The Russian Revolution

Fall of the Tsar (Czar?) The Duma –Russia’s Congress Criticizes the war effort in 1916 Tsar Nicholas II closes it down

Rasputin –Grigori Rasputin Mystic monk Claimed to be able to heal Alexi’s hemophilia Influenced royal couple –Nicholas goes to the front, leaving wife and Rasputin in charge December 29, 1916 –Relatives invite Rasputin to dinner

Creepy?

While at Dinner Relatives poison and shoot Rasputin –HE DOESN’T DIE –Throw his body in the Neva River

Problems Continue Food Shortages –Where’s my Beef Stroganoff? Fuel Shortages Military told to fire at protestors –won’t fire and join protestors

Tsar Steps Aside March 15, 1917 –Tsar Nicholas II ends the Romanov dynasty and steps down Romanovs had been in power for 300 years

Provisional Government Liberals call for elections –Mostly members of the Duma –Saw the need for support from the Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies Socialistic groups –Mensheviks – moderates –Bolsheviks – radicals Run by Alexander Kerensky –Member of the Petrograd Soviet

Kerensky

Provisional Government (con’t) Does not pull out of WWI –Desertion grows, economy drops –Could not make changes that the Soviets wanted – BIG PROBLEM

Lenin to the rescue

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin Big Brother, Alexander tries to kill Nicholas’ father Tsar Alexander III –Fails and is hanged Vlady vows to lead revolution Exiled to Siberia in 1895 –Leaves Russia after his release Germany sends him back after Nicholas abdicates the throne (Why?)

Lenin’s Work Promised “Peace, Land, Bread” –Get out of WWI –Peasants would get land –Everyone gets enough to eat “ALL POWER TO THE SOVIETS” –Soviets (committees) should be the nation’s only government

The Revolution Summer 1917 –Gov’t issues warrants for Bolshevik leaders Fall 1917 –Bolsheviks control Petrograd Soviet through elections November 1917 –Storm communication, train, and electric hubs –Turn the guns of the Aurora on the Tsarist palace –Provisional Government surrnders

What Happened Next Elections held –Social Democrats seats –Bolsheviks seats Bolsheviks dissolve gov’t the next day –Seize power under Lenin Signs Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany –Russia gives Baltic provinces, Ukraine, and Poland to Germany

Civil War White –Opposed Bolsheviks –Could be Tsarists – want to restore the Romanovs Liberals – want a capitalistic democracy Moderate Socialists – want democracy and state run economy Red –Bolsheviks Begin to call themselves communist Choose red as color of revolution

Whites get help Allies want to get rid of Bolsheviks –Bring Russia back into the war with Germany –Give soldiers and money to Whites

Why the Reds Win Leon Trotsky –Reorganized the army Restored discipline Fostered loyalty –Taught soldiers how to read an write Lack of unity on White side –Different groups didn’t trust one another Lenin used terror –Cheka – secret police arrests anyone who is “enemy of the revolution”

What Happens to the Romanovs July 1918 –Lenin orders Tsar and his family killed Were in Siberia –Taken to basement of their home and shot

The Royal Family

Lenin and Religion Lenin sees religion as against the revolution –Places severe restrictions on the Russian Orthodox Church

Ending the Civil War Many socialist that support Lenin flee Russia Communists control entire country by 1921 White armies surrender in 1921 due to disorganization, lack of equipment, etc. LENIN WINS

Problems for Lenin Rebellion at Krondstadt Naval Base (1921) Saw Lenin as a dictator – not true to promises Quickly crushed by Red Army –Survivors are publically hanged

Lenin’s Plans New Economy Plan –Slows down Revolution –Allows agriculture and retail to remain private –Brings heavy industry (coal, oil, steel, etc.) under government control

Lenin’s Plans Changes country’s name to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics –Attempt to incorporate non-Russian people Forms All-Union Communist Party –Only party allowed –Allows Lenin to control everything

Lenin’s Downfall Starting in 1921, Lenin suffers a series of strokes –Gradually removed from having power by colleagues “keeping him from stressing” Dies on January 21, 1924

Lenin’s Tomb

Next Up STALIN!!

Stalin’s Background Joseph Dzhugashvili –Son of a shoemaker –Studies in seminary –Exiled for revolutionary activity Robs banks, prison breaks, etc. –Becomes known to Lenin

Stalin’s Rise to Power Positions –Politburo – policy committee –Orgburo – organization committee –General Secretary of the Secretariat Seen as busy work by others Control Party membership and positions

Stalin’s Rise to Power Trotsky’s Decline –1925 – gives up Commissar of War position Thinks he will succeed Lenin –1927 – forced from Politburo and the Party –1928 – exiled abroad (Kazakhstan)

Stalin’s Rise to Power Without Trotsky – Stalin becomes undisputed ruler

Stalin’s Economic Policies Five Year Plan –Sets targets that have to met within 5 years for industry and agriculture Hard to increase everything at once Leads to famine

Stalin’s Economic Policies Collectivization –Consolidates all farms into state-run collectives Problems –Compensation –Animals –Gardens

Stalin’s Economic Policies Collectivization (con’t) –Policy is discontinued during the ’29-’30 winter. –Re-started at harvest 1930

Stalin’s Terror Politburo –Of the six original members only one survives – Stalin 4 ordered dead by Stalin –Packed with Stalin supporters

Stalin’s Terror Army –20% wiped out –40,000 officers killed Seen as possible threat to Stalin

Stalin’s Terror Peasants –If opposed to Stalin’s policies: Deported to Siberia Killed –2,000 killed a day in Moscow for one summer

Stalin’s Successors –At time of death “conspiracy” of Jewish doctors trying to kill him –planning to execute all Soviet Jews Beria controlling doctors –Dies of cerebral hemerage on March 6, 1953

Stalin’s Death

Stalin’s Successors Georgi Malenkov and the Presidium (Politburo) –Kill Beria, who had tried to take power –Sees the USSR as weaker than thought Wants to compete with USA without fighting them –Forced out in 1955

Malenkov

Stalin’s Successors Nikita Khrushchev –Named Party Secretary in 1953 –Becomes Premier in 1956 –“Secret Speech” given to Congress of Communist Party (1956) denounces Stalin’s policies leaves out anything he had a part in CAUSES PROBLEMS

Secret Speech

Stalin’s Successors Khrushchev’s Foreign Policy –Eastern Europe signs Warsaw Pact –gave Eastern block countries some control Patches relationship with Yugoslavia

Stalin’s Successors Khrushchev’s Foreign Policy –Eastern Europe Poland –riot demanding change »threatens military action, but backs down Hungary –wants free elections –want to withdraw from Warsaw Pact »USSR tanks roll in to crush protests

Hungary Uprising

Stalin’s Successor Khrushchev’s Foreign Policy –World Looking for Allies brokers deal between Czechoslovakia and Egypt offers aid to Afghanistan, India, and Burma

Stalin’s Successors Khrushchev’s Foreign Policy –USA Berlin Wall meets with Kennedy in Vienna (1961) wants USA out of East Germany –Kennedy increases military presence in West Berlin »USSR builds Berlin Wall »cut of flow of people moving from East Berlin to West Berlin

Berlin Wall

Stalin’s Successors Khrushchev’s Foreign Policy –USA Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) –USA finds missile silos built in Cuba »blockades Cuba »USSR backs down

Cuban Missile Crisis

Stalin’s Successors Khrushchev’s Domestic Policy –Lessens grip but keeps control Allows more freedom of press –not complete –economic ideas de-centralization –relaxed collectivization of farms opened “virgin land” initially work and then decline

Stalin’s Succesors Khrushchev’s Downfall –1964 many think he does too much, too soon, and did it poorly –“resigned” October 1964 – voted out of power Told to resign

“Stalin” Characters What They Really Looked Like and What Happens

Kirov

Trotsky

Kamenev

Zinoviev

Bukharin

Sergo Ordzhonikidze

Voroshilov

Not a professional soldier Liked the spotlight –Often out with Medals on Whipping boy for Stalin Becomes President of USSR after Stalin’s death Pardoned by Khrushchev Dies in 1970 at the age of 89

Kaganovich

Ruthless –Sent to bring Ukraine under control –Big during Purges Expelled from Politburo in 1957 Khrushchev accuses him of crimes –Even though he helped Khrushchev Appointed manager of cement works Dies in 1991 at 98 years old in Moscow

Molotov

Molotov means “hammer” –Was used to smash opposition Signed “Non-Aggression” pact with Germany Opposes Khrushchev after Stalin’s death Ambassador to Ulan Bator Delegate to International Atomic Energy Agency in 1960 Thrown out of the Party in 1961 –Re-instated in 1984 Dies in 1986 at 96 years old

Yagoda

Yezhov

Beria

Slowed down Purges Placed in charge of USSR nuclear program Possible target of Stalin late in life Tried to take power upon Stalin’s death –Others put aside differences and had him killed in 1953