Revolution and Civil War in Russia: Chapter 26, Section 5 1913 – 300th anniversary of Romanov Dynasty Revolution of 1905 ineffective March 1917 – first of next two revolutions will topple Romanov Dynasty 1914 – Huge Russian Empire…Eastern Europe to Pacific Ocean Very slow to industrialize Strict autocracy – good for nobles, bad for peasants Most live in extreme poverty

Revolution of 1905 had not solved problems Duma had no real power Nicholas II weak leader – wanted to keep autocracy Corrupt bureaucracy Secret police Discontent Wanted to overthrow Tsar Marxists want proletariat to have revolution PROLETARIAT=growing class of factory& railroad workers, miners, urban earners

WWI united Russia w/national pride Czar Nicholas II went to the front to lead the charge. Disaster!!! Incompetent military leadership WWI united Russia w/national pride BUT….factories couldn’t keep us production….no rifles…no ammunition Bad leadership, no food, no uniforms Died in staggering numbers 1915 – two million casualties in one year!!!

While Tsar was at front – wife Alexandra left to run country Relied on advice of illiterate, self proclaimed “holy man” Rasputin Alexandra believed Rasputin had magical powers – he could help her son who suffered from hemophilia Hemophilia is a blood clotting disorder – can bleed to death from bruise or cut FYI – He was “the man who wouldn’t die.” Drank enough cyanide to kill 10 men…didn’t die, got shot multiple times…didn’t die, thrown in freezing water…didn’t die for hours. WHEW!!! 1916 – Rasputin’s influence weakened confidence in government Russian nobles killed Rasputin, Dec. 29, 1916

March 1917 – battlefield disasters, food & fuel shortages – monarchy collapsed Workers strike – bread riots Troops would not shoot demonstrators Government helpless

With disaster on the battlefield and protests at home, Nicholas abdicated. Revolutionaries had other ideas. The Duma set up a temporary government and began to write a constitution to create a Russian republic. 6

There were two socialist revolutionary groups in Russia. Mensheviks Favored gradual reform Favored higher wages, increased suffrage, and welfare programs Leon Trotsky was originally a Menshevik but then changed sides to the Bolsheviks after 1917 7

Bolsheviks There were two socialist revolutionary groups in Russia. Bolsheviks means “majority” – even though it was only small % of socialists Believed in radical change Favored total revolution Wanted to set up “dictatorship of the proletariat.” 8

The Bolsheviks were led by V. I. Lenin, a Marxist, who: Urged workers to unite and overthrow capitalism Called for unity among workers and farmers Promised “Peace, Bread, and Land.” 9

Ended private ownership of land In November 1917, Lenin’s followers seized power. The Bolsheviks, renamed Communists, made changes quickly. Trotsky joins Bolsheviks Changes under Lenin Ended private ownership of land Gave land to peasants Gave control of factories and mines to workers Withdrew from WWI 10

A brutal civil war broke out between the Communists, known as “Reds,” and their opponents, known as “Whites.”

Trotsky created a Red Army using former tsarist officers led by commissars. The army was well led and well positioned in the center of Russia to fight against the Whites.

In 1918, the former tsar and his family were shot In 1918, the former tsar and his family were shot. By 1921, the Red Army had taken control of Russia.

This policy brought the economy to near collapse, and many suffered. In the early years of the revolution, Lenin adopted a policy of “war communism” and took over banks, mines, factories, and railroads. Cities in chaos: *horrible living conditions*orphaned children *burglary * currency collapse This policy brought the economy to near collapse, and many suffered. “Communists did not appear to have any regard for ordinary people. Lenin called this ‘a lightning flash that lit up reality’ ” 14

The famine affected both the countryside and the cities. There were reports of cannibalism in some districts. This was written 1922 "Sometimes mothers and fathers feed their children human meat as a last resort. Sometimes a starving family eats the body of one of its junior members. Sometimes parents at night seize part of a body from a cemetery and feed it to their children”. Agricultural Collapse– 5 million die of starvation in the war communism famine 15

Horrible conditions brought riots & revolts Lenin changed course His New Economic Policy, a compromise with capitalism helped the economy recover. 16

War Communism New Economic Policy State-controlled banks, mines, factories, and railroads State-controlled banks, trade, and large industries Small businesses forced to give profits to the state Small businesses allowed to keep some profits Farmers forced to give crops to feed the army or the poor Farmers allowed to sell surplus crops for profit 17

In 1922, Lenin united Russian lands into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and adopted a new constitution. THE USSR The government had an elected legislature (in theory) Citizens gained the right to vote – equal rights (in theory) Workers were given control of the means of production (in theory) 18

IN REALITY……. Lenin created a government where the Communists were the leaders, not the people. Russians lived in fear of secret police (Cheka) and prison camps. Peasants forced into army & to work in factories. 19

Lenin died in 1924. His successor, Joseph Stalin, would prove to be a more ruthless dictator than any of those before him. In 1940 – Stalin had Trotsky murdered even though they were on the same side In 1922 – Lenin had expressed grave doubts about Stalin’s nature: “Comrade Stalin…has concentrated an enormous power in his hands; and I am not sure that he always knows how to use that power with sufficient caution.” 20