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Summary A Level History Russia Notes
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A Level History Russia Notes for Y318 History and Its Rulers .
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Section A18 January 2023 10:49
RUSSIA Page 1
, 03/01/2023 - Leaders
03 January 2023 09:00
Leader and Personal/biographical detail Challenges Key Policies
dates in
power
Alexander II Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Poland and Crimean war (urger reform Abolition of serfdom. Local government reforms, the judicial reform, the
(1855-1881) Grand Due of Finland. Aspired for domestic needed), Underdeveloped abolition of corporal punishment, the reform of the military, public education,
reforms. Most famous reform was the in comparison to other censorship and others.
emancipation of serfs (1861). He was countries, Sers formed the
assassinated. mass of the military (they
lacked skill and motivation),
Outdated techniques
Alexander Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov Russian Famine Russification. Orthodoxy, Autocracy and Nationalism. Manifesto of Unshakable
III Date of Birth: 10 March 1845 (1891-1892) and Autocracy. Ensured laws to improve working conditions and new regulations
(1881-1894) Dynastic House:Romanov subsequent cholera for factory owners. May Laws encouraged antisemitism. Foreign policy
Reign at a glance: — Reversed his father's outbreak meant 500,000 reforms: Franco-Russian Alliance, League of 3 Emperors, Reinsurance Treaty.
liberalising reforms.— Promoted autocratic Russians lost their lives.
rule.— Promoted Orthodox Christianity at the Trans Siberian Railway took
expense of other religious groups.— No foreign 25 years to complete (20%
wars during his reign. of Russia's debt spent on
Didn't have an education necessary for an this).
emperor. Rather went to military/
Nicholas II Eldest son of Alexander III. Assumed throne in Agriculture kept small. Poor Bloody Sunday sparking first Russian Revolution (1905). October Manifesto
(1894-1917) 1894. Poor leadership skill led to the decline of leadership skills. Duma turned Russia into constitutional monarchy. Fundamental Laws created. World
monarch control and demise of Romanov demanded to remove War I. February Revolution where Duma demanded for Tsar's abdication.
dynasty. He surrounded himself with Nicholas II.
incompetent delegates and did not want a prime
minister.
Provisional After Nicholas II abdicated throne, provisional Petrograd Soviet and Dual Power/ Dual Authority. WWI. February Revolution (Provisional Govt. took
Governmen govt was instated and headed by Prince Lvov. It radical Bolshevik power. October Revolution (Bolsheviks took over from Provisional
t (1917) was formed by the Duma. Socialist Kerensky revolutionaries, WWI, Government)
was in Lvov's cabinet. Economic shortages, the
Provisional Government
itself had no mandate.
October Revolution.
Lenin The Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party 5 Million peasants died October Revolution. Lenin declared a new Soviet government with his position
(1917-1924) (RSDWP) was formed by Lenin and other from famine from War as Chairman. Bolshevik sease power (Red Terror). Russia and the Central
Marxists to organise the new political ideology Communism. Russian Civil Powers signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, withdrawing Russia from WWI.
for Marxism. The RSDWP split into Bolsheviks War. NEP policy Russia descended into a Civil War. Lenin's policies and decrees included "War
(led by Lenin) and Mensheviks. Studied Law in threatened communist Communism", which took all grain from peasants and redistributed it
university. Led the First Russian Revolution. ideologies in the soviet according to need in the war. Lenin's Soviet Government introduced the New
Lenin became revolutionary after his brother government. Treaty of B-L Economic Policy (NEP) which allowed certain capitalist concessions to the
was executed from Tsarist Government. Lenin lost much of industry. Civil peasants regarding their grain. Lenin also introduced the Decree Against
died from a stroke. war created food shortages Factionalism, which banned opposition to Soviet policies.
A treaty was signed between Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Transcaucasus to
form the Union of Soviet Republics: the USSR. Lenin introduced a bunch of
reforms for women, employment, class, education, religion and marriage.
Stalin Stalin was born an only child to a poor family in Hitler and WWII. Cold War. Stalin managed to oust his opponents Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev, and
(1924-1953) Georgia. After being expelled from the seminary Regional divisions. Peasants Bukharin and became the sole dictator of the USSR. In 1927, Stalin
for reading Marxist texts, Stalin joined the Social hording foods. Fall in real discontinued the NEP. Stalin issued his first five-year plan, introducing
Democrat party. When the party split, he sided wages. No consumer collectivisation and rapid industrialisation to the Soviet Union to boost the
with the more radical Bolshevik faction. industry. Only one railway. country's economy. Congress voted for Sergei Kirov to take over from Stalin.
Lenin appointed Stalin as General Secretary of Russia not industrialised. Kirov was assassinated. Stalin issued the Emergency Decree Against Terrorism
the Central Committee. Operation Barbarossa. which gave the NKVD power to arrest, torture or execute without trial. 1936
Constitution. Great Purge. WWII.
Khrushchev Khrushchev joined the Communist Party and Cold War. Tensions Destalinisation. Stamp out corruption and ensure fairer socialism. Khrushchev
(1953-1964) fought in the Red Army during the Russian between Khrushchev and released 7 million prisoners from Gulags and prosecuted members of NKVD
Revolution. After the war, Khrushchev became a Kennedy. Berlin Wall. USSR and downsized red army. Restructured communist party. New criminal code.
member of the Central Committee. sending missiles to Cuba Khrushchev's secret speech which openly criticised stalin.
When he was elected into the Politburo in 1938, whilst Kennedy ordered a Khrushchev placed great emphasis on manufacturing consumer goods,
Khrushchev became First Secretary of the Kyiv naval blockade in Cuba. whereas Stalin had emphasised heavy industry. He aimed to increase the
City Committee, overseeing Stalin’s purges in Embarrassing handling of standard of living for Soviet citizens, acting as strong propaganda for
Ukraine for 11 years before returning to international communist communism against capitalism. Khrushchev improved working conditions for
Moscow. After this, he served as a Lieutenant relations with Cuba and industrial labourers by introducing a minimum wage, improved pensions,
General in the Second World War. The Presidium China. Failed domestic shorter working weeks and a worker housing programme.
replaced Politburo in 1952/ Khrushchev took policies.
power in 1953 and became Premier of the
Presidium. He also became Party leader due to
Politburo's dissolution.
RUSSIA Page 2
, 11/01/2023 - Russia in 1855
11 January 2023 09:18
1. 4 THEMES Economy, Society, War, Government
2. Tsar and Communist Tsar: A ruler with total power over a country. Communist: A system of government that is
centralised and dictatorial and requires complete subservience state
3. 7 leaders - Alexander II, Alexander III, Nicholas II, Provisional Govt, Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev
4. 3 time periods - Provisional Govt, Alexander II, Khrushchev 1853-1917 1917-1953 1953-1964
5. Turning point - Emancipation of the Serfs (1964)
6. WWII
Economy
Budget for the Income of the Russian Government:
Direct taxes (25%), Tax on Vodka (30%), Tax on Salt (5%), Customs (18%), Other (22%)
Budget for Expenditure: Loans (17%), Army and fleet (45%), Imperial Court (7%), Ministry of Finance (13%), Ministries of
Justice and Education (4%), Other (14%)
Agricultural state
Wool, Linen, Silk, Leather and Iron industries (World's leading iron producer in 19th Century)
Local small farming industries
Poverty of masses and serfdom
Factories for state needs
Royal Family
Absolute monarchy
Romanov Dynasty founded in 1613
Social Structure
Lords and police could enforce arbitrary punishments
Half the peasants were serfs, other half was state peasants
Geography
Agricultural
Black Sea a strategic area for Russia. Exit controlled by Turkey (Russian desire to gain Constantinople)
Russia's lowland plain
No large mountains nor sea
Poorly defended by nature so military burden
Political Ideas
Autocracy (Absolute Monarchy designed to keep diverse state together and organise resources to defend weak borders)
Bureaucracy (Chivovniks carried out central gov orders)
Police, Education Army and Judiciary Repressed
Patriotism link between church and government. Assumed all loyal subjects to belong to state church.
Church seen as arm of state
Orthodoxy (Idols)
People
RUSSIA Page 3
, People
Belief in special religious destiny of Holy Russia
Russia made up of neighbouring nationalities
1812: 41 Million
1913: 166 Million
Population in 1900 ~128 Million
War and Revolution in 1855:
Crimean War revealed corruption of leadership and army.
Russia's defeat in Crimean War exposed efficiency of Russian Army. Military Advisers warned that army reform impossible
whilst serfdom survived. Warned that maintenance of army is needed to stay as a first class power. R
Also revealed inefficiency of Russia's communications. Railways were crucial and would help Russian cereal growers to
compete in a world market (development of a commercialised farming system)
Transport = increased mobility and migration of people to expanding areas of production
Alexander II's Aims Alexander II's Problems Faced
• A sense of duty to improve the well-being • Weakness of the Russian state
of his people • Welfare of peasants under serfdom
• Necessity of freeing the serfs • Crimean war revealed corruption of the leadership of the army
• Promote economic growth and inefficiency of Russia's communications/transport
• Modernise the armer forces and government
RUSSIA Page 4
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