1. REVOLUTION IN RUSSIA: 1917 March & November

2. Brief History of Russia
For centuries, the czars of Russia tried to make their country into a unified nation & a world power.
Despite riches of the court, by the 1900s Russia was one of the most autocratic, least developed nations in the world.
When Czar Nicholas II assumed power in 1894, he was anxious for Russia to compete with the rest of Europe.

3. NICHOLAS II TRIES “REFORM”
A program was launched to build the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
Iron & steel industries boomed.
However, rapid industrialization caused turmoil with Russia people.
Poor wages and working conditions caused unrest in Russia, where agriculture had been primary income source.

4. REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS GROW
Revolutionary and reform movements began to grow—one of the most popular groups would call themselves the Bolsheviks, who were followers of the philosophy of Karl Marx.
Remember, Marx believed in an overthrow of the wealthy/government leaders by workers—and a state in which the workers would rule. The Bolsheviks hoped to overthrow the czar.

5. A Leader Emerges
Nicholas II saw the leader of the Bolsheviks—Lenin—as a threat, and exiled him just before WWI.
BIG IDEA: Before WWI, Russians were discontent with living and working conditions, and looking for change.

6. WORLD WAR I
Russian losses in World War I highlighted Russia’s weaknesses and caused further unrest at home.
Nicholas II decided to go to the front with the troops - leaving the country to be run by his wife and advisers – which did NOT work out.

7. LONG-TERM CAUSES OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
Discontent with early industrialization
Peasants were barely surviving
Inefficient government
World War I defeats
General backwardness

8. SHORT TERM CAUSE OF RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
March 1917, women riot over bread shortages—soldiers ordered to shoot rioters shoot their officers instead!

9. THE MARCH REVOLUTION (Step 1)
The army and people joined in a general strike
Czar Nicholas II stepped down from power
A new provisional government was established.
This marks the END of czarist rule in Russia!!

10. THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT—Kerensky
Promised individual rights.
Did not get Russia out of WWI.
Did not solve the food problem.
Tremendous discontent in Russia.

11. LENIN RETURNS TO RUSSIA
The Germans helped to smuggle Lenin back from exile into Russia by train because he promised to get Russia out of the war.
Lenin addresses the crowds after his return

12. PEACE, BREAD, LAND: THE NOVEMBER REVOLUTION (Step 2)
Lenin and the Bolsheviks topple the Provisional Government
The world’s first communist government established under Lenin.

13. THE TREATY OF BREST-LITOVSK
True to his promise, Lenin negotiated the treaty to get Russia out of the war

14. LENIN MUST RESTORE ORDER TO RUSSIA
The New Economic Policy allowed limited capitalism on a very small scale. The purpose was to rejuvenate the economy.
Self-governing republics became the U.S.S.R.
Lenin established a dictatorship of the Communist Party.
Propaganda Poster for New Economic Policy

15. STALIN TAKES POWER Joseph Stalin took over USSR after death of Lenin
He was a vicious, paranoid, violent totalitarian dictator
Under Stalin, Russians had no freedom

16. STALIN’S FIVE YEAR PLANS
Command economy to promote rapid industrial and military growth
The government controlled all aspects of the economy
Propaganda poster for Five Year Plans

17. STALIN’S COLLECTIVE FARMS
The government seized 25 million private farms and made them into huge government run collective farms.
Peasants resisted
5-10 million peasants died of famine

18. TOTALITARIANISM UNDER STALIN
Secret Police
Great Purge – elimination of all political rivals. The director of the Moscow Zoo was arrested because the monkeys got sick!
Censorship

19. TOTALITARIANISM IN CHINA
A similar pattern was followed in China when MAO ZEDONG instituted a totalitarian Communist Party in China
The people were sacrificed in huge numbers for the good of the state.