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day), huge casualties, industry couldn’t keep up with other European weapons (outdated equipment)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