Russian Revolution Peace, Land, Bread

Causes

1. First Stages of Industrialization An Early Russian Factory

1. The Industrial Revolution Comes to Russia By 1900, Russia was the world’s second largest producer of petroleum and the 4th largest producer of steel Growth of urban working class Living in crowded, unsanitary barracks They will influence the revolutions in the early 20th century

2. Weak Economy Low wages Food shortages Inflation By 1917 strikes were common 1905 Russian Rubles

3. Extensive Foreign Investments & Influence Building the Trans-Siberian RR [Economic benefits only in a few regions.]

Russia Is Humiliated 4. The Russo-Japanese War: 1904-1905 The Battle of Tsushima: The results startled the world!

The Czar’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg Bloody Sunday January 22, 1905 The Czar’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg

5. Bloody Sunday January 22, 1905 Imperial Guard fires on demonstrators in St. Petersburg (wanted improved working conditions and fairer wages) Blatant disregard for the common people

The Revolution Spreads Peasants seized nobles’ lands Workers in cities joined demonstration and went on strike

Russian Cossacks Slaughter The People in Odess Anti-Jewish Attacks Russian Pogroms (Massacre on Jews)

6. Losses in WWI Millions of casualties Major defeats in battle Loss of Polish and Ukrainian territories

Results

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

The Tsar & His Family

The Collapse of the Imperial Government Nicholas left for the Front—September, 1915 Alexandra and Rasputin ruin the gov’t Alexandra and other high government officials accused of treason

Alexandra: The Power Behind the Throne Committed to tyranny She was under the influence of Rasputin Origins of Rasputin’s power – “mystic healer” Scandals surrounding Rasputin served to discredit the monarchy

The Collapse of the Imperial Government (cont) Rasputin assassinated in December of 1916 mismanagement of the wartime economy Industry plummeted Inflation and Starvation were rampant Cities became a hotbed for revolution

The Two Revolutions of 1917 The March Revolution (March 12) The November Revolution (November 6)

The March Revolution (1917) “Down with the war!” Food Riots and Strikes Tsar abdicated Provisional government set up Kerensky favored gradual socialist reform/ saw the war effort as #1 priority Lost popular support

Russian Marxists In 1903, split into two groups. Mensheviks (minority): Wanted a broad base of popular support. Bolsheviks (majority): Supported a small number of committed revolutionaries. Lenin became the major leader of the Bolsheviks.

Lenin Adapted ideas of Karl Marx (Communist Manifesto) to meet the needs of Russia Marx: Revolution would begin with the proletariat (workers) and overthrow capitalist (business owners) Lenin: Revolution would come from an elite (small) group of reformers, the Bolsheviks

Lenin—Bolshevik Revolution Led Bolshevik Revolution Promises “Peace, Bread, and Land”

Bolshevik Revolution Lenin and the Bolsheviks seize power in Oct. 1917 Lenin’s Reforms Redistributes farmland to peasants Control of factories given to workers Withdrew from WWI Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Russian Civil War

August 1917-July 1918 Ramanov’s evacuated while red army and revolution heat up During the early morning of July 16, 1918, at approximately 1:30, Nicholas, Alexandra, their children, their physician, and several servants were taken into the basement and killed by the Bolsheviks.

Reforms of Vladimir Lenin New Economic Policy (NEP) Creates limited capitalist reforms to stimulate economy Small manufacturers and farmers were allowed to own their own business and sell for a profit Dies in 1924 Battle for succession between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin