mec2010 vce examination revision classes: history of revolutions mathew steen and brenton millot

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MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

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Page 1: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS

Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Page 2: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Part 1: Russian Revolution AOS1 Revolutionary ideas,

leaders, movements and events.

AOS 1 spans from 1905 to October 1917 (Bloody Sunday to the Bolshevik Revolution)

Essentially- What brought down both the Tsarist Regime and the Provisional Government.

Page 3: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Tsarist Russia: Sources of Tension and Conflict

Economic and Social Inequality Upper classes- 12% of population. Lived a

life of luxury, except from harsh laws, highly educated and disproportionately wealthy.

Commercial and professional middle class- 1.5% of population.- Very wealthy but little political power. Growing in size leading up to revolution.

Industrial Working Class- 4% of population- Growing population leading up to revolution particularly after Sergie Witte’s reforms. Poorly paid, terrible living and working conditions. 12 hour long days 60 hour working weeks.

Peasants- 82% of population- Extremely poor, horrid working and living conditions, illiterate.

Significance- All power and wealth sat in the top groups. Given the right conditions this would create a revolutionary situation in Russia.

Page 4: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Tsarist Russia: Sources of Tension and Conflict

Sergie Witte’s Reforms Minister of Finance in Russia

1893-1903- Brought huge social change to Russia.

Brought new wave of factories and industry to Russia.

Significance- Increase in worker population brought the poorest Russian citizens closer together in the factories -Workers worked in horrible conditions but could easily organise protests in the confined conditions of a factory.

Page 5: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Tsarist Russia: Sources of Tension and Conflict

Bloody Sunday (9th of January, 1905) 111,000 men women and children marched to

the winter palace to hand a petition to the Tsar. Hundreds were killed when protesters were

suppressed by the Tsar’s troops.

Significance- People’s perception of the Tsar shattered- He was now seen as a brutal oppressor “Bloody Nick”.

Popular outcry (also called the 1905 Revolution) after this event forced Nicholas II to release the October Manifesto.

Page 6: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Tsarist Russia: Sources of Tension and Conflict

Failed Political reform (The October Manifesto) October Manifesto of 1905 raised people’s hopes-

Promise of representation through the Duma was shattered with its closures and the fact that no law could be enforced without approval of the Tsar.

Significance- Raised the people’s expectations, when their expectations were not met they lost faith in the Tsar and in the belief that he cared for the people.

Page 7: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

World War One (1914)

Despite initial success, Russia suffered huge defeats. 130,000 casualties and 100,000 prisoners taken at Battle of Tannenberg alone. Supply problems, poor troop morale/training and incompetent leadership contributed to this.

These defeats cost Russia greatly and damaged the Tsar’s image as a competent leader.

August 1915 this became worse when the Tsar took sole control of the Russian Forces.

Significance- Tsar’s public image would be destroyed by the losses suffered by Russian while he was in command.

Page 8: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

WWI’s Political Impact

Rasputin’s influence When Nicholas took

control of the military he placed Alexandra in control of Petrograd.

This allowed Rasputin to gain considerable influence over the Russian court.

Significance:Rasputin’s constant changing of ministers weakened government control.Rasputin’s perceived control ruined the image of not just Alexandra and Nicholas but the entire Russian Government.

Page 9: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Economic Impact of WWI

The cost of the war was 38,648 million rubles.

To make up for this more money had to be printed resulting in hyper-inflation- Devaluation of the ruble.

Significance- Worker’s wages were now worthless, worsening their suffering.

Savings of the rich lost value- aggravating a powerful social class and turning them against the Tsarist government.

Page 10: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

WW1-Food Shortages

Transportation networks being completely dedicated towards the war effort meant food could not be transported.

Because of this food was drastically short- Only 1/3 of the food needed for Petrograd and Moscow was being supplied by 1916

Significance-Worker conditions continued to worsen- Blame attributed to the Tsarist government and the war.

Page 11: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

WW1- Fuel Shortages

The war prevented fuel from being imported into Russia and transported around Russia.

Lack of fuel resulted in the closer of many factories in Russia during the war.

Significance- Closure of factories worsened the lives of workers by making them unemployed- leading to more animosity towards the Tsarist government.

Closure of factories worsened the poor supply situation at the front.

Page 12: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

February Revolution

Starting in January a series of huge worker protests started in Petrograd- Chief complaints were worker conditions, price of food, the war.

Initially these protests were ordered to be oppressed but eventually soldiers ordered to suppress joined the protesters.

The Petrograd Soviet (worker, soldier and sailor representative body) organized troops to overthrow the all forms of Tsarist authority in Petrograd.

A group of Duma members proclaimed themselves a new government (calling themselves the Provisional Government) to take control from the Tsar.

Duel government period effectively begins on the 28th of February- Soviet/Provisional Government rule.

Tsar abdicates on the 2nd of March.

Page 13: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Duel Government and the Rise of the Bolsheviks

Failure of the Provisional Government

Poor support base The provisional government was not

voted in- indefinitely held off elections while the war was being fought.

Continued to fight WWI (June Offensive)

This alienated the Provisional Gov further- They weren’t fixing the chief cause of the problems the people of Russia were living through.

Continuation of economic problems. Food/fuel shortages and hyper

inflation were not adequately dealt with.

Page 14: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Rise of the Bolsheviks

Strength- The Soviet represented the people more accurately than the Provisional Government.

Provided the Bolsheviks could gain influence there they could gain a more legitimate power than the Provisional Government.

Page 15: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

The role of Lenin: Leading up to October 1917

Brilliant orator and writer- Professional revolutionary.

The Bolshevik party he created was tightly controlled, small and dedicated purely to revolution- no collaboration with the provisional government.

Publishing of the April Thesis- “All Power to the Soviets” and “Peace, Bread and Land”

Significance- Lenin provided extremely organised and popular leadership.

Created two extremely catchy slogans that gained the Bolsheviks support amongst the people

Page 16: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Kornilov Revolt

The attempted attack by conservative general Kornilov on the provisional government in Petrograd forced Kerensky and the provisional government to release imprisoned Bolsheviks and give them arms.

Significance- Created Trotsky’s Red Guard and made the people see the Bolsheviks as the “saviors of Petrograd”

Page 17: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

October Revolution (25th October 1917)

By October 1917 Lenin and the Bolsheviks had significant influence in the Soviet largely thanks to their popularity gained in the Kornilov Revolt and Lenin’s promises of peace, bread and land.

Using their newly formed Red Guard, Lenin and his Bolsheviks ordered the overthrow of the Provisional Government.

In a relatively bloodless coup and without prior Soviet approval, the Bolsheviks took control of the Russian capital. Moscow fell soon after.

Page 18: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Part 2: Russian Revolution AOS 2 Creating a new

Society AOS 2 spans from the

November 1917 to 1924 (Initial decrees to the death of Lenin)

Essentially- What factors influenced the society created by the Bolsheviks and what was this society like?

Page 19: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Consolidating Bolshevik RuleApproval from the Soviet- 25 October

1917 Bolsheviks got official approval from the

2nd Congress of Soviets. Gave their take over the appearance of

popular support because it now appeared to the public that it was a Soviet take over not a Bolshevik take-over.

Page 20: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Consolidating Bolshevik RuleCreation of Sovnarkom The official government of the

Bolsheviks was created in Sovnarkom. A group of 15 with Lenin as their chairmen

Meant to represent the make-up of the Soviet but it was purely Bolshevik.

Meant to make laws in accordance with the Soviet officially- unofficially however it called all the shots.

Page 21: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Consolidating Bolshevik RuleCreation of the CHEKA Secret police created by the Bolsheviks.

Brutally efficient rooted out any other revolutionary groups in Bolshevik controlled areas.

Page 22: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Consolidating Bolshevik RuleDismissal of the Constituent Assembly Official election had to be promised to

keep the people off the Bolsheviks backs Election results did not give Bolsheviks a

majority. Bolsheviks closed the Constituent

Assembly arguing they were the only accurate representatives of the people in Russia.

Page 23: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Promises of Peace, Bread and Land.

Peace Gained- but at a great

loss 1/3 of European Russia, loss of fertile land, 3 billion roubles, loss of factories loss of minerals.

Page 24: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Promises of Peace, Bread and Land.

Bread Food crisis

worsened by loss of fertile land and the devastation caused by the Russian Civil War. Millions starved to death during the early days of Bolshevik Rule

Page 25: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Promises of Peace, Bread and Land.

Land Land was redistributed amongst

peasants though the Decree on Land 8th November 1917.

Page 26: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Key Challenge- The Civil War Enemies on all sides- White Armies (Counter

Revolutionary Russians)- Denikin, Kolchak, Miller, Yudenich.

Foreign Armies- French, British (including Australians), American, Japanese, Czech and Polish troops were all involved.

Page 27: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Key Challenge- The Civil War

Roll of Leon Trotsky in Civil War

Provided effective leadership in a time of crisis. Mobilised, organised and commanded the Red Army.

Inspired troops Employed ex-Tsarist officers

into red army. Key factor in deciding

Bolshevik victory in Civil War.

Page 28: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Effects of the Civil War on Bolshevik RuleCreation of War Communism. State took control of all factories. Soldiers stationed in factories to suppress

riots. Factory jobs were allocated not chosen. Absences were punished with food rations

being taken away. Long hours and “voluntary shifts” introduced. Food forcefully taken from farmers to be

redistributed by the state. Significance- Worsened life for the vast

majority of people throughout Russia.

Page 29: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Key Challenge-Kronstadt Rebellion

February 26th 1921 Sailors who supported the October Revolution now

revolted against the Bolsheviks “the pride and glory of the Revolution... the reddest of the red”.

Demanded an end to the harsh measures of War Communism.

Demanded an end to one party rule- An end to Bolshevik dictatorship.

Brutally suppressed- The Revolution devours its own children.

Significance- If life was so good in Bolshevik Russia why did this happen?

Page 30: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

The N.E.P (New Economic Policy) 16th March 1921 Strategic retreat back to capitalism to help rebuild the

ravaged economy of post-Civil War Russia. War Communism had got Russia through the war but at a terrible economic cost- Food and industrial production was down to record lows.

Involved: Grain requisitioning abandoned- replaced with tax in kind,

a certain percentage of harvest was collected, surplus could be sold to whoever they wished.

Markets legalized, businessmen could open trading stores. Small factories rented out to private owners. Trade re-opened with foreign companies.

Food rationing phased out, cash wages reintroduced and a new currency printed.

Labour armies and troop stationing in factories abolished.

Page 31: MEC2010 VCE EXAMINATION REVISION CLASSES: HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONS Mathew Steen and Brenton Millot

Historiography

Marxist: typified by writers such as Trotsky

Western Liberal: typified by writers such as Richard Pipes, Michael Lynch

Revisionist: typified by writers such as Sheila Fitzpatrick & Orlando Figes