The 1905 Revolution

The 1905 revolution War with Japan Results Background Tsar becomes more unpopular Russia is humiliated Government seen to be weak and incompetent Conditions for the people get worse price rises food shortages and unemployment In 1904/05 Russia and Japan fought for control of Korea and Manchuria The Tsar expected a quick victory Russia suffered defeats on Land and sea. Japan destroyed the Russian Navy War with Japan

The 1905 Revolution Bloody Sunday Events Results Jan 1905 20,000 unarmed workers march to the Winter Palace Demands - Better living and working conditions - end to war - a parliament Soldiers fire on crowd killing 500 Tsar undermined in the eyes of the people Support grows for revolutionaries set off a wave of riots, strikes and murders

Results of 1905 Revolution The October Manifesto - promise of freedom of speech, right to form political parties Establish a Duma No new laws without consent of the Duma Broken Promises Voting system was unfair- rich had more influence than the poor Duma had little influence over the Tsar and new laws First two Dumas were dismissed for demanding reforms Further changes introduced to excluded socialist

Why did the Revolution fail? Japan released prisoners to aid the Tsar Most of the armed forces stayed loyal to the Tsar October Manifesto divided the opposition The workers strikes and the peasants uprisings were not co-ordinated No clear leader for the opposition

Russia 1906 - 1914 The Rule of Stolypin Aim of stability 1. Repress the revolutionaries 2. Introduce reforms to improve living conditions 1911 - Stolypin assassinated

Results of Stolypin’s actions 1. Great reduction in activities of the revolutionaries 2. Richer peasants (Kulaks) now run farms for profit 3. Kulaks now loyal to Tsar 4. Cities have more food 5. Conditions for some workers improve though many remain discontented. 1912/14 many strikes 6. Revolutionaries like Lenin learn to adopt new more tactics

The February Revolution 1917 The fall of the Tsar

The impact of WWI Military Defeats Russian army was big but poorly equipped Lost two major battles in 1914 Caused loss of civilian and military morale Tsar now held responsible for the defeats as he had taken charge of the army

Criticism of the Tsar Poor military commander Poor political leader Left the Tsarina in charge of the government Refused to accept advice from the Duma Criticism if the Tsarina Inexperienced and incompetent ruler Under the influence of Rasputin Unpopular because she was German Impact of WWI Role of Rasputin Claimed to be a healer. Disliked by many yet held influence over both the Tsar and Tsarina

Economic problems Over 15 million men joined the army Impact WWI Impact WWI Economic problems Over 15 million men joined the army not enough workers in factories and farms caused shortages of food and materials Railway system very poor could not supply the troops could not supply the towns food prices rose

Impact WWI Impact WWI Social discontent Food shortages and price rises caused widespread discontent The war had seen the population move from the countryside to the cities The cities soon became overcrowded and people lived in terrible conditions

Events of the Revolution Feb 22 20,000 steelworkers on strike Feb 23 Women take to the streets to demonstrate Feb 25 Now over half of Petrograd is on strike Feb 26 Tsar orders troops to fire on crowds- 40 killed

Events of the Revolution Feb 26 Tsar closes the Duma Feb 27 Soldiers mutiny and establish the Petrograd Soviet with workers and sailors Feb 28 Tsar returns to Petrograd March 1 Tsar loses support of army March 2 Tsar abdicates March 3 Grand Duke Michael refuses throne

Results of February revolution The Provisional Government 1. A 12 member government led by Kerensky 2. Planned to rule until elections could be held Dual Government The Petrograd Soviet A council of 2,500 deputies. Determined to share power with the Provisional Government

The October Revolution The Bolsheviks seize power

Problems facing the Provisional Government Land - Peasants demand land Hunger - The workers in the cities were demanding food The war - fight on or make peace Revolutionaries - how to stop the spread of their influence The Army - needed loyalty of the army

Response of the Government The Government promised land reforms but gave no date The Government could not guarantee food supplies as the Soviets controlled railways The government promised political reform in an attempt to stop revolutionaries. They failed to take any positive action. The troops in Petrograd were now under the control of the Soviet and refused to obey the government

Results Peasants angry with the Government started to seize land Workers joined the Bolsheviks The Bolsheviks and other groups gathered support The Government was losing control to the Petrograd Soviet

All power to the Soviets Peace Land Bread Lenin returns Lenin return from Switzerland with German assistance and issues his April theses This called for Overthrow of Government End to war Soviets to form new government Land given to peasants State to control factories and banks

Why were the Bolsheviks successful? Role of Lenin Organised party Published Pravda Avoided capture and organised the coup. Popular slogans to raise moral and public awareness Role of Trotsky Joined Bolsheviks after July Days Masterminded the events of the coup Great military leader organised the Red Guard Provisional Government Kerensky knew of Trotsky's plan but had lost support of the army and so was helpless 3 July and 7 July ( Julian calendar ) (16 July - 20 July, Gregorian calendar ), when soldiers and industrial workers engaged in spontaneous demonstrations against the Russian Provisional Government. The Bolsheviks tried to provide leadership to the demonstrations.

The Bolsheviks take power The Bolsheviks took control of the government in an almost bloodless coup between Oct 24 and 26 1917. Land Land taken from Church, Nobility etc and given to peasants. Land not taken over by the State (yet) Peace Lenin ends the war sends Trotsky to negotiate with Germany. Treaty of Brest-Litvosk The first decrees Factories All factories put under control of workers committees Press All non -Bolshevik papers were banned Establishes the CHEKA- the Soviet Secret Police

Brest-Litovsk Treaty On the 3rd December 1917 a conference between a Russian delegation, headed by Leon Trotsky and German and Austrian representatives began at Brest-Litovsk. Trotsky had the difficult task of trying to end Russian participation in the First World War without having to grant territory to the Central Powers. By employing delaying tactics Trotsky hoped that socialist revolutions would spread from Russia to Germany and Austria-Hungary before he had to sign the treaty. After nine weeks of discussions without agreement, the German Army was ordered to resume its advance into Russia. On 3rd March 1918, with German troops moving towards Petrograd, Vladimir Lenin ordered Trotsky to accept the German terms. The Brest-Litovsk Treaty resulted in the Russians surrendering the Ukraine, Finland, the Baltic provinces, the Caucasus and Poland. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Poland to become independent sovereign states

Under the treaty, Russia lost Riga, Lithuania, Livonia, Estonia and some of White Russia. These areas had great economic importance as they were some of the most fertile farming areas in Western Russia. Germany was allowed by the terms of the treaty to exploit these lands to support her military effort in the west. the treaty took away territory that included a quarter of the Russian Empire's population, a quarter of its industry [4] and nine-tenths of its coal mines