Russian Revolution

Russia In 1914, the Russian Empire was huge and stretched from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean. It was a backward country- people still practiced feudalism. Much of the majority peasant population lived in stark poverty.

Czar Nicholas II Czar Nicholas II was not a good leader. He was not well-prepared for the role of czar. He was not very smart and had a bad temper– but his father died and left him the empire. The Russian government was corrupt and he relied on secret police for control.

Czarina Alexandra German born– not trusted in Russia Niece of Queen Victoria of England Carried the hemophilia gene into the Russian blood line Son, Alexis contracted hemophilia

Remember Karl Marx? Wrote the Communist Manifest Believed that the proletariat (working class people) should rise up and control the industry in the country. Marxists were trying to ignite a communist revolution in Russia, taking advantage of the weak czar Marxists in Russia were called Bolsheviks

World War I (1914) The outbreak of WWI, fired up Russian national pride Russia was strained for resources. Factories could not turn out enough supplies– the transportation systems broke down, and soldiers had no rifles, ammunition, or medical care. 1915, Russians claimed 2 million casualties

Czar Nicholas takes matters into his own hands… Nicholas II went to the front lines to take personal charge of the war. He was no better than many of his generals. He left czarina, Alexandra to rule in Russia. Most people did not trust her because she was German-born.

Gregory Rasputin… the mad monk Illiterate Siberian peasant, who lied about being a “holy man.” He had a very powerful personality, which allowed him to fool everybody. The Czarina thought he could ease the pain of her son, Alexis, Alexandra thought Rasputin was sent by God to help save the Romanov dynasty.

Rasputin’s Fate

Russian Revolution The Monarchy collapsed because… Disasters on the battlefield during World War I Food Shortages in Russia Fuel Shortages Needless to say… people were ready to riot!

Russian Revolution Peasants rioted in Russia. The Czar called on the troops to fire- but they refused. This proved that the Czar had no power- so he abdicated

Russian Revolution The Duma politicians set up a temporary government. The Duma continued the war with Germany, which proved to be fatal. Duma HQ

BOLSHEVIKS!!!

Back to the Industrial Revolution

V.I. Lenin V.I. Lenin read Karl Marx’s Communist Manifest and spread Marxist ideas to factory workers in Russia.

V.I. Lenin In 1895, Lenin was arrested & sent to Siberia by Czar NicholasII.

V.I. Lenin The Germans (opponents of the Russians in WWI) helped Lenin escape to Switzerland.

V.I. Lenin Lenin gave his communist group the name Bolsheviks, meaning majority and called the minority party the Mensheviks. In reality, the Bolsheviks were the numerical minority.

Lenin during the Revolution In March 1917, Lenin was still in exile and the provisional government was still in power. Germany saw a chance to weaken Russia by helping Lenin get back to Russia to lead the revolution.

Lenin during the Revolution In a sealed train, Lenin was rushed back across Germany to the Russian frontier.

Trotsky Helped During the revolution Lenin was helped by his close confidant, Leon Trotsky.

Lenin promised the war weary Russians, “Peace, Land, and Bread”

The Duma’s fatal error The Duma launched another disastrous attack against Germany in WWI Military troops and the Red Guards- (armed factory workers) mutinied. Lenin’s and the Bolsheviks overthrew the Czar’s government that no longer had support.

Bolsheviks take over The Bolsheviks seized power all over Russia. They ended private ownership of land and distributed land to peasants. Workers were given control of the factories and mines.

Bolsheviks take over Russian people were happy to be rid of the Czar and thought they would be better off-- but the Bolsheviks (Communists), would soon be their new masters.

Communist Russia A new red flag with entwined hammer and sickle symbolized the union between the workers and peasants.

Lenin takes control and loses land After the Bolshevik revolution, Lenin quickly sought peace with Germany to get them out of WWI Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918, giving up a huge chunk of territory and population. (This got them out of WWI)

Lenin takes control and loses land Civil wars raged for three years. Reds (The newly formed red army) against the Whites, counterrevolutionaries who remained loyal to the czar. Whites tried to kill Lenin, so The Reds organized a secret police, the Cheka.

The Romanov Fate Ordinary citizens were executed if they were suspected of counterrevolutionary activity. The czar, czarina and their five children were shot because the did not believe in the Russian Revolution.

Communist Rule The Communists took over the banks, factories, and railroads. Although Lenin had triumphed, Russia was in chaos. Millions had been killed, in the war, in the revolution, and in famines all over Russia. Lenin faced the task of rebuilding a nation and an economy in ruins.

Sudden Death In January1924, thousands of people came to Red Square to view the dead body of Lenin. Lenin’s body was put on display for 65 years in Red Square

Peace, Land, and Bread!

Who gets the job? Leon Trotsky Joseph Stalin Trotsky was a brilliant Marxist thinker, a skillful speaker, and an architect of the Bolshevik Revolution. Joseph Stalin Stalin was a shrewd political operator and a behind the scenes organizer.

Man of Steel Joseph Djugashvili Stalin organized robberies to get money for his party and spent time in prison in Siberian exile.

Trotsky’s fate

Stalin’s Goals Stalin’s goal was to make the Soviet Union into a modern industrial power. Stalin introduced “five year plans” which built heavy industry improved transportation increased farm output. He brought all economic activity under government control.

Stalin’s Command Economy The Soviet Union developed a command economy-government officials made all basic economic decisions. The Russian government owned all business and allocated all money

Stalin’s Goals The government pushed workers by awarding bonuses for high production and punishment for low production. Between 1928 and 1939, large factories, hydroelectric power stations, and huge industrial complexes rose across the Soviet Union.

Revolution in Agriculture Stalin brought agriculture under government control. He forced peasants to give up their private land and live on state-owned collectives, large farms owned and operated by peasants as a group. The government planned to provide tractors, fertilizers and better seeds, while teaching peasants modern farm methods.

Peasant Revolts Peasants resisted collectivization by killing all farm animals, destroying tools, and burning crops. The government responded with brutal force. “We must smash the kulaks, and eliminate them as a class”

Peasant Revolts The government confiscated kulak land and sent them to labor camps where many of them were killed or worked to death. Although collectivization increased Stalin’s control, it didn’t do much for farm output

The Great Purge (1934) Stalin and his secret police cracked down on Old Bolshevik party activists, army heroes, industrialized managers, writers, and ordinary citizens. Overall more than 4 million people were purged and almost 800,000 were killed.

The Great Purge (1934) The purges destroyed the older generation, replacing them with young loyal followers. The reign of terror increased Stalin’s power impressing upon the people the dangers of disloyalty. The vacuum of leadership came back to haunt Stalin in 1941, when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union.