Russia

• What do I need to revise?

  • Tsarist rule in Russia 1905-1914
  • Opposition to Tsarist rule 1914-1917: the impact of war and the February Revolution
  • Provisional Government and the Bolshevik Revolution
  • The Bolshevik consolidation of power and the Civil War
  • War communism and the New Economic Policy (NEP)
• Tsarist rule in Russia in 1905

  • Reasons for discontent
• Potemkin Mutiny


  Led by the quartermaster of the battleship Potemkin (Matyushenko) who wanted officers in the navy to have less control over ordinary sailors. Hoped that a mutiny in his fleet would lead to a peasants revolution.
• Soviets


  Set up to help organise the 1905 general strike
• 1905 Revolution


  1. Russo-Japanese war defeat

  2. Bloody Sunday protest and massacre

  3. Potemkin Mutiny

  4. Wave of peasant riots and worker strikes

  5. October Manifesto concessions by Tsar
• October Manifesto


  New civil rights, a parliament (Duma) to be set up, new laws to be approved by Duma
• Tsar Nicholas survived the 1905 Revolution
• Attitude of Nicholas to the first four dumas

  • Restricted authority of Duma
  • Dissolved first two Dumas
  • Changed election rules to ensure conservative deputies elected in third and fourth Dumas
• Stolypin's policy


  Repression and land reform (encouraging break up of peasant communes to set up individual family farms)
• The Lena Goldfield strike of 1913 saw 200-500 workers killed by troops
• Impact of World War 1 on Russia

  • Economic effects (government spending, inflation, factory closures, unemployment)
  • Social effects (food shortages, huge losses)
  • Political effects (Tsar takes direct control, unpopular with Duma)
• Rasputin


  His influence was a factor in the February Revolution
• February Revolution 1917


  1. Discontent intensifies over winter

  2. Women's Day protests in Petrograd

  3. Soldiers refuse to shoot protesters

  4. Tsar abdicates

  5. Provisional Government formed
• Provisional Government


  Shared power with the Petrograd Soviet in a 'Dual Control' system
• Weaknesses and mistakes of the Provisional Government

  • Continued World War 1
  • Delayed elections and reforms
  • Allowed freedom which led to criticism
• Lenin and the Bolsheviks


  Their activities, including the April Theses and July Days, led to the Bolshevik takeover
• The Kornilov Revolt had an impact on the Bolshevik Revolution
• Bolshevik consolidation of power

  1. Significance of 1917 decrees

  2. Closure of Constituent Assembly

  3. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
• Two sides in the Civil War

  • Bolsheviks
  • Anti-Bolshevik 'White' forces
• Reasons for Bolshevik victory in the Civil War

  • Roles of Lenin and Trotsky
• Reasons for, nature and effects of war communism

  • Kronstadt Naval Mutiny
  • Reasons for, nature and effects of the NEP
  • Opposition to NEP
  • Achievements of Lenin to 1924
• In the political vacuum a Soviet was set up in Petrograd in order to represent workers and soldiers. This meant that the Provisional Government had to share power known as 'Dual Control'. The Soviet had significant powers such as Order Number 1 which meant it had the final say on military matters
• Crucial weakness of the Prov Government (PG) was Dual Power eg had no control over railway system. Had to answer to Soviet on military matters
• PG also made mistakes; continued WW1 (even launched major offensive June Offensive) which many people hated. Delayed elections and reforms such as that on land. Allowed freedom which also meant criticism
• Lenin returns to Russia to set out April Theses; end co-operation with PG, end war, nationalise all land 'Peace, Land and Bread' which gained a lot of support. However July Days, an uprising against the food shortages and failure in June Offensive is overthrown by the PG and hundreds of Bolsheviks arrested. Lenin forced to flee
• Kornilov Revolt, General Kornilov's attempt to shut down the Provisional Government, often seen as a turning point. Karensky need Bolsheviks to defend city and Soviet so helped to arm them – soldiers would keep their weapons! Bolsheviks were able to claim they were saviours of Petrograd which boosted Bolshevik support and gave them control over the Soviet (340, 000 members by October 1917)
• Lenin returns to Russia in October and convinces senior Bolsheviks that time right for seizure of power (Note Karensky had promised elections to take place in Nov which the Bols did not think they could win due to the huge popularity of the SR party)
• Bolsheviks set up Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) to ensure loyalty of most of Petrograd's army regiments
• Karensky attempts to stop Bolsheviks as Trotsky (now head of Petrograd Soviet0 uses the MRC to take control of road and canal bridges, army HQ and telegraph office
• During 24-25 October Red Guards seize more key areas of city
• 25-26 Bolshevik soldiers enter Winter Palace and arrest remaining members of PG
• Russia becomes the first country to have a Communist led government!
• Many other socialists leave the Petrograd Soviet in protest – 'dustbin of history' (Trotsky)
• Lenin set up the Sovnarkom to pass important decrees
• Decrees passed by Sovnarkom


  • Decree on Land. All land belonged to state – to be given to state
  • Decree on peace started peace negotiations. This would lead to Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
  • Decree on Nationalities meant that ethnic minorities in old empire would choose their own government
  • Decree on Workers Rights; 8 hour working day, max 48 hr working week. Provided work insurance. Gave control of factories to workers soviets
• Other reforms: women declared equal to men. Titles and class distinctions abolished. However, opposition press banned and Cheka established
• Elections to Constituent Assembly went ahead. Socialist Revolutionaries won 53% of vote. Lenin closed Constituent Assembly and banned opposition political parties
• Lenin demanded that Trotsky secure peace at any price. Terms of Treaty of Brest-Litovsk were very harsh. Lost huge area of western territories (26% of population) as well as 74% of coal mines, 40% of industry and 27% of farmland. This had the consequence of making food shortages even more acute (see below) and a lot of opposition to the treaty which was seen as humiliating to many
• A major cause of the civil war was Treaty of Brest Litovsk (see above)
• Reds


  • Led by Trotsky (War Commissar). Wanted to preserve the revolution. Formed Red Army made up officers recruited from tsar's old army. Supervised by political commissar used strict discipline. Compulsory military service in Bolsheviks areas. 1921 5.4 million men