HIS 216 - History of Modern Russia

1. Summarize the effects of the continuation of Romanov rule on Russia
   1. Understand the Russian governmental actions to maintain Romanov rule
   2. Know the general problems of Russia’s war effort (1904-05).
   3. Determine how the Russian government changed from absolute monarchy to parliamentary form
   4. Explain the economic steps taken to reform Russia’s economy
   5. Understand the impact of Russian orthodoxy on political and cultural change
   6. Comprehend the difficulty of governing a multi-ethnic nation
2. Analyze the rise to political leadership of the Communist Party (Social Democrats (b)) [Bolshevik].
   1. Explain how Russia’s efforts in WWI enriched the political atmosphere for revolution
   2. Understand how a weak Tsar aided political unrest
   3. Describe the political chaos of 1917
   4. Identify influence of the two major Bolshevik leaders: Lenin and Trotsky
   5. Learn how Lenin’s political education developed
   6. Understand how the Bolsheviks consolidated power during the 1920s
   7. Examine the increasing economic penetration of Russia into the world’s economy
   8. Access the impact of collectivization of agriculture and industrialization upon the population and transformation of Russia into an industrial power
3. Explain how Stalin rose to control the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU)/USSR
   1. Understand Stalin’s accumulation of dictatorial power
   2. Comprehend how other Bolshevik “leaders” failed to understand Stalin
   3. Understand how Trotsky failed to secure his leadership following Lenin’s death
   4. Learn how Stalin shifted political position to enhance his political power
4. Examine the steps Stalin used to develop total control of the USSR
   1. Understand how Stalin manipulated the leadership of the CPSU to gain control of the USSR’s political system
   2. Examine the importance of the 1930s “purge” period
   3. Comprehend how the use of terror produced trust in Stalin by the general population of the USSR
   4. Understand the importance of “show trials” for the consolidation of political power by Stalin
   5. Describe how the secret (in camera) trial of the military leadership weakened the USSR (1937-38)
5. Address the impact of WWII on the USSR
   1. Describe what Finland taught the USSR about modern military tactics
   2. Determine what advantage Germany and the USSR obtained from the Soviet- German Non-Aggre
   3. Understand how Germany stunned the USSR after Operation Barbarossa
   4. Explain how the Soviet Union contributed to the defeat of Germany in WWII
   5. Understand the role of the Soviet Union in international diplomacy during WWII
6. Describe the effect of the political pressure of the Soviet Union on the world after WWII
   1. Identify the characteristics of a totalitarian state
   2. Understand the meaning of “Cold War”.
   3. Comprehend the impact of the Korean War on world political thought towards the USSR
   4. Learn the political manipulation by Khrushchev to become the leader of the USSR/CPSU
7. Analyze the difficulties and successes of the Khrushchev period
   1. Understand USSR’s growing influence on “third world” countries
   2. Discuss Khrushchev’s visit to Iowa/US in 1959
   3. Understand how Khrushchev agricultural plans failed
   4. Discuss USSR-US relationship changes because of the Kennedy-Khrushchev meeting
8. Demonstrate how the conservative Bolsheviks maintained power after the fall of Khrushchev
   1. Understand the increasing voices of dissent in the USSR created difficulties for the USSR
   2. Explain how Soviet leadership tried to increase consumer choices in the market
   3. Identify increasing unrest amid Soviet satellite nations
9. Summarize the succession of Soviet leaders from Brezhnev to Gorbachev
   1. Explain how post Brezhnev leaders continued past political practices
   2. Explain how economic stagnation hampered the USSR
10. Describe the rise of Gorbachev
    1. Understand the attempt at political change by Gorbachev
    2. Explain how Chernobyl generated international crises
    3. Determine the USSR’s reaction to restive satellites in the 1980’s
    4. Understand how Gorbachev dealt with Afghanistan
    5. Examine the causes of the final collapse of the USSR
11. Examine the rise to power of Boris Yeltsen
    1. Understand the impact of a Duma on Russian political developments
    2. Identify political changes on the Russian political system after Gorbachev
    3. Know the impact of Russia’s ethnic policy on internal unrest
    4. Know how the lack of economic planning corrupted Russia
12. Analyze the reign of Vladimir Putin
    1. Understand how Putin was elected
    2. Explain how Putin used political power to gain economic stabilization
    3. Describe how Putin retains political power
    4. Explain Putin’s reversion to Stalinist control systems