Russian Revolution

Russia was unprepared for the total war of World War I Militarily and technologically No competent leaders Industry could not produce weapons Suffered huge losses 2 million died between 1914-1915

She had become influenced by Rasputin Czar Nicholas II was increasingly cut off from events by his wife, Alexandra She had become influenced by Rasputin With Nicholas involved in the war, Alexandra made many government decisions She consulted Rasputin; this gave him power in government People became more and more upset. They assassinated Rasputin.

Rasputin

In March 1917, Government began to ration bread A series of strikes led by women, started in Petrograd They demanded “peace and bread”, “down with Autocracy” Nicholas ordered troops to break up crowds by shooting if necessary Guards eventually joined the crowds too and refused to shoot

The Duma, legislative body, asked Nicholas II to step down He agreed this ended the 300 year dynasty A provisional government was put in place Alexander Kerensky was in charge and decided to carry on the war efforts This did not please anyone

The Bolsheviks were a Marxist party called Russian social Democrats A socialist group, the soviets, represented the radical interests of lower classes The Bolsheviks were a Marxist party called Russian social Democrats The Bolsheviks came under the leadership of V.I. Lenin They became a party dedicated to violent revolution “Peace, land, bread” summed up the Bolshevik program “Worker control of Production” and “all Power to the Soviets”

Soviets gained power went from 50,000 to 240,000 On November 6, 1917 the Bolsheviks seized the winter palace Lenin gave power to all-Russian congress of Soviets however.. Real power stayed with the council of people’s commissars, headed by Lenin March 3, 1918 Lenin signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Gave up eastern Poland, Ukraine, Finland, and Baltic provinces

Many people were opposed to the Bolshevik or Communist regime Groups who were loyal to the czar, liberals, and anti-Lenin communists The Red Army was forced to fight opponents (white forces) on many fronts Serbia, Ukraine, Baltic regions By 1920, major opposition to the Communists had been defeated Communist regime took over Georgia, Russian Armenia, and Azerbaijan On July 16, 1918 soviets murder Czar Nicholas and his family

Lenin and the Communists triumph in the Civil War Leon Trotsky organized a well-disciplined Red Army Reinstated the draft Soldiers who refused to obey were executed on the spot White forces were unorganized and did not have a common goal The Communists had a single-minded sense of purpose Used a policy of war communism Government control of banks, industries, grain from peasants, and centralized administration under communist party. Secret police, checka, began a red terror aimed at crushing dissent Presence of foreign armies appealed to Russian patriotism

1921- Communists were in total control of Russia Centralized state dominated by a single party