The Russian Revolution

Pre-Revolution Russia is an autocracy Form of government in which one person has total control

Pre-Revolution Czar Nicholas II 1894 Imposed strict censorship codes on published materials and written documents He had “secret police” watch secondary schools and universities Oppressive government

Pre-Revolution Russification The forcing of Russian culture on all other ethnic groups in the empire.

Pre-Revolution Rapid Industrialization THE FALLOUT! Industrialize in 37 years Between 1863 and 1900 Russia more than doubled the amount of factories they had THE FALLOUT! Grueling working conditions, low wages, and child labor stirred discontent

Pre-Revolution Russo-Japanese War Both imperialist powers, competing for Manchuria and Korea Develop agreements, Russia breaks agreements Japan attacks Russia 1904, defeats Russia Japan is industrialized fully & has a stronger military Creates civil unrest within Russia

The Marxists “Father of Communism” Believes that the *proletariat (workers) will overthrow the government Influences Russia Newly industrialized, many problems, looking for a solution

The Marxists Mensheviks Bolsheviks Moderates The “Radical” group of Marxists Would sacrifice everything for change Leader is Lenin

The Marxists Lenin Leader of the Bolsheviks Tried to overthrow the Czar Fled to Europe to avoid being arrested by the Czar

Bloody Sunday January 22, 1905 200,000 workers protested working conditions at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg Czar Nicholas II ordered soldiers to fire on the crowd More than 1000 wounded, several hundred killed

Bloody Sunday

Bloody Sunday Sparks waves of violence across the city Czar sets up “Duma” Parliament Lasts 10 weeks Bloody Sunday is seen as a dress rehearsal for the Russian Revolution

Involvement in WWI Russia not equipped well enough, cannot compete with German army Within 1st year, 4 million soldiers dead, captured or wounded Czar Nicholas II  front lines to boost morale Doesn’t work! Destroys morale Shortage of food and fuel Desire to leave WWI

The March Revolution 1917 Women textile workers lead strike in city of Petrograd Due to shortages of food and fuel created by WWI Workers shout “Down with Autocracy” Imperial Guard ceases fire, joins rioters Czar Nicholas II forced to abdicate (give up) his throne Within a year, entire family is executed

The March Revolution Form *Provisional Government (temporary government) Run by Alexander Kerensky, loses support when he wants to remain in WWI Peasants demand land City workers becoming more radical Form *Soviets (local councils of workers and peasants) Often more influential than the government

The Bolshevik Revolution Bolshevik Revolution & Civil War 1918-1920

The Bolshevik Revolution Lenin returns & regains control of Bolshevik party Slogan: PEACE, LAND AND BREAD! Peace – get out of WWI Land – peasants want land Bread – hunger, shortage due to WWI

The Bolshevik Revolution Red Guard (Bolshevik army) take over Provisional Government, arrest all leaders Gives farmland to peasants Puts factories in control of the workers Ends involvement in WWI Signs Treaty of Bret-Litovsk, forcing Russia to give up land

The Bolshevik Revolution Discontent with Bolsheviks: Dislike terms of Treaty of Bret-Litovsk Unhappy that the royal family was executed Opponents of Bolsheviks form White Army Leon Trotsky (leader during revolution) leads Red Army

Civil War White Army gets military aid and forces from Western Nations including USA! Red Army wins

Civil War Shows that the Bolsheviks can take and maintain power 14 million Russians dead (civil war, famine & flu epidemic)

Lenin Rules Russia Economy of Russia destroyed by war and revolution Trade standstill, production stops, skilled workers flee to other countries 1921 Lenin delays full state run economy (communism)

New Economic Policy Small scale capitalism Allows peasants to see their surplus crops instead of giving them to the government Government lets small factories, businesses and farms operate under private ownership (Government keeps control of major industry, banks and communication) Promotes foreign investment (other nations spending money in/on Russia) 1928 producing as much as before WWI

The U.S.S.R. Nationalism is a threat to Russia Create self governing republics under a large government (based in Moscow) 1922 changes name Was: Russia Now: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) Nod to the “Soviet” councils Soviet Union from 1922 - 1991 Bolsheviks become Communist Party

Under Lenin, the Soviet Union creates a constitution *Under Lenin, the Soviet Union creates a constitution. They have the goal of being run like Marx had envisioned (where the workers rule the state) but instead create a dictatorship*