1. Revolutions in Russia

2. Setting the Stage Russia’s long history finally led to revolution
Cruel oppressive autocratic rule severe economic and social conditions
inspired by the various democratic and socialist movements taking place in Europe

3. Nicholas II
Nicholas II becomes czar in 1894 and continued his father’s rule
Good, kind man but ineffectual ruler
Out of touch with the people he ruled
Had never shown leadership skills or a particular desire to rule
Was mild-mannered, even meek
Lacked the personality of a leader
Avoided direct involvement with any opposition; simply ordered his security forces to get rid of any problem as they saw fit

4. Nicholas II

5. Russia Industrializes
Rapid industrialization changes the face of the Russian economy
The world’s longest continuous rail line (5,778 mi.), the Trans-Siberian Railway connected European Russian in the west with Russian ports in the east

7. Revolutionary Movement Grows
Growth of factories brought new problems : grueling working conditions, low wages and child labor
Gov’t outlawed trade unions
Workers organized strikes
A group following the teachings of Marx
gained a following

8. Russian Marxists
Believed the industrial class of workers, the proletariat, would overthrow the czar
1903 a split occurred over tactics
Radical Bolsheviks led by Lenin were willing to sacrifice anything for change
Moderate Mensheviks wanted a broad base of popular support for the revolution

9. Crises at Home & Abroad First Crisis: Russo-Japanese War
Competed with Japan for control of Korea and Manchuria
Russia broke the agreement with Japan
Repeated Russian losses when Japan attacked Russian ports
Sparked unrest at home

10. Crises at Home & Abroad Second Crisis: Bloody Sunday on Jan. 22, 1905
200,000 workers and their families marched on the czar’s Winter Palace
Asked for better working conditions, more personal freedom, and elected national legislature
Soldiers fired on the crowd
A wave of strikes and violence spread

11. Bloody Sunday

12. Crises at Home & Abroad Third Crisis: World War I
Russia entered the war in 1914
Weak generals, poorly equipped troops
Germans mowed down Russian soldiers by the thousands (4 million killed/wounded/taken prisoner in one year)
Revealed the weakness of the czarist rule and military leadership

13. Crises at Home & Abroad
While Nicholas moved his headquarters to the war front, he left his wife in charge
Food and fuel in short supply, inflation, Russian soldiers mutinied, deserted
Czarina Alexandra ran the gov’t under the influence of a “holy man”, Rasputin
Rasputin had helped their son, Alexis,
who suffered from hemophilia- killed in 1916

14. Royal Family Tree

15. Rasputin

16. The First Revolution: March Revolution
1917
City-wide strike by textile workers
Riots over shortages of bread and fuel
Soldiers sided with the people
Czar Nicholas abdicates
Incapable of dealing with the problems
Czar and his family killed in 1918
300 year reign of the Romanovs ends

17. Another Weak Gov’t Provisional Gov’t Alexander Kerensky
Decided Russia would continue fighting in WWI
Unrest increases
Soviets (local councils of workers, peasants and soldiers) more influential than provisional gov’t

18. The Second Revolution: Bolshevik Revolution
Exiled Lenin returns to Russia
Gains control of soviets in major cities
Provisional gov’t topples
March 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany ends WWI
Humiliating loss

19. Civil War 1918 - 1920 Bolsheviks (Reds) v. the White Army White Army
Supporters of the czar, those who wanted democratic gov’t, socialists who disagreed with Lenin
Red Army led by Leon Trotsky
14 million died
Red Army victorious

20. Lenin Restores Order War and revolution destroyed the economy
Trade at a standstill
New Economic Policy (NEP)
Allowed peasants to sell surplus goods
Gov’t kept control of major industries, banks, and means of communication
Small factories, businesses and farms allowed to operate under private ownership
Gov’t encouraged foreign investment
By 1928 had recovered to pre-WWI level

21. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
Organized to keep nationalism in check
Bolsheviks became the Communist Party
1924 – constitution based on socialist and democratic principles but in reality the Communist Party held all the power
1922 – Lenin suffers a stroke
By 1928, ruthless Joseph Stalin (man of steel) was in command

22. Red Square in Moscow