World War I RUSSIAN REVOLUTION The Russian Revolution occurred during the first World War.

Russian Revolution

Russian Revolution (Chapter 30) Alexander III  Hated Russian reforms  Supported absolute rule  Used harsh measures to control  Used secret police  Controlled schools  Oppressed non-Russian groups  Persecuted Jews (pogroms)

Russian Revolution Nicholas II, son of Alexander II  Autocratic ruler like his father  Ruled a nation lacking industrial power  Used top official to bring about changes Hired Sergey Witte helped finance Russian industry Higher taxes & foreign investments Russia became leader in steel making Built the Trans-Siberian railroad

Russian Revolution – Revolutionary Movement  Rapid industrial growth caused discontent among workers. Working conditions Child labor Low pay  Trade unions were outlawed  Workers had low standard of living & lacked political voice Working People Arise

Russian Revolution Political Groups Bolsheviks wanted a few dedicated revolutionaries willing to sacrifice everything for radical change Mensheviks wanted broad based popular support for the revolution Mensheviks Bolsheviks

Russian Revolution Bolsheviks  Led by Vladimir Lenin  Ruthless leader  Fled to Europe to avoid arrest by the czar  Waited until the czar had been overthrown to return to Russia First ruler of Russia under communist control.

Russian Revolution Russo-Japanese War  Russia & Japan competed for power over Korea and Manchuria  Signed treaties broken by Russia  Japan attacked Russia in retaliation for broken treaties  Japan defeated Russia

Russian Revolution Bloody Sunday 200,000 industrial workers went to the czar ’ s palace Petitioned for Better working conditions More personal freedom Elected national legislature Between 500 – 1,000 were killed the palace guards. Nicholas agreed to the Duma, (elected legislature) but dismissed them when they wanted a constitutional monarchy

Russian Revolution Russia in World War I Nicholas allowed Russia to enter WW I  Germany had the superior army  Russia lost 4 million men in one year  1915, Nicholas II moved to the war front  Czarina Alexandra ran the country  Ignored the czar ’ s advisors  Took advise and council from Rasputin

Russian Revolution Rasputin Grigory Yefimovich Rasputin is has been described as one of the most scandalous figures in Russian history. A semi-literate peasant from Siberia, he arrived in St. Petersburg, the capital of Russia, and within a few years had become one of the most influential men in the Russian government. believed to have magical powers seemed to help the czar ’ s son, Alexis who suffered from hemophilia Alexandra allowed Rasputin to make key political decisions spread corruption throughout the court eventually killed by a group of Russian nobles

Russian Revolution March Revolution 1917 – Russia ’ s war efforts and the state of the nation were in decline - women workers led a strike in Petrograd - riots over bread & fuel shortages - soldiers shot the rioters at first, then joined them - soldiers killed their commanding officers

Russian Revolution Czar Abdicates  Riots spread throughout Russia  Czar Nicholas abdicated his throne  Imprisoned by Bolsheviks  Executed along with his family which gave rise to the many theories concerning Anastasia, his daughter  Duma established a provisional government  Soviets were formed by revolutionaries seeking power  Lenin returned to Russia from exile

Russian Revolution Bolshevik Revolution Bolsheviks stormed the winter palace and overpowered the provisional government Lenin took over Ordered all farmland to be given to the peasants Gave control of the factories to the workers Signed a treaty (Brest –Litovsk) with Germany, surrendered land to Germany & its allies Many objected to the Bolsheviks & their policies Civil war broke out

Russian Revolution Russian Civil War Many Russians opposed the Bolsheviks = Civil War Red Army = Bolsheviks White Army = Menshiviks  15 million Russians dies in the three year battle.  America gave aid to the White Army.  Red army won giving the Bolsheviks, (Lenin) control of Russia.

Russian Revolution From czarism to “ freedom ”.

Russian Revolution Lenin Restores Order Revision of Government and Economy New Economic Policy Abandoned the state-controlled economy idea Est. a mini-capitalism economy where peasants could sell surplus goods Government controlled industry, banks, communications Individuals could control farms and small business

Russian Revolution Lenin ’ s Government Reforms Organized self-governing republics under the control of the central government. (USSR) Bolsheviks took the name Communist Party. * Communism – classless society * Created a constitution based on socialist and democratic principles. * In reality – communist party held all of the power The USSR slowly recovered by 1928 the farms and factories were back to pre-war production

Russian Revolution Joseph Stalin Lenin died in Lenin ’ s death began a struggle for power. Leon Trotsky & Joseph Stalin fought for control of the party. Joseph Stalin became ruler of Russia.