How did the Bolsheviks gain and hold on to power?

He tried to fulfil his promises of 'Peace, Land and Bread'
1. Peace
  1. Trotsky was sent to negotiate a treaty 'THE TREATY OF BREST LITOVSK'
    1. Russia lost Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and most of the Ukraine
    2. This included 1/3 of iron works, 90% of coal industry, 1/6 if the population and 1/3 of the railway
    3. 50 Million people
    4. Set the tone for the future (Germany-Briatin/France)
2. Land
  1. Lenin abolished land ownership and land was owned by the state
3. Bread
  1. Difficult to provide especially during civil war
Why did the Bolsheviks win the Civil War?
1. War Communism
  1. Economic Policy introduced by Lenin
  2. Factories taken over by the government
    1. Strict discipline
  3. Production was planned by the government
  4. Food Rations
    1. Peasants had to hand over surplus food
      1. People stopped growing food
  5. Trade became illegal
    1. Money was worthless
  6. The Red Terror
    1. Assassination attempt on Lenin 1918
    2. Mass executions
      1. Middle and Upper class targeted
      2. 750,000 murdered
2. Execution of The Tsar
  1. The Tsar and family were in exile
    1. Posed a threat to the Bolsheviks
  2. 16th July 1918 the Tsar was shot with his family in the cellar
3. Bolsheviks Vs Opposition Force
  1. Reds
    1. Stay in power to build a socialist society
    2. Held central Russia
      1. Control over large Industries
      2. Controlled railways
    3. Organised (Trotsky)
  2. Whites
    1. Support the Tsar (supported by foreign countries)
    2. Scattered around Russia
    3. Communication difficulties
    4. Lacked common aim and leader
How effectively did the Provisional Government rule Russia in 1917?
1. Problems they faced
  1. Not a truly elected party
  2. Soliders were deserting
  3. Peasants were looting
  4. Worker soviets were being created
  5. Food shortages
  6. Petrograd Soviet had power
2. April Theses
  1. Lenin arrives on April 16th in Petrograd
  2. Promises 'PEACE, LAND AND BREAD'
3. June offensive
  1. Russian army launched offensive against Germany
    1. Soviets were badly equipped
  2. many deserted
  3. many soldiers joined Bolsheviks
4. 'July days'
  1. Red Guard (unofficial army) had grown to 10,000
  2. Riots broke out 16th/17th
    1. crushed by governent
    2. 4400 people killed or injured
  3. Consequences
    1. Kerenksy became the new leader of the PG
    2. Kerensky accused the Bolsheviks of working for Germany
      1. Lenin fled
    3. Reintroduced Death Penalty
    4. started to reform industry and land ownership
5. Kornilov Revolt
  1. Appointed as the new supreme commander by Kerenksy
  2. September, Attempted to seize Petrograd
    1. Uses the army against PG
    2. Military dictatorship (army runs country)
  3. Kerensky arms Bolsheviks and sets free many who were imprisoned in the July Days
    1. Kornilov was arrested
    2. Kerensky doesn't disarm the Bolsheviks
    3. PG looks weak
6. Revolution
  1. 20th Oct) Lenin returns in disguise
  2. 23rd Oct) Lenin prepares for Revolution
  3. 6th Nov) Trotsky seizes key position in Petrograd
  4. 8th Nov) Lenin announces that a revolution as occurred
Who was who
1. Provisional Governement
  1. Kerensky
  2. Prince Lvov
2. Petrograd Soviets
  1. Lenin
    1. Crucial to Revolution
    2. Convinced Bolsheviks to oppose war
    3. Created the red guard
    4. Remained leader although on the run
    5. Decided on immediate revolution
  2. Trotsky
    1. Did not return until May 1917
    2. Became chairman of the Petrograd Soviet
    3. Trotsky organised November Revolution
    4. created the Red Guards
How far was the New Economic Policy a success?
1. Peasants had to hand over a fixed amount to the government but could sell the rest for profit
2. Increased food supply
3. Encouraged Industry
4. Growth in Kulaks and NEPMEN
5. 1921-1928

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How did the Bolsheviks gain and hold on to power?

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	Created by Anouk Davies over 7 years ago