TWO Revolutions in Russia

The Two Revolutions of 1917 The March Revolution (March 12) The November Revolution (November 6)

The March Revolution Origins: Food riots/strikes Duma declared itself a Provisional Government on March12 Tsar/Czar abdicated on March 17 Alexander Kerensky headed the Provisional Government, along w/ Prince Lvov Very Popular Revolution Kerensky favoured gradual socialist reform/ saw the war effort as #1 priority

There were problems with stability in the Provisional government attempted overthrows Kerensky’s solution? freed many Bolshevik leaders from prison and supplied arms Kornilov Affair General Kornilov attempted to overthrow Provisional Government with military takeover

The Petrograd Soviet Leftists who organized to take over the government Soviet- organized council of workers leftists in St. Petersburg formed the Petrograd Soviet, which they claimed to be the legit. gov’t Ger. was aware of the Russ. situation and began to concentrate on the W. Front Ger. even played a role in returning Lenin to Russia, so he could foment rev. Having been granted “safe passage”, Lenin returned in April 1917

Soviet’s Political Ideology More radical and revolutionary than the Provisional Government Most influenced by Marxist socialism Emulated western socialism

Founder of Bolshevism: Vladimir Lenin

Lenin’s Message Amnesty granted to all political prisoners in March of 1917 “Peace, Land, Bread” “All Power to the Soviets” He preached that the war was a capitalist/imperialist war that offered no rewards for the peasants/workers; he also felt the war was over w/ the czar’s abdication

November 1917 Revolution Lenin returned overthrew the Provisional Government established the world’s first Communist regime ended the war by signing the Treaty of Brest- Litovsk with Germany The Provisional Government was swept from power after eight months. Lenin formed the Military-Revolutionary Council and in May 1917 he urged the Pet. Soviet to pass Army Order # 1 This gave control of the army to the common soldiers; discipline thus collapsed, and Kerensky was undermined Nov. 6, 1917… this was the ideological aspect of the rev., w/ the coup itself planned by Leon Trotsky, who had gained the confidence of the army (= the “Red Miracle”) Lenin went on to consolidate his power in Jan. 1918 when he disbanded the Constituent Assembly (had replaced the Duma) – the Bolsheviks had not gained a majority there in late Nov. elections - Russ. dem. thus terminated  a Council of People’s Commissars was created All private property was abolished and divided among the peasantry Largest industrial enterprises nationalized

November Revolution (cont) Political Police organized: CHEKA Revolutionary army created with Trotsky in charge = “Red Army” Bolshevik Party renamed Communist Party in March of 1918

Civil War Civil war broke out between the Reds ( Bolsheviks) the Whites (Mensheviks) Civil War followed, 1917-1920 “Reds” versus “Whites” Complete breakdown of Russian economy and society “looting the looters” – aka “The Red Terror”

Who were the Mensheviks? A bitter three-year civil war was fought in Russia between the Bolsheviks and their opponents. Army and navy officers (against the unfavourable terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk) Wealthy landowners (lost their land due to the Bolsheviks) Monarchists The Bolshevik’s opponents Social Revolutionaries (set up in 1901 with the aim of leading the peasants in a violent revolution against landlords and government officials) Other conservatives

Bolshevik newspaper, Krasnaya Gazeta, announcing the start of the Red Terror on 1st September, 1918. We will turn our hearts into steel, which we will temper in the fire of suffering and the blood of fighters for freedom. We will make our hearts cruel, hard, and immovable, so that no mercy will enter them, and so that they will not quiver at the sight of a sea of enemy blood. We will let loose the floodgates of that sea. Without mercy, without sparing, we will kill our enemies in scores of hundreds. Let them be thousands; let them drown themselves in their own blood. For the blood of Lenin and Uritsky, Zinovief and Volodarski, let there be floods of the blood of the bourgeois - more blood, as much as possible.

Felix Dzerzhinsky, interviewed in Novaia Zhizn (14th July, 1918) We stand for organized terror - this should be frankly admitted. Terror is an absolute necessity during times of revolution. Our aim is to fight against the enemies of the Soviet Government and of the new order of life. We judge quickly. In most cases only a day passes between the apprehension of the criminal and his sentence. When confronted with evidence criminals in almost every case confess; and what argument can have greater weight than a criminal's own confession.

An English teacher in a Moscow secondary school escaped from Russia during the Red Terror. Executions still continue in the prisons, though the ordinary people do not hear about them. Often during the executions a regimental band plays lively tunes. The following account of an an execution was given by Mr. A. by a member of one of the bands. On one occasion he was playing in a band, and as usual all the people to be executed were brought to the edge of the grave. Their hands and feet were tied together so that they would fall forward into the grave. They were then shot through the neck by Lettish soldiers. When the last man had been shot the grave was closed up, and on this particular occasion the band-man saw the grave moving. Not being able to stand the sight of it, he fainted, whereupon the Bolsheviks seized him, saying that he was in sympathy with the prisoners. They were on the point of killing him, but other members of the band explained that he was really ill, and he was then let off. An English teacher in a Moscow secondary school escaped from Russia during the Red Terror. When he arrived in London he (referred to as Mr. A.) was interviewed by the British Foreign Office (21st, January, 1919).

During the Civil War: War Communism Government nationalized all industries, railroads, and banks Peasant laborers were drafted for military or factory work Government took control over the distribution of food All money was abolished/bartering used Private trade=illegal Harsh tactics used by the army

Why did the Bolsheviks win the Russian Civil War? The Red Army was a much more disciplined leadership --- Leon Trotsky.

What happened to the Romanovs?

Romanov remains are found

Nikolay Kochergin, 1920 Long live the Red Army Trampled beneath the feet of the Red Army are the defeated White generals and the idol of Mammon, symbol of capitalism. 20