Czar Nicholas II Czar (ruler) of Russia Weak leader Overthrown in 1917 … Russian Revolution

The “Hessian Hussie” Czarina Alexandra Wife of Nicholas II Rumored to have affair with Rasputin Born in Germany

RASPUTIN

Revolution March 1917 Provisional government under Alexander Kerensky “Democratic” Continued to prosecute the war Continuing the war doomed this government

Road to Russian Revolution Causeway to Communism

It all started when … Autocratic rulers weakened Russia Paul I (assassinated) Alexander I (despot … death … Decembrist Revolt) Nicholas I (dictator … Autocracy, Orthodoxy, etc.)

Alexander II (r. 1855 – 1881) Son of Nicholas I Traveled as a youth visited 30 regions of Russia Had government experience Liked autocracy and bureaucracy of Nicholas I

Emancipation of Serfs (1861) Two reasons Crimean War demonstrated lack of technology. Emancipation would result in industrial labor force and movement toward industry and tech. Fear of peasant revolt

Czar Nichols II (r. 1894 – 1917) Last Czar of Russia

Russo-Japanese War 1904 … “a little victorious war to stem the tide of revolution would be most welcome” Japan struck first … destroyed ENTIRE Russian fleet Treaty of Portsmouth (1905) Russian Navy

Revolution (1905) Bloody Sunday - January 22, 1905 Workers, carrying petition to the czar, were shot by soldiers in St. Petersburg Over 300 unarmed workers were killed Strikes shutdown RRs, telegraph system, government offices Councils of workers called SOVIETS sprang up in cities to direct rebellion

Emblem of the Russian Duma … 100th Anniversary Nicholas II relented and allowed reform Constitution … Duma (legislative body) Duma, little power … 1906, 1907, they were dismissed by the czar when they asked for reform measures Emblem of the Russian Duma … 100th Anniversary

REAL Revolution, 1917 The February Revolution (March 1917) was a spontaneous popular revolution focused around St Petersburg. In the chaos, members of the Duma assumed control of the country, forming the Russian Provisional Government. The army leadership felt they did not have the means to suppress the revolution and Czar Nicholas II of Russia, the last Czar of Russia, abdicated, effectively leaving the Provisional Government in power

Provisional government … Alexander Kerensky Representative government with Legislature and executive branch Continued the war … bad move During this chaotic period there were frequent mutinies and many strikes. The Provisional Government chose to remain in the war, whereas the policy of the Bolsheviks and other socialist factions was to abandon the war effort.

Peace, Land, Bread!!!

Lenin and the Bolsheviks November 1917 Government war policy VERY unpopular Peasants starving Demand for land Petrograd (St. Petersburg) and Moscow soviets were controlled by Bolsheviks Red Guard … workers’ militia … eventually became the Red Army

Lenin and the Bolsheviks Bolsheviks – Russian Communists Nikoli Vladamir Lenin (LENIN) was leader of the Bolsheviks Bolsheviks took over after Russian Revolution Oct (1917)

Bolsheviks took government buildings by force All ministers were arrested (Kerensky escaped) Communist dictatorship under Lenin

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Beginning of 1918 Russia dropped out of the war Treaty of Brest-Litovsk gave Germany huge area of Russian territory Result of the Russian Revolution was that Russia quit and now Germany could fully mobilize against the Allies

Four-year civil war within Russia to consolidate power and murder all opposition 1922 … USSR – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Battle of BELLEAU WOOD One of the first major battles USA (AEF) participated in…June 1918 Brigade of U.S. Marine Corps, part of AEF under General Pershing Defeated Germans after battling on rocky ground in heavy brush

Great victory for USA / allies French were very impressed Renamed area “Wood of the Marine Brigade”

Argonne Forest Sept – Nov 1918 Largest battle for USA 1.2 million men (American) mobilized for the fight It was the final battle of the war AEF led by General Pershing fought brilliantly

Sgt. Alvin York Greatest war hero for USA Single-handedly captured 130 Germans during Argonne campaign

Armistice Armistice – an agreement to stop fighting Armistice ending WW I was signed on November 11, 1918 11th hour of 11th day of 11th month 11 … 11 … 11, 1918 Railroad car in Compiegne, France