Ask.Phorum.Net
all answers are given by Professor Ivan Kaganovich, grandson of Lazar Kaganovich.
How Mensheviks seized power in Russia?
After Kerensky's assasination by Bolsheviks SRs and Mensheviks under Julius Martov established Left Alliance and called Lenin as traitor. New government established by Victor Chernov annonced that Bolsheviks are enemies of the state and must be imprisoned. This began Russian Civil War in which Red forces (Bolsheviks) fought against Left Alliance for two years. Last remnats of broken party surrendered in Vladivostok on 19th December 1919. During war Menshevik forces became more popular than SRs and soon dominated coalition government which fell on 19th November 1918. New elections held on 1th April 1919 gave majority of votes to Julius Martov who established new government, more radical than earlier was. His first reform was establishing Central Commitee as ruling body of Russia, elected by parliament called Council of Delegates. Delegates were appointed by Soviets - local parliaments located in each province. On 1st July Martov announced rise of Soviet Union - new state which will bring socialism to Russia and its neighbours. - Professor Ivan Kaganovich.
Why SR lost influence in Russian society?
SRs signed separate peace with Germany giving them sovereignty over Poland, Western Belarus, Ukraine and Kurland on 8 March 1918 in Vilnus. This encouraged other movements such as Mensheviks to spread propaganda that Chernov is German spy who must be punished. In addition signing separate peace stranded Russia in foreign relations with British Empire and France which viewed new government as pro-German. Atrocities made by SR generals during Civil War caused loss in influence over Russia. Chernov goverment was corrupt and lazy - they didn't enacted any reform to rebuild Russian destroyed industry, agriculture or tranport systems instead their generals seized crops from farmers which caused famines.
What Mensheviks did for Russia during their first years of govern?
At first they started negotiations with German authorities in lands conquered by Imperial German Army on Eastern Front. Authorities obliged themselves to disarm any partisans in lands from which they were withdrawing in order to make Martov Offensive bloodless. Then Soviet Army installed sovereign Soviets in these lands as representation of local workers, farmers and soldiers. Soviets later applied to join into Soviet Union. Soviet Army was stopped on Bug line by Polish Army according to armistice between Pilsudski and Martov from 14 October 1918. Later they announced Five Years' Plan (1919-1924) which expanded state-owned industry, encouraged farmers and industrialists to create private enterprises, began mechanisation of agriculture. Thanks to this Russia was rebuilt from war's destructions.
When Soviet Union fell into Kaganovich hands?
When Julius Martov died on 4th April 1923 Central Commitee announced new elections for Soviets which were held two weeks later. Council of Delegates was divided into two camps - interventionists led by Leon Trotsky who proposed spreading socialism through revolution to the other countries and isolationists led by ex-Bolshevik Lazar Kaganovich. After long and controversial elections 308 delegates favored Kaganovich and 292 favored Trotsky. It's worth of mentioning that power in Soviet Union was given to faction which had 2/3 of Delegates votes. For the first time Central Commitee was divided into two factions. Kaganovich was announced as Supreme Leader of Soviets and Trotsky was announced as Chairman of the United Soviets. Struggle for power started when young Kaganovich's protege Nikita Khrushchev attacked Leon Trotsky in Council of Delegates on 14th September 1923 by accusing him of "betrayal of socialist values" by proposing bloody revolution instead of peaceful transition from capitalism into socialism. Trotsky named isolationists Bolsheviks who wants to seize dictatorial power and started its own propaganda. After end of Five Years' Plan Nikolai Bukharin proposed "Socialism in One Country" which argued need of Soviet Union industrialization, creation of Workers' Unions which will defend workers from illegal labor practices, Farmers' Unions which will defend Soviet farmers on foreign markets (this step was important due to Soviet overproduction in crops). Idea was showed before Council of Delegates on 11th November 1924 and criticized by Trotsky's collaborators. One year later Alexei Rykov called for imprisoning of Nikolai Bukharin for treachery but was outvoted. On 1st January 1st Regiment of Soviet Army led by Alexei Rykov tried to imprison Kaganovich and his supporters but failed after 13th Regiment of Soviet Cavalry attacked them in Moscow. After bloody street fighting which were won by Kaganovich forces Leon Trotsky and his supporters were imprisoned on 28th January 1926. Several of them (Trotsky, Rykov and few others) later escaped to Poland and later to France but rest were trialed for treachery of Soviet state. Andrei Bubnov and Lev Sosnovsky were executed, another fifteen men were sentenced to life in prison, one hundred of Trotsky supporters were sentenced to 25 years of hard labour. Many others were imprisoned by local Soviets and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in Kolyma Gold Mine. "The Purge" was widely known in Western countries due to communist newspapers such as "Głos Robotnika" in Poland which published evidence that Trotskist forces were planning to overthrown democratic elected governments in Europe.
What were reforms taken by new government?
On 1st February Nikolai Bukharin was appointed as Chairman of the United Soviets. Young Nikita Khrushchev - stanch defender of new economical program was appointed as Vice-Secretary of Economy in the same time. Menshevist Fyodor Dan was appointed as "Chairman of the Council of Delegates" and held this position for twelve years.
Troika (Kaganovich, Bukharin, Dan) began realisation of Socialism in one country program. They promoted private enterprises as another step in socialism and created Farmers' Union - organisation which helped private enterpises on world market in selling their crops and achieving strong position. Another step in building socialism was promotion of science in Soviet Union. They established several dozens of niversities, few hundred secondary schools and few thousands primary schools all across country during next ten years. Workers' Union protected workers in Soviet Union from illegal labor practices, guaranteed minimal wages, 8-hour shifts and universal medical healthcare. During next ten years Soviet Union was transformed from agricultural country into strong, industrialized and educated country. On 1st January 1936 Supreme Leader of Soviets Lazar Kaganovich announced that Soviet Union fullfiled all assumptions of program. Few days after that he was assasinated by young Trotskist rebel and was succeeded by young Nikita Khrushchev.
What Khrushchev did for Soviet Army?
At first, Nikita Khrushchev and Secretary of Army Yakov Berezhankov started mechanisation of army. Moscow Tractor Company designed several light tanks such as IM-1 (used during Spanish Civil War by Socialist Front), IM-2 (used by Ethiopian during Second Italo-Abyssinian War), IM-3 (used by French Socialists). Most known Soviet medium tank was IM-9 which was used in Second Great War by Soviet Army. Legendary heavy tank IM-11 known for thick armor, massive gun and effectivness against German Panzers. Khrushchev established Moscow Military Academy which created one of most educated military cadre in the world. When Second Great War started Soviet Army had modern masses of infantry and tanks under very good leadership.
What about Central Asia?
Nikolai bukharin in 1930s started Virgin Lands Campaign. Central Commitee established several hundreds of state-owned farms in these lands. Mechanized farms with fertilizers were effective and caused overproduction of Soviet crops. Sergey Andreyevich Gorbachev was appointed as first Commisar of Virgin Lands Farms and held this position during 1934-1956. He was a father of famous politician Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev.