The Russian Revolution 1917 

Pre-Revolutionary Russia Tsar Nicholas II – last Romanov ruler of Russia Pre-Revolutionary Russia Autocracy (means rule by one person) Secret Police used against enemies of the Tsar Russo-Japanese War (1905) – defeat led to political Instability

SOCIAL Although there was no more serfdom, life for peasants was difficult Russia was not very industrialized, compared with the rest of Europe

Role of Rasputin A mystic who “healed” the czar’s son who had hemophilia Huge influence over royal family, bad reputation rubs off on royals

WWI: The Last Straw Russian Army ill-supplied TOTAL WAR = people starving at home Urban people form “soviets” – small revolutionary councils

The Two Revolutions of 1917 Peace, Land And Bread! February Revolution – Food riots lead Tsar to abdicate October Revolution – Communists (known as Bolsheviks) take control w/ military coup. Exit War. (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk) Lenin’s April Thesis

Lenin New Ruler of Russia Lenin = Bolshevik (a Russian Communist) Wanted a “vanguard” to lead the revolution Communism could be forced by the vanguard, even without urban factory workers

Results Civil War in Russia until early 1920s – Commies versus everyone New secret police: CHEKA (NKVD/KGB) Communist rule in Russia (U.S.S.R.) from 1917-1991

Lenin’s Rule NEP – New Economic Policy some capitalistic components (example: farmers could sell their crops) Big, important industries were nationalized (owned by gov’t) (examples: trains, steel production) Goal: Industrialize Russia Lenin’s death – power struggle. Stalin wins.