tsar nicholas ii - wordpress.com nicholas ii in world war 1. opposition to romanovs intensifies ......
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Tsar Nicholas II
● Nicholas II of Romanov family was Tsar at the start of the 1900s
● Was married to an Austrian, Tsarina Alexandra
● Had 4 daughters and 1 son Alexei
Tsar Nicholas II and his familly
Problems faced by people in Russia under the Tsars
● Poverty, social problems● Poor working and living conditions● Landowners system● Inequality in society (housing, education,
healthcare, work) ● Lack of democracy (Duma set up in 1905 but
had relatively little power)● Lack of freedom to express ideas or criticise the
Tsar
Russia in World War I
● Russia, Britain and France (main Allied Powers) faced Austria-Hungary, Germany and Turkey (main Central Powers)
● Russia did badly in the war
● Lots of suffering, death, injury, destruction of property and food shortages
● Tsar decided to go to lead troops, hoping to inspire them
Tsar Nicholas II in World War 1
Opposition to Romanovs intensifies
● Nicholas left Alexandra in charge
● She was advised and influenced by Rasputin
● Powerful people were unhappy with the situation and decided to stage a coup
Rasputin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Rasputin
February Revolution and the Provisional Government 1917
● In February 1917 a fairly bloodless revolution saw overthrow of Tsar
● Provisional Government set up until elections could be held
● Kerensky became leader of the Provisional Government
Unpopularity of Kerensky and the Provisional Government
● The Provisional Government continued the war with Germany and did not take land from landlords to distribute it to the peasant farmers
● Unpopularity of Provisional Government exploited by Bolsheviks
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin 1870-1924
● Lenin's brother executed for plot to kill Tsar
● Lenin thrown out of University for political activity
● Arrested in St. Petersburg in 1897 and sent to Siberia for 5 years
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
● After his release he left Russia
● Went to Europe (England and Switzerland)
● Continued revoltionary activity from there
October Revolution 1917
● The Provisional Government was overthrown in a revolution in October 1917
● Various groups competed for control but eventually the Bolsheviks (Communists) led by Lenin won out
The Bolsheviks● Social Revolutionaries
(Communists) were inspired by the ideas on revolution of Karl Marx
● SR split in 1903 into the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks
● Mensheviks believed in mass revolution
● Bolsheviks felt a small group was needed to secretly plan a revolution
Lenin returns to Russia 1917
● In 1917 the Germans helped Lenin to return to Russia by train
● The Germans hoped Lenin would promote unrest or revolution and this would weaken Russia in the war
Aims of the Bolsheviks
● Greater equality and social justice
● Redistribution of wealth
● Workers' Councils to run factories
● Slogans like 'Land, Peace, Liberty' proved very popular
Changes introduced by Bolsheviks● Bolsheviks announced that peace talks with
Germany to start● Bolsheviks said they would confiscate land from
the landlords ● All ranks were abolished: social, military, naval,
aristocratic All citizens to be known as 'comrade'
● Military officers were to be elected by soldiers● Better working hours and conditions introduced
for workers● Factories put under control of the workers
The Brest Litovsk Treaty
● In March 1918 Russia signed peace treaty with the Germans
● Russia agreed to give up lots of territory with natural resources
● Poland, Ukraine, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania l
● High price but Bolsheviks wanted an end to war to consolidate power at home and deal with opponents of 1917 October Revolution
The Cheka
● Cheka was a secret police set up by the Bolsheviks to deal with opponents
● Hundreds of thousands imprisoned or executed
● Led by Dzerzhinsky● Tsar and his family
executed at Ekaterinburg Felix Dzerzhinsky
Opposition: Reds versus Whites
● Many Russians were unhappy with Bolshevik rule
● Nobility, aristocracy, Liberals, Tsarists ● Other socialist and revolutionary groups who
had been marginalised or excluded ● Peasant Farmers (Kulaks) who hoped
Bolsheviks would redistribute land● Ordinary Russians who were still facing food
shortages and other problems
Russian Civil War
● Bolshevik Red Army (led by Trotsky) fight 'Whites' (opponents of Bolsheviks)
● Whites helped by USA, GB, France● Czech Legion (led by Kolchak) took control of
Siberia and Trans-Siberian Railway● Denikin attacks from S.E. Russia● Yudenith attack from Baltic● Poles from West● US/GB/French from North (White sea)
Trotsky and the Red Army
Anti-Bolshevik Poster 1918
The Russian Civil War
Why the Red Army won the Russian Civil War
● Whites did not win support of peasants (often looted from them etc...)
● Whites not very united (made up of very diverse groups with different politics and aims)
● Whites helped by France, GB etc.. made them seem unpatriotic to many Russians
● France and GB and USA did not send enough troops to make a significant difference (more interested in sorting out own problems by 1919)
● Red Army had a very effective leader● Reds more unified geographically
The Red Terror
● The Red Terror was used to describe the period where harsh treament was given to anyone seen as opposing the Bolsheviks
● Millions imprisoned or killed during this period
War Communism
● WW1 and Civil War caused major disruption to agricultural and industrial production
● Lenin introduced a policy of 'war communism' where the 'means of production' (farms, factories, transport system, etc..) all came under control of the communist government
War Communism
● All private trading banned● Strikes banned● Food rationed● Forced labour introduced● Food to feed workers and soldiers requisitioned
by the communist government● Food taken by force from farmers (kulaks) if
necessary
Problems caused by War Communism● Lenin's policy of War Communism helped the
'Reds' win the civil war● But caused hardship and food shortages for
many Russians● Revolts by peasant farmers (Kulaks)● Food production fell in many areas because: ● Peasants had no incentive to produce surplus
food● Bad weather in 1920 & 1921 affected crops● This contribute to famine in Russia in 1921-
1922 in which over 4m people died
The Kronstadt Revolt
● In March 1921 sailors at naval base on Kronstadt Island near Petrograd revolted against the Communist Party
● Sailors disappointed by changes since revolution and angry at hardship caused by War Communism
● Sailors demanded reforms and an end to War Communism
● Kronstadt revolt was violently suppressed by Trotsky and the Red Army
New Economic Policy (NEP)● Lenin and communist government were worried
about falling food production caused by war communism
● New Ecomonic Policy introduced by Lenin in March 1920
● Peasants had to provide a quota of food but could keep surplus which they could sell on if they wished
● Private trading was reintroduced ● Some small private business allowed to operate● Major industries remained in state conrol● Foreign trade and investment allowed
Lenin's Death
● Lenin died in 1924● In his 'Political Will' he
made it clear that Stalin should not become dominant leader after his death
● Various leaders vied for control of the Communist Party's Central Committee after Lenin's death
● Early life
● Involvement in politics
● Imprisoned: Siberia
● Lives in exile
● Revolutionary plotting/writing
● 1917 Feb. Rev. Returns to Russia
● 1917 October Rev. Bolsheviks
● Changes introduced: ranks, nationalise industries, confiscate land
●
● Peace: Brest-Litovsk Treaty
● Dealing with opponents/Red Terror/Cheka
● Civil War: Reds vs. Whites
● War Communism
● Kronstadt Revolt
● Problems: food shortages etc..
● NEP (New Economic Policy
● Political will/legacy/ death
●
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Lenin
● About the Communist Party's General Secretary (since 1922), Joseph Stalin, Lenin reported that the "unlimited authority" concentrated in him was unacceptable, and suggested that "comrades think about a way of removing Stalin from that post." His phrasing, "Сталин слишком груб", implies "personal rudeness, unnecessary roughness, lack of finesse", flaws "intolerable in a Secretary-General".
● Early life● October Revolution● Communist
government● Brest Litovsk Treaty● Dealing with
opposition● Civil War● War Communism● New Economic Policy
● Lenin's Testament●