The Russian Revolution 1917

I. Background to Revolution Russia unprepared for WWI Technologically inferior No good military leaders Czar Nicholas II commanded military No military training Not enough weapons Soldiers trained with broomsticks By 1916, 2 million died, ~5 million captured or wounded

Grigori Rasputin- Holy man or fraud? Claimed to be a starets, or holy man Was a healer who attended to the Czar’s sickly son Increasingly strong influence on Czar and his wife Distrusted by nobles and peasants alike Believed he was using royal family to gain power Assassinated by nobles in 1916

February Revolution of 1917 Price of bread skyrockets, government begins rationing food People protest in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) All factories in the city shut down Nicholas orders army to break up protests Soldiers refuse to shoot, join protest

Duma (legislative body) met and urged Czar to step down Established provisional government End of absolute monarchy in Russia Aleksandr Kerensky led new government Stays in war- soldiers and peasants are tired of suffering

Soviets challenged government Soviets- councils representing workers and peasants Socialist soviet groups sprang up, pushing radical agenda

II. Lenin and the Bolsheviks Bolsheviks were a Marxist faction of Soviets Led by Vladimir Lenin Exiled in Russia for his revolutionary ideas, Lenin then traveled around western Europe, connecting with other socialist organizations Returned to Russia in 1917 to seize power German government sent Lenin back to Russia, hoping his movement would create disorder and ultimately help them defeat the Russians Believed only violent revolution could destroy capitalist system

Bolsheviks promised to End involvement in WWI Redistribute land to peasants Transfer factory ownership to the workers Transfer government power to Soviets “Peace, land, bread”

III. Bolsheviks Seize Power October Revolution By October 1917, Bolsheviks held a majority in Petrograd and Moscow soviets November 6- Bolshevik forces seize the Winter Palace Government collapses with little bloodshed Lenin holds power, Bolsheviks are renamed Communists

Russia exits WWI in 1918 Signed Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in Germany Gives up Poland, Ukraine, Finland Lenin promises peace to Russians

IV. Civil War in Russia Reds v. Whites Many did not like the Communists (Reds) Allies did not like Communist takeover Sent troops to Russia to bring Russia back into war Aided anti-communists to overthrow Lenin’s government Anti-Communists (Whites) attacked but were defeated Ukraine is retaken, followed by other territories Czar and his family were imprisoned and shot, their bodies burned

V. Triumph of the Communists Red Army Rigid discipline and a military draft Soldiers who deserted or didn’t follow orders were immediately shot War Communism ensured supplies for Red Army Government controlled banks and industry, confiscated grain from peasants Cheka (Secret police) aimed to destroy those who opposed the new regime Foreign forces on Russian soil promoted patriotism

By 1921 the Communists were in total command of Russia White Army Not unified Some wanted to restore monarchy, some wanted democracy By 1921 the Communists were in total command of Russia Major famine caused by economic conditions and drought Killed as many as 5 million