A Revolution in Russia1917

Russia 1914-1917

Characteristics: Backward Limited Industrialization Strikes common in cities (3500 in 1914

alone!) Completely ill prepared for WWI Agricultural productivity plummeted

during the war to compensate for industrial needs…starvation.

Alexandra and Rasputin

World War I

Russian troops fleeing battle with the Germans at Galalica

Russia and WWI

Joined to promote Nationalism and inspire industrialization.

Sponsored chaos, disunity, non-conformity and slaughter.

Russia outnumbered every army they faced and lost due to leadership and pitiful supplies.

Rasputin

Tsarina’s advisor…a man famed for intrigue and poor judgment.

Role of Women

See “The Women Who Started The Russian Revolution”

Similar to France

A Tale of Two Revolutions

March 1917, the Romanov Double Headed Eagle was desecrated.

Red Flag of the revolution hung in its place.

Replacing the Romanov autocracy

Two Part Government

PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT

Appointed by Duma Led by Georgi Lvov

and Alexander Kerenski

SOVIETS

Local councils elected by workers and soldiers.

Most powerful-Petrograd Soviet.

Role of Peasants?

They had none. What they did have was starvation,

poverty, and devastating conditions. Those peasants who joined the war

for food deserted in droves when it became clear they wouldn’t get much there.

Russian War Effort Summer 1917

Women’s group enlisted to show the failing men how to fight…

This plan didn’t go well. 85% casualty rate.

The Great Ferment

February to July 1917 Exiled leaders re-emerged Lenin—a German operative?

Bolsheviks

“Majority” even though they were the minority…um, yeah.

Mensheviks-”minority”, even though they were the majority…ok.

Bolsheviks more radical.

The Revolutions Catalyst

Opposition to the War Lenin’s April Theses Promised “Peace, Land, and Bread” Advocated radical seizures of land

The July Days

Massive Demonstrations Brutal government responses Bolshevism growing

Collapse of Provisional Government

July Days Growing gap between the wants of

Kerenski’s government and the power of the Soviets.

A second revolution coming.

The October (actually November) Revolution

Led by Lenin Bolsheviks…now the majority. Lenin disguised after July Days. A better disguise than Louis XVI

Success?

Revolution achieved with almost no bloodshed…that was to come in the Civil War between the Red and Whites. This claimed approximately 1,000,000 lives.

The Romanov family was executed by the Bolsheviks.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Substantial territory loss. A bitter humiliation. Gone were the Ukraine, Georgia,

Finland, and Belarus.