AQA A LEVEL HISTORY COMPONENT 1H
TSARIST AND COMMUNIST RUSSIA 2026 TEST
PAPER PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION SET
◉ Describe the 1st Phase of the Civil War Answer: Kerensky tried
and failed to put together an army, Bolsheviks crushed resistance
from Cossack armies, Bolsheviks defeated Kornilov's volunteer army.
RED VICTORY
◉ How many Czechs rebelled against the Bolsheviks in the 2nd
Phase of the War? Answer: 40,000
◉ What happened to Nicholas II during the 2nd Phase of the civil
war? Answer: He was executed along with his wife, children,
servants and dogs so that the Whites wouldn't have anyone to rally
behind
◉ Who set up a directory government at Ufa during the 2nd Phase of
the war? Answer: Czechs, SRs, and other anti-Bolshevik groups
◉ What was the outcome of the 2nd Phase of the civil war? Answer:
Directory government ended, directory forces and whites are forced
back behind Ural mountains. RED VICTORY
,◉ Who were the Whites in the Russian Civil War? Answer:
Traditional Russian conservatives e.g. Land owners, businessmen,
army officers
◉ Summarise the outcome of the 3rd Phase of the war Answer:
Battles against the Whites, who came from all sides heading towards
Petrograd, led to victory for the Reds
◉ Which national minority were the Reds not victorious against in
the Civil war? Answer: Poland
◉ What treaty did the Reds have to sign to end the Russo-Polish
war? Answer: Treaty of Riga
◉ What important city did the Reds have to abandon during the 3rd
stage of the civil war? Answer: Kiev, in the Ukraine
◉ How many people died of disease as a result of the civil war?
Answer: 4,500,000
◉ How many people died in combat in the civil war? Answer:
350,000
,◉ How many people died directly or indirectly as a result of the civil
war? (disease, famine, war casualties etc) Answer: 10 million
◉ Who were the Reds fighting in the 4th Stage of the civil war?
Answer: Greens
◉ Describe the Greens Answer: Movements of peasants who
resented Bolshevik policies and wanted greater autonomy from
Moscow
◉ Name 2 prominent Green leaders Answer: Makhno, Antonov
◉ How many anti-Bolshevik insurrections were reported by the
Cheka during the Civil War? Answer: 245
◉ What was the role of terror in the civil war? Answer: Terror used
against kulaks, priests and Whites, in an attempt to encourage
submission, use of concentration camps increased
◉ How many men were in the Red Army? Answer: 5 million
◉ How many men fought for the Whites? Answer: 500,000
, ◉ What was the consequence of the Reds using conscription in the
areas they controlled? Answer: Very large army, however lots of
desertions and incompetence
◉ How many former Tsarist officers did Trotsky recruit for the Red
Army? Answer: 50,000
◉ What did Trotsky do to the army which went against Communist
ideology? Answer: Reintroduced ranks and discipline
◉ What were the strengths of the Red Army? Answer: Size,
organisation, experienced Tsarist officers, strong Red Cavalry,
Bolshevik Political Commissars helped keep morale high
◉ Why was the Red Army better supplied with munitions than the
White Army? Answer: Communists were in control of the industrial
heartlands so could produce their own weapons, whereas Whites
were dependent on the allies
◉ How did the Bolsheviks ensure the Red Army remained
committed to the cause? Answer: Propaganda using Agitprop trains,
river steamers and theatre groups
TSARIST AND COMMUNIST RUSSIA 2026 TEST
PAPER PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION SET
◉ Describe the 1st Phase of the Civil War Answer: Kerensky tried
and failed to put together an army, Bolsheviks crushed resistance
from Cossack armies, Bolsheviks defeated Kornilov's volunteer army.
RED VICTORY
◉ How many Czechs rebelled against the Bolsheviks in the 2nd
Phase of the War? Answer: 40,000
◉ What happened to Nicholas II during the 2nd Phase of the civil
war? Answer: He was executed along with his wife, children,
servants and dogs so that the Whites wouldn't have anyone to rally
behind
◉ Who set up a directory government at Ufa during the 2nd Phase of
the war? Answer: Czechs, SRs, and other anti-Bolshevik groups
◉ What was the outcome of the 2nd Phase of the civil war? Answer:
Directory government ended, directory forces and whites are forced
back behind Ural mountains. RED VICTORY
,◉ Who were the Whites in the Russian Civil War? Answer:
Traditional Russian conservatives e.g. Land owners, businessmen,
army officers
◉ Summarise the outcome of the 3rd Phase of the war Answer:
Battles against the Whites, who came from all sides heading towards
Petrograd, led to victory for the Reds
◉ Which national minority were the Reds not victorious against in
the Civil war? Answer: Poland
◉ What treaty did the Reds have to sign to end the Russo-Polish
war? Answer: Treaty of Riga
◉ What important city did the Reds have to abandon during the 3rd
stage of the civil war? Answer: Kiev, in the Ukraine
◉ How many people died of disease as a result of the civil war?
Answer: 4,500,000
◉ How many people died in combat in the civil war? Answer:
350,000
,◉ How many people died directly or indirectly as a result of the civil
war? (disease, famine, war casualties etc) Answer: 10 million
◉ Who were the Reds fighting in the 4th Stage of the civil war?
Answer: Greens
◉ Describe the Greens Answer: Movements of peasants who
resented Bolshevik policies and wanted greater autonomy from
Moscow
◉ Name 2 prominent Green leaders Answer: Makhno, Antonov
◉ How many anti-Bolshevik insurrections were reported by the
Cheka during the Civil War? Answer: 245
◉ What was the role of terror in the civil war? Answer: Terror used
against kulaks, priests and Whites, in an attempt to encourage
submission, use of concentration camps increased
◉ How many men were in the Red Army? Answer: 5 million
◉ How many men fought for the Whites? Answer: 500,000
, ◉ What was the consequence of the Reds using conscription in the
areas they controlled? Answer: Very large army, however lots of
desertions and incompetence
◉ How many former Tsarist officers did Trotsky recruit for the Red
Army? Answer: 50,000
◉ What did Trotsky do to the army which went against Communist
ideology? Answer: Reintroduced ranks and discipline
◉ What were the strengths of the Red Army? Answer: Size,
organisation, experienced Tsarist officers, strong Red Cavalry,
Bolshevik Political Commissars helped keep morale high
◉ Why was the Red Army better supplied with munitions than the
White Army? Answer: Communists were in control of the industrial
heartlands so could produce their own weapons, whereas Whites
were dependent on the allies
◉ How did the Bolsheviks ensure the Red Army remained
committed to the cause? Answer: Propaganda using Agitprop trains,
river steamers and theatre groups
