The Russian Revolution

Timeline on Russian Revolution

• Read p. 789- 793

• Create an annotated timeline on the events of the Russian Revolution

• (yes, there is a small timeline in the book with six events)

– You need to have at least 12 events/items on your timeline with explanations and details for each

– You need at least 3 visuals corresponding with the events

Background of RevolutionShort-term problems:1. No good military commanders

– Czar Nicholas II led armies in WWI (fatal mistake)– soldiers not trained well, few weapons ( at times they had one bullet a

day), huge casualties, industry couldn’t keep up with other European weapons (outdated equipment)

2. Distrust in leadership - Czarina Alexandra: (German by birth) left in charge while czar was fighting

- made decisions based on bad advice of Rasputin -(medicine man whom is eventually killed by nobles, 1916)

3. Food shortage: On March 8, 1917:

- Protest in Petrograd/ St. Petersburg > country-wide strike, wanted peace/bread - Soldiers won’t take action against people = gov’t has no power - Czar disbands Duma= Duma ignores Czar (along with soldiers and citizens)

March 15, 1917- Duma declared new gov’t and Nicholas II stepped down (abdicates throne) - (based on old Russian calendar, thus is called the “February Revolution”)

Rasputin and Royal Family

“The Provisional Government”

• In power after Czar Nicholas II abdicates (his brother abdicates the following day)

• Led by Alexander Kerensky – keep on fighting in WWI for

Russia’s honor

• soviets – (councils of workers and soldiers)

challenged Kerensky’s gov’t for authority

Rise of Vladimir Lenin• Bolsheviks – socialist group

– leader Vladimir Illyich Lenin= dedicated to violent revolution

• Karl Marx said proletariat would rise in revolt against bourgeoisie

• Lenin in exile:– Abroad from1900-1917– When revolution happens= he hurried back to Russia with

Germany’s support• Germany was hoping it would weaken Russian unity and lead to

sectarian warfare within… which would weaken Russia in WWI– And it did!

• “Peace, Land, Bread” became slogan for Lenin

Lenin and Bolsheviks

Bolsheviks Seize Power

• November 1917- “October Revolution”– Bolsheviks seized winter palace in Petrograd (St. Petersburg)

– Provisional Gov’t under Kerensky collapsed• Lenin takes power• Land ownership becomes illegal (NO private property)!!!!

• March 1918- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

– Russia withdrew from WWI – Russia loses land to Central Powers

• Humiliating, but out of war

• Loss of land and natural resources!

– Peace still illusive as country sank into civil war

Loss in Russian territory in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk…..

1.Ukraine, Georgia and Finland= independence 2. Gave Poland and Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) to Germany &Austria Hungary 3. Gave territories of Kars, Ardahan and Batum to Turkey (modern day areas in Turkey and Georgia)

Total loss= 1 million sq. miles of Russian territory; 1/3 of population or 55 million people; the majority of coal, oil and iron reserves/industry

October Revolution in Nov. 1917

Civil War in Russia: 1918-1921

• Bolshevik or Communist forces = the Reds • Anti-Communist forces = the Whites

– Army leaders, wealthy Russians, political opponents, land owners

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• Allies worried about Communists– thus gave supplies to Whites – (Reds questioned patriotism of Whites )

• July 1918- Reds killed Czar Nicholas II, wife Alexandra and family (story of Anastasia)

Civil War

Triumph of Communists• Red Army superior to White

– better trained by Leon Trotsky, demanded rigid discipline– Whites had no common goal, Reds were united in goal/purpose

• Reds set up war communism – central gov’t controls all food, banks, factories, etc.

• Reds created secret police to get rid of anyone who opposed Communists > Red Terror– once Communists controlled Russia (1921) hostile to Allies who had

tried to keep Communists out of power

• Economy not going well: – Lenin instituted New Economic Policy (NEP) 1921/1922 to help

• Peasants could sell food for profit (allows some capitalism within economy)• Tries to encourage food production

• 1924- Lenin died from stroke= power struggle between Trotsky and Stalin

Leon Trotsky

Jospeh Stalin

Real name:Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Iosif= Joseph in Russian

(Vissarion Dzhugashvili= his father)

Stalin= ‘steel’ in RussianHe made himself into a man of

steel, literally…his nickname but also name translation.

Russia → Soviet Union

USSR = Union of Soviet Socialist Republics(created in 1922)