InNo+Russian+Revolution+Notes+Nicholas+Lim+10.23.10

= = "Peace At Any Price" = = The First Decrees of Sovnarkom =
 * Sovnarkom was the chairman of new government and began issuing decrees which lead to significant changes in Russia.


 * 8 November 1917 - a decree on land
 * 540 million acres of land form the Tsar, Nobles, Church and landlords.
 * Given to peasants to divide among themselves.
 * 8 November - a decree on Peace
 * Attempt to make peace with enemies of Russia
 * 12 November - a decree on work
 * 8 hour work days, 48 hour week for industrial workers, rules on overtime and holiday written down.
 * 14 November - a decree on unemployment insurance
 * Give insurance to all workers for injury, illness and unemployment
 * 1 December - a decree on the press
 * All non-Bolshevik newspapers banned
 * 11 December
 * Constitutional Democratic Party, Russia's biggest liberal party banned, leaders arrested.
 * 20 December
 * Political police force set up "All-Russian Extraordinary Commission to fight Counter- Revolution and Espionage" also known as Cheka, used to deal with enemies of Bolsehviks.
 * 27 December - a decree on worker's control
 * Factories under control of elected committees of workers.
 * 27 December- a decree on banking
 * All banks in Russia under Sovnarkom's control
 * 31 December - a decree on marriage
 * Couples can get married non-religiously and divorce was easier.

= The Constituent Assembly =
 * Held in November 1917, Russia's new parliament, first free elections held in Russian history.
 * Bolsheviks were heavily outnumbered in the elections but the Socialist Revolutionaries.
 * The Socialist Revolutionaries gained more seats than the rest of the parties put together
 * Met for the first time on January 18 1918, stopped by Sovnarkom in less than 24 hours.
 * Red guards killed and wounded people who demonstrate outside, supporting the Assembly.
 * Prevented elected deputies from entering and closed the Assembly down permanently.

= The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk =
 * Needed end to war with Germany and Austria for Bolsheviks to stay in power and keep army.
 * 3 December 1917, peace conference between Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary held at Brest-Litovsk.
 * Leon Trotsky the Russian minister (Commissar) for Foreign Affairs dragged talks out for nine weeks waiting for socialist revolution to begin in Germany, this did not happen.
 * February 1918, German army advanced closely to Petrograd and Lenin forced to make peace.
 * Treaty of Brest-Litvosk one of the most unfair treaties made.
 * Russia had to give up all western lands such as Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Georgia
 * Rich countries, resulting in Russia losing 62 million people
 * 27% of farm land, 26% railways and 74% of iron ore and coal
 * Also had to pay 300 million roubles to Germany
 * Lenin wanted peace to give the Bolsheviks time to better control Russia, but did not have enough time when a civil war started.

= Civil War and Foreign Intervention =
 * Soon after Lenin made peace, enemies of Bolsheviks in Russia started to fight, in May 1918, anti-Bolshevik soldiers take control of the Trans-Siberian Railway (A vital link for them)

= The Czech Legion =
 * May 1918, 45,000 Czech prisoners of war are sent to Vladistok, put on ships and sent back to country.
 * During journey, Czechs get into quarrel and fight, they take control of a Soviet town.
 * When Bolshevik troops arrive to stop fight, more Czechs join and took over all important towns in the area in two weeks.
 * At end of 1918, almost all of Trans-Siberian Railway and towns along the route were under the Czechs.
 * Enemies of Bolsheviks joined the Czech Legion, set up own government, claimed to rule Russia.
 * Komuch also known as (Committee of Members of Constituent Assembly)
 * Organized into People's Army, moved towards Moscow and captured 650 million gold roubles when attacking government's gold reserve in Kazan.
 * Bolsheviks responded quickly
 * Introduced conscription, all men from 18-40 had to join the new Bolshevik Army (Red Army)
 * Organized by Leon Trotsky
 * Appointed former officers of the Tsar, those that refused were imprisoned, those that tried to side with enemy would have family taken hostage and imprisoned.
 * Managed to gather 22,000 officers and 330,000 men

= Reds and Whites =
 * Whites were the enemies of the Bolsheviks, fighting the Red Army.
 * White represented color of the Tsar, not many actually supported Tsar
 * Many Socialist Revolutionaries, democrats, landlords and nobles, anyone who opposed Bolsheviks
 * Had to fight off not only White Armies but foreign countries from the Allies angry at Russia for pulling out of war.
 * Face foreign intervention from Britain, France, America and Japan.
 * Tsar Nicholas II and his family were shot dead by local Bolsheviks in fear of the White Armies reinstating him as leader.
 * Assassination attempt on Lenin by Socialist Revolutionary Fanya Kaplan who shot Lenin three times.
 * Bullets entered neck, but Lenin survived and recovered quickly.
 * Sovnarkom convinced that only being ruthless could they deal with the White Armies
 * Cheka, the secret political police started the "Red Terror"

= The Red Terror =
 * Cheka was led by Felix Dzerzhinsky, headquarters in Lubyanka Street, Moscow.
 * Tortured prisoners to extract confessions before execution in Lubyanka prions.
 * Beat, hanged, shot and burned anyone supporting the Whites in the countryside.
 * Started to bring fear in everyone
 * Leon Trotsky also had his own form of terror issued an order in 1918
 * Anyone who disobeys the military and retreats or desert army is shot
 * Anyone who voluntarily deserts post is shot.
 * Anyone who throws rifle or sells it away will be shot
 * Those harboring deserters will be shot
 * Houses where deserters are found will be shot.
 * Meant what he said, he was not just a tyrant but good military leader.
 * Traveled around to direct the Red Army, gave encouragement and supplies and dealt with trouble makers.
 * Red Army became a effective and united fighting force
 * Began to win Civil War, foreign armies pulled out in 1919 and White Armies were slowly defeated.
 * By the end, only isolated groups of White Armies were fighting, keeping the Bolshevik government safe for time being.

= "One Step Backwards..." War Communism And The Nep =
 * Took strict measures to keep area under control and give food supplies and organize industry.
 * Two aims, to supply Red Army with weapon and foods
 * Introduce communism (Equal sharing of wealth)

= War Communism =
 * 5 Aspects
 * All factories with more than 10 workers are nationalized by government body (Vesenkha) who decided what each industry can produce.
 * All workers are under government control, military discipline and death penalty for strikers. Unemployed had to join "Labour Armies" like cutting trees and building roads.
 * Private trading banned, peasants with extra food not allowed to sell and had to give government.
 * Abolished rents, railway fares, postal charges (other payments etc.) Money was allowed to inflate and people were encouraged to barter (trade without money)
 * Successful in keeping the Red Army well supplied but failed in War Communism
 * Many people in countryside decided no point in grow more than they need, no surplus for the government.
 * Food shortage in 1920 and famine in 1921, starvation, cold weather and disease killed 7 million Russians.
 * 25 million Russians lived under subsistence level (lived in poverty)

= The New Economic Policy =
 * March 1921, revolt by 10,000 sailors in Kronstadt, claimed that War Communism was not what they promised. Wanted to attack Petrograd
 * Leon Trotsky surrounded Kronstadt and crushed the rebellion.
 * Through this, Lenin realized that a change in the policy was needed to prevent other revolts.
 * Abandoned War Communism in March 1921, started the New Economic Policy (NEP)
 * NEP stated:
 * Peasants can sell surplus foods for profit
 * Factories who increased food production has less tax
 * Factories with fewer than 20 workers can be given back to owners
 * People can use money again
 * Many Bolsheviks shocked, by taking one step backwards to capitalist system and two steps forward for communism
 * In 1925, NEP started to work, food production went up, industrial output also greatly increased.

= The 1923 Constitution =
 * Gained a new constitution in 1923 and new name.
 * Constitution stated Russia was called "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"
 * Now became four republics, Russia, Byelourussia, Ukraine and Caucasus
 * Each republic had own government and could control public health, welfare and education.
 * National government, Sovnarkom still controlled the army, industry, communications and Cheka.

= Lenin's Death =
 * Suffered series of strokes from 1922-1923, passed away in January 1924 at 53 years old
 * Was not buried or cremated, embalmed and put on display in a tomb in Red Square Moscow, millions of visitors from all over USSR and other countries queued to see his body, showing he was regarded as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century.

= Summary = Sovnarkom came to power in November 1917 and started to issue decrees.Created Constituent Assembly but failed, then formed Treaty of Brest-Litovsk to end war with Germany. In 1918, Czech Legion was formed when war prisoners took over town, sparked the war for red and whites. Ended by Red Terror (Harsh Rules), stopped War Communism and created the NEP and took one step backwards and two steps forward to communism.1923 constitution made Russia four republics and USSR, Lenin passes away at January 1924.

= Questions = How was the NEP one step forward and two steps backwards? Explain. What resulted in the abandonment of War Communism? How did the Czech Legion start about, how did it get so big and how did it end? Why did the Russians form the Treaty of Litovsk What were the first actions of Sovnarkom and explain at least 5.