Bellringer• Download today’s notes: Russian Revolution Notes• Answer the following question:

• “Peace, Land, Bread!” This was the slogan used by the leaders of the Russian Revolution in 1917. • 1. What do you think this slogan meant?• 2. What does this indicate about Russia at that time?

• During the course of WWI, Russia withdrew before the war was over because of a revolution at home. Russia emerged from their revolution as the world’s first communist state.

Background to the Russian Revolution

• Russia was militarily and technologically unprepared to fight in WWI• Lacked competent leaders and industry to produce weapons

• Czar Nicholas II (The Last Czar of Russia) was a weak and harsh ruler• Cut off from what was going on with the government as he led

Russia in the war• Wife, Alexandria, made important government decisions based on

the advice of Grigory Rasputin, a mystic “holy man”

Czar Nicholas II and Family

Rasputin

Rasputin with Admirers

Background to the Revolution• The people became more and more upset with the royal

family as they suffered war losses• War became very unpopular• Rationing food led to starvation of the Russian people

• Assassinated Rasputin in December 1916• Attempted to be poisoned, then was shot three times, tied up and

thrown into the river• Rumored that he untied the knots before he drowned!

March Revolution (1917)• Protests spread throughout the capital (Petrograd) as

women revolted over bread rations and workers went on strike

• A provisional government was set up and the Czar was forced to step down

• Aleksandar Kerensky, the leader of the temporary government, kept the war going to preserve Russian honor• The new government then became unpopular because the people

were sick of war!• Meanwhile, the soviets (groups of radical socialists) were

spreading

October (Bolshevik) Revolution (1917)

• Bolsheviks (radicals who wanted violent revolution) began to grow under the leadership of V.I. Lenin• Wanted an end to capitalism• “Peace, Land, and Bread”, “Worker Control of Production”, “All Power

to the Soviets”

• Used the soviets to overthrow the provisional government• Lenin became the new head of government, and the party

renamed themselves “Communists”• Became the world’s first socialist state and Lenin intended

for the revolution to spread

Russia leaves WWI• Lenin had promised the people peace, though it would

mean the loss of territory• Signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany to

end the war in 1918• The Allies were worried about the Communist takeover of

Russia and many people in Russia were opposed to the new government

• Civil war took place between Red (Communist) and White (Anti-Communist) forces

• Communists won because of well-disciplined army, no common goals among White forces, Red secret police and the Red Terror’s fear tactics, and nationalism

Outcome• By 1921, Communists had total command

• Communism is a form of socialism where the government makes all the decisions about the economy

• Russia became known as the United Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.)

• Centralized state ruled by a single party• Hostile to the Allies because the Allies helped the White

forces against them

Connect!• 1. What things led to the Russian Revolution?• 2. Who was the leader of the Bolsheviks and the leader of

the new Communist-ruled Russia?• 3. Why did Russia withdraw from WWI?• 4. Why did the Red Army win the civil war?• 5. How were the French and Russian Revolutions similar?

Homework!• Quiz tomorrow over Ch. 14, Lesson 3 and propaganda!