Dictatorship And Treaty Of Brest-litovsk

Russia under Lenin

Dictatorship Absolute rule – Does not need another person’s opinions

Russia under Lenin •Land Reforms land confiscated from upper class redistributed to peasants •Factories under control of elected committees of workers •Took over large houses and moved poor

No freedom of press only Bolshevik papers Secret Police, Cheka to suppress opposition •Equality for women •promotion of education •only peasants & workers given voting rights

Learn to Read A poster by Alexei Radakov "He who is illiterate is like a blind man. Failure and misfortune lie in wait for him on all sides" Poster from the year 1920. One of the first projects of the new Communist power was to teach huge illiterate masses to read. That campaign was very successful and praised all over the world.

‘PEACE AT ANY PRICE’:

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Note the places that are darkened!

Treaty of Brest Litovosk Russia gave up Eastern part of Russia to Germany (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Ukraine and Georgia) 80 % coal mines 26% railways 25% land

50% industries 26% population

hy did Lenin agree to such a harsh treat

1 To win popular support for Bolsheviks continuation of war will threaten Bolsheviks’ position To gain political control of Russia Bolsheviks d not have complete control of Russia Bolshevik wanted to built up strength within Russia Lenin : “breathing space”

Civil War 1918 -1922

nternal Threats : WHITES Gave money, supporters of Tsar, upper classsupplies & landowners support army officers to Whites Social Revolutionaries Mensheviks External Threats •Britain & France unhappy with withdrawal from war •fear that Communism might spread

Reasons why the Reds won the Civil War

•Reds had control of resources •cities, railway lines •food & supplies thru War Communism

•Whites were dispersed in rural areas

•Red Army morale high •good military strategy & •leadership under Trotsky •Communism offered a new hope to workers & peasants

•Whites disunited •poor military coordination

•Whites unpopular •worked with foreign countries •associated with Tsarist

Leon Trotsky

1897

1937 exiled in Mexico

Trotsky addresses Red Army in Moscow 1918

“Join the Red Forces and get a better life” A poster by Vladimir Mayakovsky "If you want something - Join up" from the year 1921 During the Civil war the Red army was persuading people to join them by promising them better conditions of life.

To Horse, proletarian 1919

What is the purpose of this poster?

St George (Leon Trotsky). Poster by Victor Deni, 1920. This Civil war poster by Victor Deni depicts Trotsky as Saint George slaying the counterrevolutionary dragon. Using Christian imagery and mythology to present a revolutionary message was common in the Soviet propaganda.

Trotsky on Guard! The image of Leon Trotsky, the leader of the Red army, was on several of the posters. Coloured lithograph by D. S. Moor, 1920/1. Does the poster show that Trotsky was a great military leader?

War Communism Purpose : •to control all production ( food & factory ) •to ensure that Red Army & cities get supplies during Civil War How? •State took over all factories - nationalisation •State took over food produced by peasant farmers •food & supplies rationed according to priorities •private trading banned •State took over banks •people paid in goods & services, no cash

millions of tons

In d u s tr ia l P r o d u c tio n d u r in g W a r C o m m u n is m 40 30 20 10 0

29 coa l 4 .2 1913

9 0 .1 1920

p ig iro n

What does the picture tell you about the effects of War Communism?

Effects of War Communism

otests by peasants fused to give up crops & animals led or burnt supplies •Famine 5 fused to grow million died od production fell •economy declined to •industrial production worst than fell Tsarist days •shoddy production •opposition to •transport system Communist Kronstadt Mutiny failed growing sailors who supported the Bolsheviks turned against authority

New Economy Policy Why ? Failure of War Communism to gain support of people

•Peasants paid tax, surplus can be sold

•private ownership for small business

Profit making allowed

•heavy industries, transport, banking under State control Effects production increased economy grew

millions of tons

In d u s tria l & A g ric u ltu ra l p ro d u c tio n R u s s ia 100 80 60 40 20 0 g ra in c a ttle p ig s havest

c o a l p ig iro n

1913 1922 1925 1928

Impact of Lenin : Good or Bad? •Founder of Communist Russia •ended class structure - importance to workers •peasants own land •equality for women •promoted education •use of Secret police - forced obedience •dictatorship : no freedom - political or speech •War Communism an economic disaster NEP - economic progress