Russian RevolutionRussian Revolution

The Romanovs – Czar Alexander IIIThe Romanovs – Czar Alexander III

• Czar Alexander III – autocracyCzar Alexander III – autocracy– Strict censorship codesStrict censorship codes– Secret policeSecret police– Oppressed nationalist groupsOppressed nationalist groups– Russia was official languageRussia was official language

Persecuted Persecuted the Jews the Jews through through pogroms pogroms (organized (organized violence)violence)

Nicholas II: The Last Romanov TsarNicholas II: The Last Romanov Tsar[r. 1894-1917][r. 1894-1917]

Tsar Nicholas II and family

Wife Alexandra(German born)

Son Alexis

Hemophilia & the Tsarevich, AlexisHemophilia & the Tsarevich, Alexis

Causes of the RevolutionCauses of the Revolution#1: Industrialization#1: Industrialization

Relied on foreign investors, increased taxesRelied on foreign investors, increased taxes

Trans-Siberian Railway, 1891

Became world’s 4th-ranking producer of steel

Causes of the RevolutionCauses of the Revolution#2: Social Discontent#2: Social Discontent

Marxism & the proletariatMarxism & the proletariat

Moderates = MensheviksModerates = Mensheviks

Radicals = BolsheviksRadicals = Bolsheviks“…dispose of our money”

“…pray on our behalf”

“…eat on our behalf”

“…shoot at us”

“We work for them, while

they…”

Causes of the RevolutionCauses of the Revolution

1905 Russian Rubles

#3: Weak #3: Weak EconomyEconomy

#4: Weak #4: Weak LeadershipLeadership

#5: Russo-Japanese War #5: Russo-Japanese War [1904-1905][1904-1905]

Causes of the RevolutionCauses of the Revolution

• Russia suffers Russia suffers humiliating defeathumiliating defeat

Treaty of Portsmouth Treaty of Portsmouth [NH] - [NH] - 19051905

President Theodore Roosevelt Acts as the Peacemake

r

[He gets the Nobel

Peace Prize for his

efforts.]

#6: Bloody Sunday: Jan. 22, #6: Bloody Sunday: Jan. 22, 19051905

• Mob of 200,000 workers & families Mob of 200,000 workers & families marched to czar’s Winter Palace in marched to czar’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg – fired uponSt. Petersburg – fired upon

The Tsar’s The Tsar’s October October ManifestoManifesto

October 30, 1905

1)1) Nich II reluctantly Nich II reluctantly created the Duma created the Duma (Russia’s 1st (Russia’s 1st parliament)parliament)

– Leaders were Leaders were moderates who moderates who wanted constitutional wanted constitutional monarchymonarchy

– Dissolved Duma after Dissolved Duma after 10 weeks10 weeks

2)2) Granted civil Granted civil libertiesliberties

3)3) Universal male Universal male suffrage (voting)suffrage (voting)

#7: World War I, “The Final Straw”#7: World War I, “The Final Straw”• Russia unprepared – weak generals, poorly Russia unprepared – weak generals, poorly

equipped armyequipped army• 1915 – Nich II moved headquarters to war front1915 – Nich II moved headquarters to war front• Soldiers deserted, mutinied, ignored ordersSoldiers deserted, mutinied, ignored orders

Behind the ThroneBehind the Throne

Alexandra, wife of Nicholas II:

Ran gov’t while he was a way

Son Alexis: Suffered from Hemophilia

Grigori Rasputin, mysterious “holy

man”

The “Mad Monk”The “Mad Monk”• Rasputin claimed to have Rasputin claimed to have

magical healing powersmagical healing powers• Helped Alexis in exchange for Helped Alexis in exchange for

political decision-making political decision-making powerpower

• Opposed reformOpposed reform• 1916 – murdered 1916 – murdered

by group of nobles by group of nobles

The March Revolution, 1917The March Revolution, 1917• Women textile workers in Petrograd led Women textile workers in Petrograd led

citywide strike (shortages of bread & fuel)citywide strike (shortages of bread & fuel)

“Down with autocracy!” “Down with the war!”

Czar Abdicates ThroneCzar Abdicates Throne• Nicholas II and family were executed a year Nicholas II and family were executed a year

laterlater• http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-roman

ov11-2009mar11,0,7557518.story

Remains of Nicholas II and his family were recently discovered and re-buried in St.

Petersburg

Provisional GovernmentProvisional Government• Est. by the Duma & headed by Alexander Est. by the Duma & headed by Alexander

KerenskyKerensky• Conditions in Russia worsenedConditions in Russia worsened• Soviets (local councils of Soviets (local councils of

workers, peasants, & soldiers) workers, peasants, & soldiers) were formedwere formed

The BolsheviksThe Bolsheviks• Bolshevik leader Vladimir Bolshevik leader Vladimir

LeninLenin““Peace, Land, and Bread”Peace, Land, and Bread”

The Bolshevik Revolution, Nov. The Bolshevik Revolution, Nov. 19171917

• Factory workers stormed Winter Palace – the Factory workers stormed Winter Palace – the “Bolshevik Red Guards”“Bolshevik Red Guards”

• Took over the provisional gov’tTook over the provisional gov’t

Bolshevik Gov’tBolshevik Gov’t• Lenin ordered farmland to be distributed among Lenin ordered farmland to be distributed among

peasantspeasants• Factories under Factories under

control of workerscontrol of workers• Signed truce with Signed truce with

Germany to stop Germany to stop fighting & begin fighting & begin peace talkspeace talks

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, March Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, March 19181918

• Russia surrendered large part of territoryRussia surrendered large part of territory• Widespread anger among Russians, Widespread anger among Russians,

objected to Bolshevik policiesobjected to Bolshevik policies

Civil WarCivil War

White Army Red Army

Opponents to Bolsheviks Supporters of Bolsheviks

Red Army led by Leon Trotsky

vs.

Red Army Red Army VictoriousVictorious

Lenin Restores OrderLenin Restores Order• New Economic Policy (NEP) New Economic Policy (NEP)

small-scale capitalism?small-scale capitalism?– Peasants sell surplus cropsPeasants sell surplus crops– Gov’t ran industries, banks, Gov’t ran industries, banks,

communicationcommunication– Private ownership of Private ownership of

small factories, small factories, businesses, & farmsbusinesses, & farms

• Country slowly recoveredCountry slowly recovered

Bolshevik Political ReformsBolshevik Political Reforms• Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)• Bolsheviks Bolsheviks Communist Party Communist Party

– Lenin established “dictatorship of the Lenin established “dictatorship of the Proletariat”Proletariat”

Communist

Party

Stalin Becomes DictatorStalin Becomes Dictator• Leon Trotsky v. Joseph StalinLeon Trotsky v. Joseph Stalin

– Trotsky forced into exileTrotsky forced into exile– Stalin becomes absolute Stalin becomes absolute

dictator dictator

Joseph Stalin – “man of steel”Joseph Stalin – “man of steel”

• Tiflis Theological Seminary Tiflis Theological Seminary joined secret joined secret organization organization – Exposed to Marxism, expelled Exposed to Marxism, expelled

• Joined Socialist Democratic Joined Socialist Democratic Labor PartyLabor Party– Arrested & exiled many timesArrested & exiled many times

• Lenin appointed him General Lenin appointed him General Secretary of Bolshevik Secretary of Bolshevik gov’tgov’t– Lenin later concerned of Lenin later concerned of

Stalin’s growing powerStalin’s growing power

TotalitarianismTotalitarianism• Gov’t has total, complete control over every Gov’t has total, complete control over every

aspect of public & private lifeaspect of public & private life– Dynamic leaderDynamic leader– Secret police to crush oppositionSecret police to crush opposition– IndoctrinationIndoctrination– Propaganda & censorshipPropaganda & censorship– Religious or ethnic Religious or ethnic

persecutionpersecution

Stalin’s Totalitarian StateStalin’s Totalitarian State• Police statePolice state

– Great Purge – Great Purge – eliminate anyone who eliminate anyone who threatened Stalin’s threatened Stalin’s powerpower• 8-13 million deaths8-13 million deaths

• PropagandaPropaganda– Controlled all mediaControlled all media– Communist Party Communist Party

newspapernewspaper Pravda Pravda

Stalin’s Totalitarian StateStalin’s Totalitarian State• Controlled all education Controlled all education indoctrination indoctrination• Religious persecutionReligious persecution

– Attacked all religionAttacked all religion– Persecuted Russian Orthodox ChurchPersecuted Russian Orthodox Church

Stalin’s EconomyStalin’s Economy• Command economy – gov’t made all Command economy – gov’t made all

decisionsdecisions• Five-Year Plans for development of Soviet Five-Year Plans for development of Soviet

Union’s economyUnion’s economy• Limited production of consumer goods = Limited production of consumer goods =

shortagesshortages

Five Year PlansFive Year Plans1927 1932 1937

Coal 35 million tons64 mt (75 mt

target)128 mt (152 mt

target)

Oil 12 million tons21 mt (22 mt

target)29 mt (47 mt

target)

Iron Ore 5 million tons12 mt (19 mt

target)unknown

Pig Iron 3 million tons6 mt (10 mt

target)15 mt (16 mt

target)

Steel 4 million tons6 mt (10 mt

target)18 mt (17 mt

target)

Stalin’s EconomyStalin’s Economy• Seized 25 million privately owned farms Seized 25 million privately owned farms

combined them into large, gov’t-owned farms combined them into large, gov’t-owned farms known as collective farmsknown as collective farms

• Produced food for the stateProduced food for the state• Kulaks (wealthy peasants) resisted Kulaks (wealthy peasants) resisted killed killed

Life with StalinLife with Stalin• Women’s roles expandedWomen’s roles expanded

– Laws passed to grant women Laws passed to grant women equal rightsequal rights

– BUT had full-time jobs & BUT had full-time jobs & managed homemanaged home

• Better educated, new skillsBetter educated, new skills

BUT…BUT…• Loss of personal freedomsLoss of personal freedoms• Shortage of goodsShortage of goods

Total ControlTotal Control• Conformity & obedience Conformity & obedience

required of citizens in required of citizens in totalitarian statetotalitarian state

• China would also fall under China would also fall under the influence of Marxism & the influence of Marxism & Communist beliefsCommunist beliefs

• Leads to tragic conflicts Leads to tragic conflicts later in the 20later in the 20thth century century

Collapse of Soviet UnionCollapse of Soviet Union• 1989 – Fall of Berlin Wall1989 – Fall of Berlin Wall