The Russian Revolution

Roots of the Russian Revolution 1881, reforms stop when Alexander II assassinated Alexander III strengthens “autocracy, orthodoxy, and nationality”

1903 Nicholas Crowned Czar

Nicholas’ reforms bring discontent Forced industrialization Workers badly exploited Bolshevik (Communist) party formed by Lenin

Lenin’s communism Based on Marx’s early writings. Union between workers and peasants “Peace, Land, Bread”

Unrest Grows 1905 Loss of Russo-Japanese War 1905-St Petersburg Massacre- “Bloody Sunday” Alexandra and Alexis The Rasputin scandals

1914 World War I Doom for Romanovs February 1917(March) Revolution Mensheviks rule Russia

1915 Nicholas II assumes command of Army

1916 Rasputin Killed

1917 March Revolution Kerensky Government Nicholas abdicates Tries to remain in war- Soviets form as rival governments

1917 Lenin leads October Revolution (Bolshevik)

Lenin’s early reforms Land redistribution Worker control of factories Peace with Germany-Treaty of Brest-Litovsk 1918

1918-1921 civil war Mensheviks ( Whites ) democrats/czarists oppose Lenin Bolsheviks ( Reds ) led by Leon Trotsky-communists Intervention by western democracies

1918-1921 civil war 15 million die 1918- Czar Nicholas and family executed 1921 war ends Communists in firm control Civil war leaves suspicion towards western democracies

Lenin’s later reforms 1921New Economic Policy (NEP) 1922 Formation of the Union of Socialist Soviets of Russia (USSR )

Lenin dies in 1924 Power struggle between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin Stalin wins