History – Between the wars The age of the worlds wars 1900-1950
§ 1 The Russian Revolution
Russia struggled with international problems; there was a huge gap between rich and poor.
Most people still worked in agriculture and farmers suffered cruel treatment from their
landlords. Also labourers worked long days for very low wages. Russia also faced political
problems.. Tsar Nicolas II ruled his empire with absolute power. He gradually lost support
from his people when he had used violence against Russians. This had let to an revolution,
after Nicolas II was forced to embrace reforms. One of these was the founding of a
parliament, the Duma.
In WW1, Russia had poorly trained soldiers, and many of them were killed. Territory was
conquered by Germany, which increased the people’s resistance to the government even
more. Nicolas II proved to be a terrible war leader. In 1917, women led a demonstration
demanding bread, an end to the war and Tsar it’s rule. Tsar send soldiers to shoot the
demonstrators, but instead they joined the demonstration which turned into a revolution. The
capital was taken over by revolutionaries. Labourers and soldiers united to govern
themselves in committees called soviets. The Tsar abdicated and control over Russia was
given to a socialist government.
Russia was still at war and the Germans took advantage of the unrest by sending Lenin. He
was inspired by a book from Karl Marx. He predicted a revolution: The poor working class
would take power, and revolt against the rich. They would form a society based on equality
(communism). Lenin believed that he could achieve his dream (forming a communist state)
through a revolution. To do this, Lenin had formed the Bolsheviks. The Germans paid for his
trips in secret and in return Lenin would make peace with the Central Powers. Arrived, Lenin
told the Russians that he wanted the people to be all equal. Bolsheviks captured the Winter
Palace and Lenin became the new leader. He was sure that he would win at the elections,
but he was wrong. He did not agree with the results and banned other parties, took all power
and became dictator.
The peace treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed. But while WW1 ended for Russia, a civil war
broke out. Lenin’s right-hand man Leon Trotsky had founded the communist Red army. The
ones against the peace treaty were the White army. Eventually, the Red army won and a
new country was founded: The Soviet Union (USSR).
, § 2 The Soviet Union under Stalin
The Soviet-Union was an even more backwards country than it was before. To make things
better, Lenin brought in the New Economic Policy. With this, he took a step backwards from
communism and towards capitalism. You were able to own small businesses and produce for
yourself. Though the people thought that it would be better if everyone was equal. When
Lenin passed away, in his honour, Petrograd was renamed Leningrad. Joseph Stalin became
the new leader of the Soviet-Union. Stalin was a wise man which enabled him to keep up the
party. He wanted to turn the Soviet Union into an industrial superpower, by forcing every
citizen to help. Stalin continued what Lenin had started and turned the Soviet Union into a
totalitarian state. In 1928, his first Five-Year Plan was created. In this, Stalin described his
production plans in detail, from agricultural machines to the shoes people had to wear. All
this costed a lot of money which couldn’t be borrowed. So they had to pay it themselves. To
do this, Stalin wanted to revolutionise agriculture. Farmers had to work on the kolkhoz, huge
state farms, and give their yield to the state (collectivisation), which Stalin would sell in
return for money. There were farmers who resisted (kulaks), they were sometimes killed or
send to labour camps. Farmers that joined collectivisation were responsible and had to share
everything. But Stalin demanded all the food, even if there wasn’t enough for the farmers.
This led to a terrible famine in Ukraine, which killed millions of people.
During the Great Purge, Stalin faked that he was arrested and subjected to a fake trial, so
people would believe that there was a fair justice system. Political opponents ‘disappeared’
and kulaks were executed or sent to Gulag forced labour camps, in which many people
died. Around Stalin, a big cult of personality was built. Children learned that he was a kind
father and powerful leader. Stalin was put next to Lenin, cities and books were named after
him. They made the citizens believe Stalin was a wise, all-powerful and kind leader.
§ 1 The Russian Revolution
Russia struggled with international problems; there was a huge gap between rich and poor.
Most people still worked in agriculture and farmers suffered cruel treatment from their
landlords. Also labourers worked long days for very low wages. Russia also faced political
problems.. Tsar Nicolas II ruled his empire with absolute power. He gradually lost support
from his people when he had used violence against Russians. This had let to an revolution,
after Nicolas II was forced to embrace reforms. One of these was the founding of a
parliament, the Duma.
In WW1, Russia had poorly trained soldiers, and many of them were killed. Territory was
conquered by Germany, which increased the people’s resistance to the government even
more. Nicolas II proved to be a terrible war leader. In 1917, women led a demonstration
demanding bread, an end to the war and Tsar it’s rule. Tsar send soldiers to shoot the
demonstrators, but instead they joined the demonstration which turned into a revolution. The
capital was taken over by revolutionaries. Labourers and soldiers united to govern
themselves in committees called soviets. The Tsar abdicated and control over Russia was
given to a socialist government.
Russia was still at war and the Germans took advantage of the unrest by sending Lenin. He
was inspired by a book from Karl Marx. He predicted a revolution: The poor working class
would take power, and revolt against the rich. They would form a society based on equality
(communism). Lenin believed that he could achieve his dream (forming a communist state)
through a revolution. To do this, Lenin had formed the Bolsheviks. The Germans paid for his
trips in secret and in return Lenin would make peace with the Central Powers. Arrived, Lenin
told the Russians that he wanted the people to be all equal. Bolsheviks captured the Winter
Palace and Lenin became the new leader. He was sure that he would win at the elections,
but he was wrong. He did not agree with the results and banned other parties, took all power
and became dictator.
The peace treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed. But while WW1 ended for Russia, a civil war
broke out. Lenin’s right-hand man Leon Trotsky had founded the communist Red army. The
ones against the peace treaty were the White army. Eventually, the Red army won and a
new country was founded: The Soviet Union (USSR).
, § 2 The Soviet Union under Stalin
The Soviet-Union was an even more backwards country than it was before. To make things
better, Lenin brought in the New Economic Policy. With this, he took a step backwards from
communism and towards capitalism. You were able to own small businesses and produce for
yourself. Though the people thought that it would be better if everyone was equal. When
Lenin passed away, in his honour, Petrograd was renamed Leningrad. Joseph Stalin became
the new leader of the Soviet-Union. Stalin was a wise man which enabled him to keep up the
party. He wanted to turn the Soviet Union into an industrial superpower, by forcing every
citizen to help. Stalin continued what Lenin had started and turned the Soviet Union into a
totalitarian state. In 1928, his first Five-Year Plan was created. In this, Stalin described his
production plans in detail, from agricultural machines to the shoes people had to wear. All
this costed a lot of money which couldn’t be borrowed. So they had to pay it themselves. To
do this, Stalin wanted to revolutionise agriculture. Farmers had to work on the kolkhoz, huge
state farms, and give their yield to the state (collectivisation), which Stalin would sell in
return for money. There were farmers who resisted (kulaks), they were sometimes killed or
send to labour camps. Farmers that joined collectivisation were responsible and had to share
everything. But Stalin demanded all the food, even if there wasn’t enough for the farmers.
This led to a terrible famine in Ukraine, which killed millions of people.
During the Great Purge, Stalin faked that he was arrested and subjected to a fake trial, so
people would believe that there was a fair justice system. Political opponents ‘disappeared’
and kulaks were executed or sent to Gulag forced labour camps, in which many people
died. Around Stalin, a big cult of personality was built. Children learned that he was a kind
father and powerful leader. Stalin was put next to Lenin, cities and books were named after
him. They made the citizens believe Stalin was a wise, all-powerful and kind leader.
