Lenin in Power

1. Read Source 20. What aspects of War Communism are the sailors most angry about? Would you expect peasants in Russia to feel the same?

The aspects of War Communism the sailors are most angry about are the continuation of the war, the tactics the Cheka use, the way the food is dispersed to the country, having no freedom, and the change of the flag emblem which represents war rather than hard work the sickle and hammer represent. I think that the peasants in Russia would also feel the same because the food they make, as the sailors catch, or given to the army when they need the food to survive. Under War Communism the army gets all the food, while the workers get none. Also, because of rationed food and not being able to eat the peasants would probably want more freedom, therefore the peasants in Russia, I would expect, them to feel the same as the sailors.

2. Does the evidence of Source 23 prove the NEP was a success? Explain your answer with reference to Sources 22, 24 and 25.

The evidence of Source 23 does partially prove that the NEP was a success because under the Tsar and War Communism it shows the levels of production getting lower and lower gradually. However, when the NEP plan was made and used the levels of production greatly increased, but we don't know exactly how long this success lasted because it could've been temporary. Therefore, we don't know if NEP was a success or not from the information given in Source 23. In Sources 22, 24, and 25 they all show the War Communism policy as a failure to supply food to the workers. Source 22 even goes on to say that without giving the workers enough food, they will become unhappy and possibly start a third revolution. Source 24 has great confidence in the NEP, which I don't blame him for because it did end up working in the end and this way more people were able to get food and eat it too.

3. From all you have found about Lenin, do you agree with Source 26? Why or why not?

I agree partially with Source 26, I believe he did a really good job in keeping Russia alive but I don't think he's a good man. I believe that since he was able to keep Russia alive he did a good job. He was able to keep everyone happy long enough to not start an uprising besides the Civil War, and he started putting Russia in the right and successful direction after NEP. However I don't agree with his ideas, I don't believe in communism and I think that it shouldn't exist. Therefore, since Lenin believed in communism or marxism-leninism I don't think he was a good man, because he could've done so much more. For example, he could've stopped the civil war more effectively, he could've gave more freedom to the people then they would definitely support him.

How did the Bolsheviks consolidate their rule?
4. Write an explanation of how the Bolsheviks made their rule more secure. Mention the following:

The power of the Red Army
Treatment of oppostion
War Communism
The New Economic Policy
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The victory in the Civil War
The Promise of a new society
Propaganda
Is any one of the above factors more important than any of the others? Explain.

The Bolsheviks made their rule more secure by the power of the Red Army, the treatment of opposition, The New Economic Policy and many others. The power of the Red Army consolidated the Bolshevik's rule by uniting the Bolsheviks together and disciplinig the army. Discipline was a major factor in keeping the army together and winning the Civil War. The Whites were not united and did not work collaboratively with the other White groups, but the Reds did making them very successful and vitorious in the Civil War. During the Civil War the Red Army's treatment to opposition in the villages wasn't as harsh as the Whites. The Reds gave the villagers a better chance of survival by making them give food or die, but that was the only treatment. The Whites killed them in the beginning, middle, and end; they even had to give up the best cattle, horses, and crops to the army while the Reds didn't demand the best of the farms. This also contributed to famine and fatigue, since the villagers had to give away their food or die there was a lot more food shortages, however with the New Economic Policy people weren't starving as bad and they were able to eat more food. Propoganda was a major factor in the Bolsheviks rule and security of their power. The Reds used propoganda to thier greatest extent, they talked about how horendous Russia would be if they were victorious. For example, the Tsar would come back and the Bolshevik Party did not want that at all. I believe that none of the above factors are more important than the other because they all contributed to the security of the Bolshevik's power, but in different aspects and not all in the same category.