Russian Revolution

Russian Government Before Revolution Monarchy: The Czar (Tsar) 1547… Ivan the Terrible was first Romanov to rule Until 1905 the Czar's powers were unlimited. (Absolute Monarchy) Russia had no constitution No political party system to check the Czar's power A strong secret police which terrorized the people, enforcing the Czar’s rule.

Royal Background to Revolution Nicholas I Created the first secret police in Russia in brutal response to revolt of army officers in 1825.

Czar Alexander II He implemented important reforms, notably the abolition of serfdom and the feudal system in Russia In 1867, he sold Alaska and the Aleutian Islands to the United States for $7.2 million. (equals about 2 cents per acre) Killed by the Revolutionary Group: The People’s Will

Czar Alexander III Alexander III's reign was during an industrial revolution in Russia, which never equaled other European power in scope or scale. His reign was harsh, against revolutionaries and other liberal movements.

Czar Nicholas II (1894) Last Czar of Russia Nicholas II was a harsh and weak ruler The Russian economy and prestige suffered because of the Russo-Japanese War (1904) Russia’s entry into WWI became very unpopular and bankrupted the economy while killed or wounded 9,150,000 Russians.

Czar Nicholas II: The Romanov’s

Russo-Japanese War (1904) Dispute over Manchuria with Japan lead to war. Japan’s first appearance on the global stage! Shook national confidence in their progress and rule of Czar.

Bloody Sunday (1905) 96 killed, 333 wounded by Imperial guards during a food protest. Roots of the revolution to come.

Russia and World War I Russia declares war on Austria-Hungary. Germany Declared war on Russia, August, War becomes unpopular as losses mounted Rationing leads to starvation, famine throughout the war in Russia 1915 – the Czar Nicolas II leaves St. Petersburg for the German front, taking direct command…. Things get worse!

March Revolution (1917) protests spread through St. Petersburg and the Royal palace is taken over. Czar abdicates (give up the throne) Provisional government (Duma) takes control lead by Alexander Keresnky Provisional government unpopular after decision to stay in WWI

October (Bolshevik) Revolution-1917 Lead by VI Lenin the Bolsheviks promise “Peace, Land, and Bread” and “All power to the Soviets” The Revolution begins… Won support of people (especially peasants) Won support of much of the military after they refuse to go to the front as ordered by the provisional government. Leads to a Civil War Reds (Communists) vs. White Russians (Monarchists)

1918 PEACE! Treaty of Brest-Litovsk 1918 March The Bolsheviks accept the peace of Brest ‑ Litovsk, ending WWI with Germany Loss of Russian Territory… creation of Independent states of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Belarus.

White Armies (Royal troops) attack the Reds (Bolsheviks) with aid and support from the west. Both British and America troops (Polar Bear division) are sent to help stop the Communist Reds defeat the Whites…est. total control for the USSR (now a communist state) Russia disappears from the map.

Rule of Lenin Economic Reforms: Command Economic System -Central government control Political Reforms -Bolshevik party became Communist Party -Russia becomes the United Soviet Socialist Republics

V.I. Lenin becomes the father of the Soviet Union: “Give one generation of youth, and I’ll transform the whole world”

New form of government in the USSR…Communism An extreme form of Socialism Central Planning of the Economy by the State No private property, No individual rights, No personal liberties, No Freedoms, No free: Speech, Press, Religion, etc. Gov’t (Communist Party) makes all decisions on individual jobs and pay, housing, education. State control over all aspects of political, social and economic life.

1924 Lenin Dies Power Vaccuum created… Leon Trotsky vs. Joseph Stalin Stalin takes control (Purges all dissidents) The Gulags, 10s of millions will be sent to Siberian labor camps Stalin will maintain power…. through brutality and strict govt. control The USSR becomes a totalitarian state

Joseph Stalin becomes a Totalitarian Dictator,

Characteristics of a Totalitarian State Dictatorship- Absolute Authority Dynamic Leader- becomes the nation! State Control Over All Sectors of Society Business, family life, labor, youth groups, housing, religion, education, the arts…etc. State Control Over the Individual Obedience is demanded! Denies basic liberties (speech, travel, religion, etc) Organized State Violence (Secret Police known as the KGB Committee for State Security ) Uses force to crush all opposition

Stalin’s Totalitarian State State Control of the Economy 5 year plan, collective farms and industrialization Police Terror: the Cheka and KGB Great Purges, crush opposition, intimidation Religious Persecution Control of the people and churches Propaganda (socialist realism) Molding peoples minds…indoctrination Education Control people through indoctrination, not education. The States world view!

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)