The Russian Revolution

Fall of the Czar Czar was unpopular b/c of the Russian casualties in WWI, food & fuel shortages he was politically incompetent, he & his wife relied heavily on Rasputin (‘the mad monk’) to help with their son and politics. The son had hemophilia and Rasputin could slow the bleeding Czar abdicates after peaceful March Revolution

Provisional Government Established by the Duma (representative group-like Congress) Alexander Kerensky was leader of the Provisional Gov’t and decided to continue fighting the war- big mistake

Divided into 2 groups (Mensheviks & Bolsheviks) Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies soon challenged the Duma for power Divided into 2 groups (Mensheviks & Bolsheviks) Soon controlled the provisional government (*Petrograd was the name of wartime St. Petersburg) The Bolsheviks promised to end the war, redistribute land to the peasants, transfer control of factories and industries from capitalists to the workers, and transfer government power to the soviets (council of workers & soldiers).

Vladimir Lenin Born in Russia, his brother had been hanged after plotting to kill the czar- influencing Vladimir to hate the czar Was arrested & sent to Siberia for his revolutionary ideas then went to Switzerland Lenin believed in Karl Marx’s writings adapting them to Russia. (Marx believed the industrial working class-proletariat- would overthrow the capitalism) Russia didn’t have this class. Lenin envisioned a ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’ (or an elite group of the proletariat). He named this group Bolsheviks- meaning majority even though they weren’t the majority

In Europe many socialists (followers of Marx) believed that the ‘revolution’ would come slowly through reform- the Mensheviks believed this After the March Revolution, Germany helped Lenin return to Russia hoping to weaken Russia (its enemy)

The Bolshevik Revolution November Revolution Bolsheviks take control of the government and dissolved the Duma, claimed absolute power w/ Lenin & Leon Trotsky leading the revolt Ended private ownership of land & distributed it to the peasants, workers were given control of factories & mines Ended involvement in WWI w/ Treaty of Brest-Litovsk- giving up a huge chunk of land

Civil War in Russia Reds- Communists (formerly Bolsheviks) Whites- Royalists Lasted 3 years Both sides burned villages, killed civilians Lenin had the Czar’s family assassinated, took control of industry, severely restricted the church Secret police (Cheka) arrested anyone considered an ‘enemy of the revolution’ also set up forced labor camps ‘War Communism’- Communists took over banks, mines, factories, & railroads. Forced peasants to deliver almost all of their crops to cities & army. Some were drafted into military or factory work

Trotsky turned the army into an effective fighting machine By 1921 the Communists had won

Communist Soviet Union 1922- name change to Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) Setup a elected legislature, called the Supreme Soviet, gave everyone over 18 the right to vote, all political power, resources, & means of production would belong to workers & peasants In reality the Communist party controlled everything using the army & secret police to enforce its will.

Lenin’s New Economic Policy NEP- allowed some capitalist businesses (private owned), allowed peasants to keep more grain & own small plots of land Allowed the economy to recover & standards of living improved also

After Lenin Power struggle b/w Trotsky & Joseph Stalin Trotsky was outmaneuvered by Stalin & fled to Mexico (he was murdered there in 1940 on Stalin’s orders) Lenin would not have been pleased with the result