Bolshevik Propaganda and Terror Flashcards

What did 'propaganda' mean for the Bolsheviks in the Civil War?

Information used to persuade people to support the Bolsheviks and the Red Army.

Name two ways the Bolsheviks spread propaganda during the Civil War.

Posters and agit-trains (propaganda trains).

What were agit-trains and agit-boats?

Special trains and boats with speakers, printers and films. They spread Bolshevik ideas to people across Russia.

How did the Bolsheviks use posters in the Civil War?

They used bold pictures and short slogans. They urged people to join the Red Army and work for victory.

What was the Cheka?

The Bolshevik secret police, set up in 1917. It hunted enemies of the revolution.

Who led the Cheka?

Felix Dzerzhinsky.

What was the Red Terror?

A campaign of arrests, hostages and shootings from 1918. It was used to crush real and suspected opponents.

What event in 1918 helped start the Red Terror?

An attempt to kill Lenin in August 1918.

How did the Cheka use terror in daily life?

It raided homes, took hostages and ran labour camps. It punished deserters and those who resisted.

How did the Bolsheviks control the press?

They closed rival papers and censored news. They used Pravda and Izvestia to spread their message.

What was a political commissar in the Red Army?

A party officer in each unit. They taught Bolshevik ideas and checked loyalty.

Why did Bolshevik propaganda target workers and peasants?

To win their support with simple promises. It warned that the Whites would bring back landlords and bosses.

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