Bolshevik consolidation

• What had Bolsheviks seized power in the name of?

  The bolsheviks had seized power in the name of the proletariat - the industrial working class of Russia
• What was the Bolsheviks most powerful slogan?

  Their most powerful slogan was 'all power to the soviets,' which implied that councils of working class people would help to run all aspects of russia, from its factories to its national government
• What happened on the 25th October 1917?

  On 25th October 1917, the delegates of the second All-Russian congress of soviets voted 500 5o 170 for a socialist government to replace the overthrow Provisional Government
• Why did Lenin not want to share power?

  He believed the Bolsheviks were acting in the interests of the working class and this have him complete authority
• What was organised by the provisional government?

  The Provisional Government had organised elections for the long-awaited Constituent Assembly to be held in November 1918, and Lenin allowed these to go ahead.
• Who won the elections for the constituent assembly?

  The SR won the majority of seats. Lenin immediately declared that 'elections prove nothing', The Constituent Assembly met for one day, attempted to redraft the Bolshevik decrees, then was closed by troops and never opened again.
• How did Lenin justify the removal of the constituent assembly?

  Lenin justified this by saying that Russia was now governed by a 'dictatorship of the proletariat', This meant that Lenin's government had taken control of the state on behalf of the proletariat, and would use state power to turn everything to benefit workers and peasants instead of the bourgeois.
• Why did Lenin end Russia's involvement in the First World War?

  The Bolsheviks had promised peace, and much of their support came from soldiers who were tired of the war.

  Lenin was convinced that Germany was about to have its own revolution. Soon both Russia and Germany would be part of a new international communist system, which meant that any peace-deal terms which negatively impacted Russia would only be temporary.

  Lenin knew the Russian army could not stop a German invasion of Russia, which would end Bolshevik control.

  Lenin believed that national boundaries were less important than the proletariat's shared common values. He believed the end of the war would allow workers everywhere to rise up against the oppressive capitalist classes.
• What did Germany demand?

  Germany was already occupying large swathes of Russian territory and demanded major concessions as the price of a ceasefire.
• What did Lenin and Trotsky disagree with regarding the end of the First World War?

  Lenin and Trotsky did not agree on their negotiating stance,Trotsky opposed agreeing to a peace deal that would involve harsh terms for Russia. Lenin was less concerned about the peace terms for the reasons given above.
• What splits occured in the central committee?

  Once negotiations began, there were further splits in the Central Committee. Bukharin led the 'revolutionary war group' which argued against peace with the Germans at all. Others saw this as betraying the Bolsheviks' promise to end the war.
• What did Trotsky do which annoyed the Germans?

  Trotsky was put in charge of the Bolshevik negotiating team. He dragged proceedings out, probably hoping that the German revolution would have started before any peace terms had been agreed.

  Trotsky's delaying tactics annoyed the Germans. They ended the armistice and began to advance again into Russia.
• What did Lenin demand Trortsky to do?

  Lenin demanded that Trotsky negotiate peace at any price, but the harsh terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (signed on 3 March 1918) were deeply unpopular.
• What is the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

  The agreement from WWI between Russia and Germany to stop fighting
• What did the left-wing SR do?

  The left-wing SR walked out of Sovnarkom in protest. Only by threatening to resign could Lenin force the Bolshevik Central Committee to agree to the treaty - by a majority of one.
• What did the Bolsheviks have to give up in exchange for peace?

  The Bolsheviks had to give up a huge area in the west of Russia, meaning the loss of:

  62 million people (one sixth of Russia's population)

  2 million square kilometres of land, responsible for one third of Russia's agricultural production

  A quarter of Russia's railway lines

  Three quarters of Russia's iron and coal supplies.
• How much did the Bolsheviks have to pay?

  The Bolsheviks also had to pay 3 billion roubles in war reparations.
• What did the new decrees from Sovnarkom help define?

  New decrees from Sovnarkom helped to define the one- party state.
• What were the new decrees from the Sovnarkom state?

  Workers were put in the charge of the railways.

  Government support for the Church ended, and Russia became a secular state.

  Industries were nationalised and land ownership was abolished. Now only the state owned land and made it available to those who would farm it for the good of the community.
• What happened to Trotsky in March 1918?

  In March 1918, Trotsky became head of the new Red Army
• What is the red army?

  Soviet military
• Where did the capital move to?

  The capital was moved to Moscow, to be more central to the country
• When was the first soviet constitution proclaimed?

  . In July 1918, the first Soviet Constitution was proclaimed.
• What did left-wing SR attempt to do?

  Left-wing SR attempted to seize power in Moscow but were crushed; this was followed by the imposition of the Red Terror by the newly formed secret police, the Cheka.
• What did the soviet constitution of july 1918 set out?

  The Soviet Constitution of July 1918 set out the power structure of the new regime.
• Was the soviet constitution fully democratic?

  On the surface it looked like a fully democratic system, however in practice Lenin and Sovnarkom held most of the power.
• When did the Congress of Soviets meet?

  The Congress of Soviets only met at intervals throughout the year. Between those times, Sovnarkom ruled Russia.
• What did Sovnarkom consist of?

  Sovnarkom consisted solely of Bolsheviks after the left- wing SRs walked out in protest over the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
• What happened in July 1918?

  In July 1918, members of the former 'exploiting classes' were banned from voting or holding office.
• How many votes were the worker's votes worth?

  Worker's votes were worth five peasant votes.
• What happened in the elections to the Congress of Soviets?

  In the elections to the Congress of Soviets, the electorate were invited to choose between Bolshevik nominees. There was no free choice of candidates.
• Why had the left turned against the Bolsheviks?

  Lenin had forced the Kadets and right-wing SRs out of his government.

  Lenin had closed the Constituent Assembly after the SPs won the most seats

  The Bolsheviks were sidelining the soviets and imposing a one-party dictatorship
• Why had the right turned against the Bolsheviks?

  Aristocrats and the bourgeoisie were alienated by Bolshevik ideology. Russians with land, money or businesses stood to lose everything from Bolshevik economic and social policies.

  Some still yearned for the old tsarist regime, although they did not necessarily want Nicholas Il himself back on the throne. This group included army officers, some of whom objected to the peace treaty with Germany.

  Food shortages hit the bourgeoisie the hardest as the rationing system meant that they were given the smallest share.
• What were the other causes which contributed to the turn against the Bolsheviks?

  The Bolsheviks had seized power by force in Moscow and Petrograd in October/November 1917. Their opponents claimed they had no right to rule Russia; they had not submitted to popular elections; and they had largely ignored the Petrograd Soviet which had helped to place them in power.

  Many were angered by the concessions of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

  Much discontent was caused by the Bolsheviks' inability to solve Russia's economic problems. Ongoing food shortages and severe rationing of essentials were exacerbated by distribution problems, as well as the loss of agricultural land from the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

  National minorities who had been part of the old Russian Empire, such as the Georgians, were uncertain that Bolshevik promises to grant self-determination were to be believed. These groups saw an opportunity in the prevailing chaos and uncertainty to fight for their independence.

  Those of limited allegiance to any political group simply viewed the fluid political situation, brought by the Bolshevik revolution and the economic chaos of war, as an opportunity to win old battles and play out local rivalries.
• Who was the civil war fought between?

  The Civil War was fought between the Bolshevik Red Army and a range of different opposition groups, motivated by different aims.
• Who are the reds?

  The Reds: The Bolshevik Red Army, led by Trotsky.
• Who are the poles?

  The Poles: Polish armies fought to gain control of western Ukraine.
• Who are the whites?

  The Whites: The various armies and armed groups made up of the Bolsheviks' opponents and led by former tsarist officers. Their attacks were rarely coordinated and they often had very little in common with each other except for their hatred of the Bolsheviks.
• Who are the greesn?

  The Greens: The Greens were a largely peasant army fighting for independence from control by anyone, Red or White. Led by Nestor Makhno, they fought a guerrilla campaign in the Ukraine. They sided with, and fought against, both Reds and Whites at different points in the Civil War.
• Who are the allies?

  The Allies: Britain, France and the USA all sent troops to help the Whites