1. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Historical Background
About the Russian Revolution
and Other History

2. Czar (Tsar) Nicholas II
Held absolute power as the ruler of Russia
Involved his country in WWI
Allowed his people to go hungry
Worker revolted against him – he was overthrown and then abdicated
White Army remained loyal
His children were Olga, Tatiana, Marie, Anastasia and Alexei
He and his family were executed on July 16 or 17, 1918

3. Revolution Unrest began as early as 1914
By Feb. 1917, the Revolution was in progress – there were mobs in the streets & Czar’s soldiers stepped aside. Czar was forced to abdicate
Bolsheviks gained control of telegraph lines and railroads in preparation for further revolution
Oct – the Revolution was complete and Bolsheviks were in control
Bolsheviks took complete power, but there had been no unified government from Feb. – Oct., so things were in really bad shape

4. Rasputin Trusted advisor to the royal family
A monk with “mystical” powers
Seemed to help Alexei’s hemophilia
Close friend of the Tsarina (Alexandra)
Wouldn’t die – poisoned, shot 2-3x and drowned (1916)

5. Karl Marx Said history = struggle between oppressed and oppressors
German philosopher
Wrote “Communist Manifesto”
Called for revolution
Wanted a classless, or equal, society

6. Vladimir Lenin Leader of the Bolsheviks
Died in 1924 – Stalin & Trotsky fought for control
Used Marx’s ideas as his basis
Began stripping away private land
Did get Russia out of the war, but not in good shape

7. Bolsheviks Led by Vladimir Lenin Began organizing in early 1900s
Took complete power in Russia Oct. 1917
Promised land, bread and peace
Began stripping all land from individuals and forbade the holding of private property
Goal: equality and peace for all and forever
Executed royal family in July 1918

8. Russian Civil War
Reds (Bolsheviks & Communists) vs. Whites (wealthy, outraged & sympathetic to Czar)
Whites supported by U.S. and Great Britain – they were against communism and upset by the terms of the treaty getting Russia out of WWI
Reds won following 3 year campaign of terror

9. Leon Trotsky Worked closely with Lenin Obvious choice as successor
Good planner, speaker and writer
Focus was on industrializing USSR
Forced into exile – murdered in Mexico 1940

10. Joseph Stalin Also worked with Lenin
Worked to make alliances w/ people who would be loyal
Totalitarian ruler
Didn’t tolerate any disagreement
Used KGB (Secret Police) to crush any disagreement

11. Propaganda

12. August 23, 1939 Germany and Soviet Union signed Nonaggression Pact
Hitler-Stalin Pact
Meant for 10 yrs, lasted 2
Soviets could not enter war
Economic Agreement (Soviets provide food while Germany provides furnished products such as steel)
Secret Protocol (Soviets gained Baltic States such as Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and half of Poland for safety reasons)
Pact lasted until Germany's surprise invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941
August 23, 1939 Germany and Soviet Union signed Nonaggression Pact

13. George Orwell Author of Animal Farm
Written as a result of his experiences in Spain
Loyal to ideas of Democratic Socialism
Began working on Animal Farm in 1943, despite wartime spirit of support for Stalin
First published in U.S. in 1946
Focused on writing against totalitarianism