Unit 2

Modern World Depth S

Russia 1917-1939: Revision

Booklet

JFS History Departm

Paper 5HA02/2B

The Collapse of the Tsarist Regime 1917.

The nature of Tsarist Rule.
o The Tsar (king) Nicholas II was an AUTOCRAT: one man who held all
the power and made all the decisions for the country, his power
coming from God.
o There are minsters in a parliament (the Duma) but the Tsar can
dismiss it when ever he likes. They dont make any important
decisions.
o A secret police force The Okhrana hunt down and arrest anyone
who opposes or challenges the Tsars power. Spies are everywhere.
o Russia was difficult to rule:
Huge country with a single train running through
it: difficult to communicate.
Russia is very backward, most backward country
in Europe: low in industry, high in agriculture.
Racially divided: Russian a foreign language for
60% of the population.
o Russia society is very unequal
Pop approx: 125 million, approximately 85% work
on the land as very poor peasants: no education,
hard, hard lives: can starve on a bad harvest.
1/3 of all land in Russia owned by 699 people.
Church was powerful: supported the Tsars regime
and encouraged people to accept their lot.
o Rapid industrialisation is taking place before WWI
Rapid increase in production of oil and coal
Peasants move to the cities conditions are very
unpleasant, pay is low and any form of organised
complaint, like going on strike, is forbidden.
Army is used to crush workers protests.
o In the years before WWI opposition to the Tsar is growing in Russia

Bloody Sunday: 200,000 go to ask tsar for better conditions,

attacked by soldiers: hundreds killed Leads to.

1905 Revolution: strikes and mutinies on ships: tsar promises

reforms in October Manifesto, which says he will reform and
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introduce the Duma. Strikes put down by army revolution is

divided over support or opposition for the O.M fails.

Much repression after 1905. 3000 killed by PM Stolypin (who is

also encouraging education and agriculture reforms to placate
opposition).

Duma: Tsar doesnt listen to it, dismisses it on a whim. His

promise to reform is broken.

Industrialisation: people are brought together in large

numbers and in bad conditions, makes protesting easier.
Violently put down.

Rasputin: around from 1907, influencing tsar and tsarina: the

class from which the Tsars advisors come particularly dislike
him.
Groups opposing the tsar

Social Democratic Party: Bolsheviks and

Mensheviks. Want a revolution to set up a communist state.
Bolsheviks believe there must be leaders, Mensheviks believe
it must be a mass uprising. Bolsheviks = Lenin and Stalin,
Mensheviks = Trotsky.

Social Revolutionaries: want land shared out to

peasants, some members violent, some political.

Cadets: want a constitutional monarchy like

Britain has today.

Octoberists: want the tsar to just keep his

promises in the October manifesto.

The Impact of the First World War

Tsar thought war would unite Russian people. Also thought the war would
be relatively quick. Didnt pan out like this in either case.
1 million Russians dead by end of 1914.
13% of Russian pop. In hands of enemy by the end of 1915.
Why did the Russians do so badly?
Russias backwardness was a major factor. This was apparent in
so many ways not least the problems of communication. When
the French and British tried to send weapons and other
necessities to help Russia, they stockpiled up at the port of
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Archangel and could not be moved as the railway transport was

so inadequate.

What
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

The Tzar made a very foolish mistake in 1915. He fired the

commander in chief and took on the role himself. He knew
nothing about leading an army. When he lost battles the
monarchy was totally discredited. He also made his wife the ruler.
She was totally inadequate and depended on Rasputin for advice.
She was very unpopular, seen as a German spy and the Russians
wanted to get rid of her.

The generals gave the army very poor leadership. They did not
act like a team. They raced to Germany without ensuring they
had all the necessary supplies. They gave away their positions to
the Germans using wireless messages. They used the wrong
tactics and the wrong weapons-bayonets and charges against
German machine guns.

There was severe weapons shortage because Russia was not very
industrialised in comparison to Germany. Soldiers had to pick up
the weapons of the dead in order to fight. By 1917 however
things had improved and there were no shortages.

By 1917, the people had lost faith. Millions of soldiers had died
or were wounded at battles like Tannenberg in 1914. In Baku
women lay on the train tracks to prevent their men leaving for
war.

There were severe food shortages. The peasants had been

conscripted and were at war and were unable to grow crops.

Were the Economic results of the Wars Failure?

Devastating effect on the economy
Inflation increased 7 price rises between 1913 & 1917
Because of the shortage of labour, less food was produced
14 million men called up to serve in the army 1914-1917
Demand for horses at the front made it more difficult for the peasants to
cultivate the land this led to higher food prices
Industry also hit by the shortage for labourers led to a lack of fuel &
essential supplies
Consumer goods such as boots & cloth became expensive and scarce
Shortages of vital coal, iron, steel many factories closed
Workers asked to work longer hours, received less pay

Social Impacts
o Dislike for German Tsarina increases over course of the war. She is running
the country whilst the tsar is gone.
o Hatred of Rasputin fuels mistrust of royal family: middle and upper classes.
Eventually Rasputin is murdered by aristocrats.
o Number of deaths fuels dislike of tsar from middle classes losing officer sons.
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o Tsar is blamed for deaths as head of army, no longer godlike and above
blame.
Why was there a Revolution in 1917?
1917 - Ingredients for revolution present
o Massive inequality and harsh life for most people in Russia
o Tsar lost support
o Government was incompetent
o Army faced defeat in WW1
o Workers in the capital (Petrograd) were struggling to survive on insufficient
wages
o Strikes were common - everyday
o Feb 1917 industry almost came to a halt
February 1917 Soldiers garrisoned in Petrograd mutinied & took sides with the
demonstrators
o In 1905 a loyal army had saved the tsar
o A Provisional (temporary) government was set up by the duma until the
planned elections
o When Nicholas tried to return to Petrograd to assume control, his route was
blocked he decided to abdicate in a railway carriage 320 km from Petrograd
o The revolution was spontaneous and unplanned
o In St Petersburg statues of the tsars were smashed to pieces.
Events leading to Revolution
o A strike took place at the large Petilov steel works (Petrograd)
demanding more wages.
o Joined by other workers on subsequent days. Police & army
(Cossacks) attack rioters at food queues. Thousands demonstrate.
o Tsarina writes to tsar. She UNDERESTIMATES the disturbances.
o The Tsar orders the army Commander to stop all disturbances.
Soldiers, many of whom are peasant conscripts, refuse to fire on
civilians.
o Eventually the Duma decides that the Tsar must be removed as
soldiers join the protestors.
o The Tsar begins to make his way back to Petrograd but is stopped. In
a railway siding he abdicates to be replaced by the Provisional
Government.
WHY WAS THE TSAR OVERTHROWN IN FEBRUARY 1917?
On 2nd March, Nicholas II was forced to abdicate (give up his throne).
Conditions in Russia were awful and WW1 was going disastrously. Nicholas
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had experienced several problems before 1914, which he hadnt really

solved. Added to those were this new set of more serious problems.
1. The Tsars role as Commander of the army went to war front blamed
for failures.
2. The Role of the Empress Alexandria ran the govt., German, influenced
by Rasputin, and underestimated the situation.
3. The Role of Rasputin the Mad Monk influence over the Empress
thought to be a German spy drunkard & womaniser eventually
killed.
4. The Collapse of Government Alexandria & Rasputin kept on changing
the govt. ministers to ones that agreed with them. Chaos ensued &
food, guns & ammo failed to reach army.
5. The Economy poor country transport problems food shortages,
inflation. Feb 1917 St Petersburg demonstrations & riots. Strikes in
factories. Tsar blamed for the problems.
6. The Collapse of support for the War casualties & reports. By Dec 1916
many people want the Tsar to end it but he doesnt.
7. The State of the Army poorly equipped & supplied massive losses
mutinies & rebellions. The Tsar was in charge, so was blamed.
8. The Tsar lost the support of the Duma supported the Tsar at first but
he then ignored their advice. President of the Duma (Rodzianko)
warned him how unpopular he was becoming. Ignored.
Why was The Impact of World War 1 the most important cause of
the Fall of the Tsar?
In the exam, in the big sixteen mark question, you will be asked to
prioritise reasons behind an event, saying which is most important. The
impact of WW1 is a good factor to claim is the most important in an essay
on the fall of the Tsar, you will need to explain WHY.
o In 1905 there was a revolution that failed to overthrow the Tsar,
in 1917 there was a revolution that succeeded.
o The crucial difference between them was that in 1917 the
revolution was supported by SOLDIERS, in 1905 it was opposed
by them. In 1905 they helped put down the revolution, in 1917 they
helped it happen.
o Without soldiers the Tsar lost his power over the people. He actually
said that with one battalion I could end these disturbances
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o Why did soldiers not support the Tsar 1917? Because of The
Horrible Conditions they endured in WW1.
Thus WWI not only made ordinary people hate the Tsar but also made the
people who would enforce the Tsars orders hate him too. WWI cost the
Tsar his most important support: the army.
Key

Russian Revolution Revision 1917 -24

questions ;
How did the Bolsheviks seize power in October 1917?
How did the Bolsheviks consolidate their power?
How did Lenin win the Civil War?
How did the Bolsheviks seize power in October 1917?
(aka the weaknesses of the Provisional Government)

The Provisional Government (PG) made the decision to continue with

WW1, even launching a new attack/offensive in June. Disaster. Troops
deserted in massive numbers.
The PG was only meant to be temporary govt. until elections could take
place for an elected assembly (parliament) but Kerensky delayed these.
People again frustrated.
They also did nothing about land reform. This lost them a lot of
support from workers, middle classes & peasants.
They had to share power with the Petrograd Soviet, which governed
the city. This was a council of workers & soldiers representatives. It
ordered all soldiers to obey it, which meant that the PG did not have
army support.
Lenin returned from exile in Switzerland in April. He urged the
Soviets to stop supporting the PG & put forward his April Thesis which
was popular with the people catchy slogans:
PEACE LAND BREAD
ALL POWER TO THE SOVIETS
Things got out of control in the July Days when Bolshevik supporters
demonstrated against PG for starting new war offensive. This
demonstration was disorganised. Lenin & other leaders dont support it
because they feel that it is too soon. PG stopped it by force. Banned
party. Arrested leaders.
BUT Kornilov revolt September army general tried to seize power
PG calls on Bolsheviks to stop him by releasing several members of
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Bolshevik party from prison. This move meant that the Bolsheviks were
strengthened and it also legitimised them. Made PG look weak.
By October Bolsheviks were in control of both the Petrograd & Moscow
Soviets, though they had less support from all over the country.
Lenin then urged Soviets to seize power as he judged this the perfect
time. The Provisional government were weak and the mood of the country
was ready for change. As leader of the Red army and a superb strategist,
Lenin called upon Trotsky to make plans.
What were the events of The October Revolution?
Trotsky was key in making strategic plans for the night
Key buildings such as telegraph offices and railway stations were
captured by the Bolsheviks.
Winter Palace (where PG was in session) was surrounded.
Very little resistance in Petrograd and citizens went about their
everyday lives.
Kerensky escaped but the rest of the PG were in Winter Palace
defended only by the Womens Batallion and military cadets.
Gun ship Aurora fired its guns from the River and PG gave in and all
arrested.
In total only 6 soldiers died, 18 arrests and the collapse of the
Provisional Government.
The following day Lenin formed a government called the Council of
Peoples Commissars with him as head.
How significant was Lenins role?
Slogans & April Thesis were very catchy and attractive.
Popular & offered the people what they wanted.
Judged time for revolution superbly when the PG & other parties
were at their weakest.
BUT Trotsky did a lot of the intricate planning & led the Red
Guards, which is also important.
Unpopularity of PG becomes increasing.
Fact that PG didnt have support of the army.
Therefore, important but not vital.
How Did the Bolsheviks consolidate Power?
In November, they only had control of Petrograd & Moscow. They
had to win over the rest of the population. Heres how;
They nationalised the land so that it could be redistributed among the
peasants.
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 They also called elections for a Constituent Assembly BUT these left
the Bolsheviks with only a small % of the seats so Lenin closed it.
He wanted a Dictatorship of the Proletariat in which the Bolsheviks
would run the country. All other political parties were banned & a
one-party state was set up.
Lenin banned any people or groups that disagreed with him
from the Bolshevik party & used his secret police (OGPU) to do this.
They got further support by signing a peace treaty at Brest-Litovsk in
March 1918. Lost land & industrial area but Lenin said it was worth it
for peace & time to recover.
They defeated opposition in the Civil War (see later).
Opposition was also dealt with by the new Secret Police (the Cheka).
How did the Bolsheviks win the Civil War 1918-22
Reds versus whites?
Reds were outnumbered and no-one expected them to win, but they did,
heres why the Reds (Bolsheviks) won the Civil War;

Whites divided. Fighting for different purposes

Bolsheviks started with fewer men but numbers rose
Bolsheviks controlled key communications, most industry
Foreign powers pulled out of war 1919
White terror caused opposition
o inspired troops
War communism meant troops fed and supplied at expense of
peasants

War Communism
A policy to meet the needs of the Red Army even if this meant
peasants and workers went hungry which involved full state control
of the economy
Private trading banned and food seized if peasants refused to
surrender it
Nationalisation of the economy

Tight control on workers

All factories were now run by state and production taken by the
sate.
Bolsheviks now appoint managers.

Cheka ensured control brutally

Rationing of food in cities

Nationalisation of factories and workers now under government
control
Rapid inflation meant money became valueless and barter took
over.

Effects of War communism

Famine 5million died when peasants refused to hand over food and
many peasants destroyed their crops in protest
Patrols used to stop private selling were harsh
Opposition led to uprisings and troops had to be used to quell
Kronstadt Rebellion of sailors who had initially supported
Bolsheviks led Lenin to bring reform. Rebellion crushed brutally by
Trotskys Red Army.
Effects of Civil war
Famine
Cheka brutality
Kronstadt Mutiny Feb 1921
NEP1921
Reversal of War Communism shows failure of Lenins attempt to
socialise society.
Introduced because of opposition to war communism (the rebellion)
and failure of the economy following WW1 and civil war including
famine.
Allows private trading and small private businesses led to Nepmen
Private business in agriculture let to Kulaks
Recover to pre-war levels
Peasants who increased food production paid less tax
Factories with less than 20 workers were returned to former owners.
Consumer goods could be sold for profit
Money could be used again and the new rouble introduced
Key industries eg. coal and steel remained under state control
The Struggle for Power 1924-1928
Key Issue; why did Stalin win the leadership contest?
Lenin wrote in his Last Will and Testament,
Comrade Stalin, having become Secretary, has unlimited
authority concentrated in his hands and I am not sure whether he
will be capable of using that authority with sufficient caution.
Comrade Trotsky, on the other hand, is perhaps the most capable
man in the present Committee.I propose to comrades that they
find a way of removing Stalin from his post.
Despite this, Stalin emerged as the Soviet leader by 1928. Why?

Stalin persuaded other members of the Central Committee to keep

the testament secret for the sake of party unity. Other leading
Bolsheviks like Kamenev and Zinoviev were also criticised in the
testament so they agreed with this.
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He held the post of General Secretary in the Communist Party. This

gave him the power to appoint officials who supported him and
dismiss those who were opposed to him. He built up a power base
within the party.

He used the support of Kamenev and Zinoviev to remove Trotsky

from his position of power.

Trotsky had weaknesses;

-

He was Jewish and had previously been a Menshevik.

He simply resigned as commander of the Red Army rather
than fight back.
He promoted world revolution while Stalin and most of the
party supported Socialism in One Country.

Stalin packed the Congress of Soviets with people who supported

Socialism in One Country.

Stalin then used his power to turn against Kamenev and Zinoviev
and they, along with Trotsky were expelled from the Communist
Party in 1927

Stalin presented himself as the rightful successor to Lenin. He was

the chief mourner at Lenins funeral having deliberately given
Trotsky the wrong date!

Stalins economic policies: Industrialisation and

Agriculture/Collectivisation
Stalins policy of Socialism in One Country required Russia to change from
a backward agricultural country into an advanced industrial power. The
key to industrial success lay in the countryside.
The peasants were the only group who could be taxed to provide the
money to build industry.
The peasants would have to supply cheap food to feed workers in
the growing industries.
The peasants would have to supply food for export in order to pay
for imported machinery.
Large numbers of peasants would have to leave their farms to go
and work in the new factories.
To solve these problems Stalin decided to end private farming.
Why did Stalin introduce the 5 Year Plans?
Stalin was terrified of attack from foreign capitalist powers: he saw
industry as a way of modernising weapons so that Russia could
defend itself against attack.
To compete with the west - it also had propaganda purposes, both to
show foreign powers what Stalin and communism could achieve and
to draw Russian people together.
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He wanted to end the NEP and destroy the kulak class that had
benefited from it as he could not control these peasants
To control the people of the USSR through the regulations he
imposed to modernise the economy. Stalin created a command
economy through Gosplan as well as tight discipline over the people
First 5 year Plan (1928-1932) all the stress was on heavy
industry eg. Steel, coal and machinery which are essential to the
growth of other industries. In 1932 the plan was completed ahead
of schedule industrial output had doubled and 1500 new industrial
plants had been built.
Second 5 yp (1933-37) emphasis still on heavy industry.
Third 5yp(1938-43) was interrupted by war. There was also a
switch from the production of goods such as tractors to military
equipment.

Did Industrialisation succeed?

The West was impressed
Dnieper dam provided hydro-electricity, new industrial centres in
Kuzbass and the Volga and vast new engineering plants
Industrial output appeared significant according to official figures
Russia was able to defend herself in the Second World War against
Nazi Germany
Industrial production did increase by about 400% during the 1930s
It created a lot of employment
Made Russia into a modernised, industrial society that became a
superpower in thes second half of the 20th century
It gave Stalin control over the population
It gave the state full control over the economy (Command Economy)
What went wrong?
Figures were unrealistic. First 5YP was cut short by a year but
targets remained the same.
Gosplan made no allowance for local conditions and lacked
knowledge of industries it was dealing with
Party officials cooked the books and came up with the numbers
Stalin wanted. Many feared for their lives if they did not.
No criticism of plans was accepted and failure to meet targets led to
punishments
New workers were poorly educated peasants who did not know how
to use the machines and this led to breakdowns in machinery.
Many skilled engineers were accused of wrecking the plans and
arrested. Use of poorly-trained engineers was preferred as they did
not question procedure
Emphasis on quantity not quality
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Light industry suffered. Money promised to build up housing, for better

wages and to produce goods for the shops went on defence.
Stakhanovites
Inspired by hero miner, Alexei Stakhanov (1935) who is claimed to
have shifted 102 tonnes of coal in a single shift 15 times greater
than the usual amount
Other workers were encouraged to copy his achievement
Stakhanovites were rewarded with medals, new houses, free
holidays & other perks
The results of the 5 Year Plans
Postive outcomes:
Modernisation Russia now had newer quicker methods of farming,
new tractors, fertilises, and aimed to produce as much as possible
The Gulag (chief administration of camps) was a special department
of the secret police (OGPU) to run the labour camps. By 1935 nearly
5 million prisoners from these camps worked on building projects.
Example: Between 1931-1933 250, 000 slave labourers built the
Belomor Canal by hand with picks and wheelbarrows (this allowed
the Navy to reach the White Sea from the Baltic through inland
waterways).
By 1937, 97 million tonnes of grain was produced PLUS cash crops
for output
By the 1940s 1/4 of a million kolkhoz (99% of Russia had been
collectivised)
Industries focused on producing weapons (allowed Russia to defend
itself against the Nazis in WWII)
By the 1940s 1/4 of a million kolkhoz (99% of Russia had been
collectivised)
Negative outcomes:
Targets of 5 year plans were never met
Slave labour some of the tasks set by the Five-Year Plans were so
big that there were not enough workers to do them. Prisoners in
prison camps were forced into labour camps. It did not matter how
many deaths.
Consumer goods were not produced
Pay was poor.
Working conditions were very dangerous and the hours were long.
The homes that were provided were poor.
Poor quality goods was produced (due to poor machinery and
unskilled workers)
Cities were overcrowded
Punishment was severe for failure example a manager who failed
to meet targets could be executed as an enemy of the people.
(spies were said to be everywhere)
Factories inflated their production figures to avoid punishment
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Industrial machines difficult to obtain parts (could be out of action

for long periods of time), ex-peasants were used as skilled workers,
there were accidents; machinery got broken

In conclusion: For all the problems and hardship caused by the Five
Year Plans, by 1941, Stalin had transformed Russia into a world
class industrial power. This was to be vital for Russia as the war

Collectivisation
What was Collectivisation?
Peasants gave up their small plots of land and animals and pool
them to make large farms for large scale farming allowing for
mechanisation and modern farming techniques
Initially collectivisation was voluntary but later imposed. Opponents
were labelled kulaks
Collective farm was a kolkhoz and would own all animals, grain
supplies and buildings in the village, made up of 80 peasant families
Peasants had to provide a fixed amount of food for the state at very
low
prices and received a small wage. Surplus, if there
was any, could be kept.
The state provided machinery including Motor Tractor Stations
supplying about 40 collectives each with tractors and drivers
Sovkhozes were farms owned by the state and peasants worked as
paid labourers. All produce was taken by the state.
Why did he collectivise?
1. Soviet agriculture was backward
Old-fashioned/ inefficient/ no machinery/ too small/ subsistence (only
grew enough for themselves).
2. Food was needed for workers in the towns
Essential if the Five-Year Plans were to succeed.
3. NEP was not working
By 1928, the USSR was 20 million tons of grain short to feed the towns.
4. Town-workers were needed
If the USSR was to become modern/ industrial, peasants needed to
migrate to work in the towns.
5. Cash Crops were needed
If the USSR was to industrialise, peasants needed to grow cash crops
(eg grain) which could be exported to raise money to buy foreign
machinery and expertise.
6. Kulaks opposed Communism
The Kulaks opposed Communism they liked their private wealth.
They hid food from the government collectors. Also they were
influential, and led peasant opinion. Stalin wanted to destroy them.
OPPOSITION TO COLLECTIVISATION:
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Objections:
Equality of wages was not popular
They had to surrender all their land
The best farmers were frustrated by collectivisation as their farms
had been efficient
Kulaks had benefited from the NEP through selling surplus grain,
they didnt like the end of trading
Machinery kept breaking down & was not repaired properly
The fixed % given to the government could be a problem in times of
famine
Stalin got too much power over the peasants
Many refused to cooperate these people were labelled as kulaks
and sent to gulags
By 1931 collectivisation was imposed upon peasants by force
Stalin and the Purges
Definition; Purges; The systematic elimination of enemies and
possible enemies through the use of terror
Key questions

Why did Stalin introduce the purges?

How were the purges carried out?
What were the show trials?
What were the effects of the purges?
How important were the purges for Stalins power?

Why were they introduced?

He was worried that his enemies were plotting against him
especially some of the Old Bolsheviks who could form an
alternative government.
He used the purges to remove anyone who was opposed to his
policies of Collectivisation and Industrialisation.
Leading Politburo member Kirov was popular. He criticised Stalins
policy of industrialisation at the party congress in 1934. Kirov was
murdered and Stalin used this as an excuse to claim that there was
a plot against him and the Party. The secret police arrested
thousands of Kirovs supporters.
Some suggest that Stalin was paranoid and suspected that
everyone was plotting against him
How were the purges carried out?
The main agent of the purges was the secret police; named the
NKVD in 1934.
After the murder of Kirov the NKVD were given the power to arrest
and execute suspects even without a trial.
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The NKVD often relied on informers to denounce suspects.

Victims of the purges, if not executed, were sent to labour camps,
The Gulags, which were set up in Siberia and the Arctic regions.
They did manual work on vast construction and mining projects.
About 13 million died from cold, hunger and ill-treatment.

What were the Show Trials?

They began in 1936.
Old Bolsheviks, Kamenev, Zinoviev and 14 others were accused
of being behind Kirovs murder and plotting to assassinate Stalin.
They were forced to confess to a whole range of crimes. Trotsky,
in exile was accused of leading the plotters.
The Show Trials were fully publicised. Stalin used this to justify the
purges.
The accused were tortured and their families threatened in order to
get confessions.
What were the effects of the purges?
They ensured that Stalin had complete power in the Soviet Union.
All rivals and potential rivals were eliminated.
Anyone creative, writers, poets, musicians, historians etc. who had
ideas different from Stalin were purged or forced to follow the party
line.
The Red Army officers and navy officers were also purged. 35000
were executed in 1937-8. This weakened the Red Army.
How important were the purges for Stalins power?
They ensured that he had complete control over the Party and the
State.
He was able to drive forward Collectivisation and Five Year Plans
without opposition.
He destroyed all possible centres of opposition to his power from
within the Party and the military.

Propaganda and Censorship

What was the Cult of Stalin?

Glorification of the leader developed through propaganda
Stalins name & picture was everywhere streets & cities were named after him
Plays written about him
Image of a caring leader who saved the Soviet Union from its enemies
Huge parades in Red Square Moscow
Films, paintings, statues all showed how fortunate the Russian people were
Socialist Realism simple, clear optimistic messages
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Attempted to rewrite history to glorify his own part in the past distorted
pictures

How

did Stalin control Religion?

Christian leaders imprisoned & churches closed down
By 1939 only about 500 of over 50,000 churches remained open.
League of the Godless smashed churches, burnt religious picture, plane
rides to prove God did not exist
Virgin Mary art showing her wanting an abortion
Instead of baptism children were Octobered
Christmas and Easter became Komsomol Christmas and Easter
Revolyutsia and Ninel popular names
Attacks on Judaism were endemic throughout the Soviet period, and the
organized practice of Judaism became almost impossible.
Mosques & Muslim school closed down, pilgrimages to Mecca banned

What changes were made in education?

1932 rigid programme of education
Strict discipline & examinations brought back (got rid of after the revolution,
teachers & pupils equal etc.)
Taught Stalin was the Great Leader
Taught Stalins version of history A short history of the world
Children joined political youth groups outside of school trained them in
socialism
8-10 yrs Octobrists
10-16 Young Pioneers
19-23 yrs Komsomol
In 1929 there were 2.3 million members, rising to 10.2 million in 1940. These
members provided a valuable reservoir of labour motivated by revolutionary
fervour that could be used on major building projects. Many Komsomol
members volunteered to go to Magnitogorsk to build the new city.
The example of Pavlik Morozov illustrates the power behind the mobilisation
of youth. Morozov was a fourteen-year-old who became famous in the early
1930s for denouncing his own father to the authorities. His father was
accused of association with the kulaks. Morozov was used by the government
in a campaign to encourage young people to inform on anyone suspected of
'bourgeois tendencies'. When Morozov was murdered by his grandfather and
cousin the government treated him as a martyr and erected statues in his
honour.
What was the 1936 Constitution?
Introduced to convince Soviet citizens & outside world that USSR was a free
society
In reality in confirmed Stalins dictatorship
USSR consisted of 11 republics The communist party kept control of the
government of each republic and the central government
Secret elections looks democratic
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Elections to the Soviets every 4 years looks regular and therefore

democratic
Voting for all over the age of 18 looks democratic
Guaranteed freedom of speech, religion etc. but only if approved by the
party so not democratic!
Communist Party was the only party allowed so not democratic
No elections within the party
Stalin still made all the key decisions
Stalin held position of General Secretary of the Party, Chairman of the
Politburo & PM
Life in the Soviet Union

Your experience depended on who you were

The higher up you in the party, the better off you were
Nepmen & Kulaks were considered class enemies
Conditions for the peasants were worse than those in the towns
Rapid urbanisation led to poor living conditions as the new urban areas
were not prepared for the influx of people
Those who worked in the towns faced strict rules and discipline in the
work place
Attempt to make every minority a Soviet Citizen therefore ethnic
groups suffered
Couldnt speak own languages, practise their customs, discriminated
against
Expansion in education benefitted many allowing people to gain
technological skills and employment advancement
No unemployment due to industrialisation but there were very poor
working and living conditions
Improvements were made for some because the state provided
benefits such as free health, holidays with pay for many workers and
insurance against accidents.
Leisure and sport were encouraged to improve general fitness and
these were provided on collective farms and by trade unions.
Workers no longer feared unemployment as the industrial policies
meant full employment
However, overcrowding remained a problem in towns and cities with
families sharing flats and rooms.
Family life was poor. The lack of emphasis on marriage had led to
the break up of family with a high divorce rate. Stalin tried to
encourage family life again with support for married couples and an
effort to reduce the abortion rate.
How did the position of women change?
Traditionally women seen as second class citizens post revolution
women to be seen as equals
Divorce and abortion more accessible after the 1917 revolution
But by mid-1930s the family was back in fashion
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FAMILY CODE 1936

Abortion was outlawed
Divorce made harder
Child support payments fixed at a of wages or salary for 1 child
Mothers of 6 received cash payments of 2000 roubles a yr for 5 yrs
additional payments for each child up to the 11th
Laws passed against prostitution & homosexuality
Having illegitimate children was stigmatised
Doctors prosecuted for carrying out abortions & women imprisoned
Birth rate rose
Divorce declined but so did marriage

Women continued to make progress in area of employment they were

encouraged to work in almost all areas engineering
But life was hard, expected to work full time as well as bring up a family
Politically women still second class less than 20% of the Communist
party was made up of women
Very few women rose to high positions

Exam Guidance
The exam is 1 hr 15 minutes
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Each type of question, in the order you expect to find it in the exam is
explained below.
1a) Source question
What can we learn from Source A about
- need to make a supported inference
- 4 marks
- 6 minutes
For Example:
1. We can learn from the source that the Tsar was overthrown because
there was no one willing to support and die for him, he had lost all
credibility. Consequently, the Russian population were apathetic
towards the change of regime from Tsarism to the Provisional
Government. There was not to be found anywheregroupsready
to put up a fight for the old regime. It also suggests that the
takeover in February 1917 was instigated in Petrograd alone and
that the rest of the country followed suit; The rest of the country
adhered to it.
Use phrases like: We can learn from the source that
This suggests that
We can infer that
1b) Describe the key features
- 6 marks
- 8 minutes
- 3 developed statements
Practice by describing the key features of the following:
1. Government of Russia under the Tsar:
2. Policy of collectivisation
3. Stalins industrial policies
4. Key features of the purges
5. Key features of the NEP
6. Key features of war communism
1c) Explain the effects of
-

8 marks
12 minutes

Effects is looking at consequences NOT what happened

Practice by explaining the effects of the following:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Explain
Explain
Explain
Explain
Explain

the
the
the
the
the

effects
effects
effects
effects
effects

of
of
of
of
of

the February Revolution

the First World War
the Bolshevik Revolution
the purges
collectivisation

1d) Explain why

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8 marks
12 minutes

Explain why, asks you to write about the causes and prioritise causes
or show how a number of causes led to an outcome.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Practice by planning or writing the answers for the following:

Why was the Tsar forced to abdicate?
Why did the Bolsheviks win the civil war?
Why did Lenin set up a dictatorship?
Why did Stalin introduce changes to agriculture and industry?

2. Explain how
-

choice of 2 questions
8 marks
12 minutes

(if this is a question showing change look at the process eg what it was
like before and as a result of the policy changes)
Practice by
1.
2.
3.
4.

planning or writing answers to the following

Explain how the industrial policies changed 1924-39.
Explain how the lives of the people changed under Stalin.
Explain how the lives of women changed under Stalin.
Explain how the living conditions of the people changed 192839.

3. Essay Questions

Was a certain factor the most important reason why an event happened
- choice of 2 questions
- 16 marks
- 25 minutes
- 4 bullet points to act as stimuli/prompts
- show how each bullet point made the event happen
- prioritise factors and link factors
- they need to develop a sustained argument

Here is one model answer:

Was Trotskys arrogance the main reason that Stalin won the
leadership contest in the years 1924-28? You may use the
following information to help you with your answer
The character and personality of Trotsky
Stalins position in the Party
Stalins policy of Socialism in One Country
Playing off rivals
In 1924 Lenin died but he had made no obvious successor despite writing
in his Testament that he did not trust Stalin. A four-year struggle for
power followed with Trotsky as the favourite to take over the leadership
but it was Stalin, very much the outsider, who by 1928 was able to take
control.
21

Trotsky was an intellectual, he had been very effective in organising the

revolution and the Red Army during the Civil War. However, he was
disliked by many in the party for his arrogance and not really trusted as he
had been a Menshevik and was also a Jew. Trotsky was not as politically
shrewd as Stalin. He allowed himself to be outmanoeuvred by Stalin. This
included believing Stalin about the details of Lenins funeral so he failed to
turn up for it. Stalin then made the key speech which also gave him
support.
Stalin held the position of General Secretary in the Party and used this to
appoint officials loyal to him. With this power base he could remove
Trotsky and his supporters. He arranged a recruitment drive to honour
Lenin which was a way of getting his supporters into the Party.
Stalins policy of Socialism in One Country was very attractive to people
as it suggested that Russia could be built up alone and didnt need to rely
on revolutions occurring elsewhere as Trotsky suggested.
In addition, Stalin played off his rivals in the party. He used Kamenev
and Zinoviev to remove Trotsky and then allied himself with the right of
the party to remove Kamenev and Zinoviev.
It can therefore be seen that there were a number of factors which
contributed to Stalin winning the leadership contest. Trotskys character
may have played a part but it has to be remembered that Lenin and many
others saw him as the most likely successor. The policy of Socialism in
One Country was really just a counter to Trotskys argument for
permanent revolution and not the main reason for Stalins success. I
think the most significant factor is that of Stalins control over the CPSU as
it allowed him to position people around him who would support him and
would remain loyal to him and helped him to play off his rivals and leave
him in a position of power.
Next Step:
Plan answers to the following:
Was the use of propaganda the main reason Stalin was able to
achieve complete control over the Soviet Union by 1939?
- purges
- show trials
- Control over education

Was the Stakhanovite movement the main reason for the rapid
expansion of Soviet Industry in 1930s?
- Gosplan
- First Five Year Plan
- Role of women

Think of as many potential ideas for essay questions & plan your answers
to them.

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