea, and since the government took forever to do something about, half a million peasants perished from famine and disease in 1891-1892.

6. Why was Karl Marx important to Russian intellectuals?
Intellectuals seized upon Marx's ideas as a means for transforming their society and his ideas seemed to offer explanation for the causes of the famine. They also believed Marx's "European ideas" could help Russia become more like Europe.


7. What were the Goals and Methods of the following political groups in early twentieth century Russia? (see page 8 of the reading)

a. Liberal Democrats: wanted to have a more Western European system of government. The liberals valued individual liberty and saw the role of the state as protecting the rights of citizens.


b. Socialist Revolutionaries: two changes; socializing all land and transferring it to the communes, and replacing the monarchy with a democratic republic


c. Social Democrats: focused on the working class instead of the peasantry. SDs insisted that a successful revolution depended on revolutionary intellectuals building a stronger sense of working-class consciousness among workers.

8. How did Bloody Sunday change people's attitudes toward the Tsar?

They went from seeing the Tsar as a benevolent protector to the complete opposite and hating him.

9. List four reforms in Tsar Nicholas's October Manifesto.

• Freedom of the press, assembly, and association were introduced in Russia
• Russians could now legally form political parties and labor unions
• The Tsar was to share power with a two-chamber legislature
  

Russia, 1905 to 1914

1. How did Tsar Nicholas II survive the 1905 Revolution?

• His opponents were not united


• There was no central leadership


• He had been willing to compromise at the critical moment by issuing the October Manifesto, promising concessions


• Most of the army remained loyal
  

2. What was the Tsar's general attitude about the Dumas?

3. What specific improvements occcured following the 1905 Revolution?

There were signs of improving working conditions as more factories came under the control of inspectors. By 1914 an extra 50,000 primary schools had been opened. And the revolutionary parties seemed to have lost heart; they were short of money, torn by disagreement, and their leaders were still in exile.

4. Summarize the 5 major weaknesses of the Tsar's regime.

• Failure of the land reforms: Stolypin's land reforms would not have the desired effect, partly because the peasant population was growing too rapidly, and because faming methods were too inefficient to support the growing population adequately.


• Industrial unrest: The wave of industrial strikes. Over 2000 seperate strikes in 1912, 2400 in 1913, and over 4000 in the first seven months of 1914.


• Government repression: The secret police rooted out revolutionaries among university students and lecturers and deported masses of Jews, thereby ensuring that both groups were firmly anti-tsarist. Dangerous because the government made the mistake of alienating three of the most important sections in society- peasants, industrial workers, and intelligentsia (educated classes)


• Revival of the revolutionary parties: As 1912 progressed, the fortunes of the various revolutionary parties, especially the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks, revived. Both groups had developed from an earlier movement, the Social Democrat Labour Party, which was Marxist in outlook.


• The royal family discredited: Had a lot of problems going on of their own, within their family.