RADICAL CHANGES COME SWEEPING THROUGH RUSSIA IN THE EARLY 1900S CHAPTER 14, SECTION 5 REVOLUTION AND CIVIL WAR IN RUSSIA

QUICK-WRITE 1/31 What conditions existed in Russia between that led to Revolution?

MARCH REVOLUTION ENDS TSARISM Russian empire stretched from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean Russia was slow to industrialize Landowning priests, nobles, and an autocratic tsar controlled the government and economy Large peasant population endured poverty

PROBLEMS IN RUSSIA (1905) After revolution of 1905 Russia endured many problems: Elected Duma set up after war had no real power Moderates pressed for a constitution Nicholas II used secret police to block attempts to limit his authority Marxists tried to rally a revolution amongst the proletariat- working class

WWI IMPACT Outbreak of war sparked feelings of nationalism amongst Russians World War I quickly took its toll on them- resources depleted very quickly, by 1915, almost two million Russian soldiers died Nicholas II went to take charge on the front lines. While he was away tsarina Alexandra relied on advice from Gregory Rasputin. Fearing the influence of Rasputin, nobles killed him on December 29, 1916.

TSAR STEPS DOWN In 1917, after disaster on the battlefield and disaster at home, Nicholas II steps down Duma set up a provisional government, preparing a new constitution for Russia Revolutionary soviets set up soviets, who worked within the government. Eventually, the Bolsheviks took charge of this group

LENIN AND THE BOLSHEVIKS Vladimir Lenin studied Karl Marx as a young man, and tried tirelessly to spread Marxist ideas to Russians Lenin stressed that revolution was necessary to bring about change- elite group named “Bolsheviks” which means majority Germany helped bring Lenin home from exile because they thought it would weaken Russia

NOVEMBER REVOLUTION The provisional government was led by Alexander Kerensky By 1917, soldiers were tired of fighting, and some mutinied. Peasants seized lands from fearful landlords. In November 1917, the Bolsheviks, along with mutinied soldiers attacked the provisional government, and easily take them over Bolsheviks also take over Moscow, which they make their headquarters

BOLSHEVIK CHANGES Bolsheviks: Ended private ownership of land and distributed land to peasants Workers were given control of factories and mines A new red flag with an entwined hammer and sickle symbolized union between workers and peasants Bolsheviks soon take over people’s lives throughout Russia

RUSSIA PLUNGES INTO CIVIL WAR Lenin quickly made peace with Germany and fled from World War I. For three years, civil war raged between the “Reds” (communists) and the “whites” (Mensheviks- people on the side of tsarist Russia) Communists used brutality and terror against whites, and also to control their own people Organized the Cheka- secret police force sent out to kill people who were planning to take action against the revolution

“WAR COMMUNISM” The Communists took over banks, mines, factories, and railroads Peasants were ordered to deliver their crops to feed the army and hungry people in the cities Peasants were drafted into the military Leon Trotsky led the “reds” to ultimately defeat the counter-revolutionary “whites” and take control of Russia

COMMUNIST SOVIET UNION In 1922, Lenin united much of the old Russian empire into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) Soviet Union New Russian Constitution: Set up an elected legislature (Supreme Soviet) Gave all citizens over 18 the right to vote All political power, resources, and means of production would belong to workers and peasants Still used secret police to enforce its will.

STALIN TAKES OVER Lenin died at age 54 in His death set up a power struggle between Soviet leaders, specifically Trotsky and Josef Stalin Trotsky supported a worldwide revolution for communists, while Stalin wanted to concentrate on building socialism at home Stalin eventually takes over Communist Russia, and uses many ruthless tactics to win dictatorial power.