The Russian Revolution

Timeline on Russian Revolution Read p. 789- 793 Create an annotated timeline on the events of the Russian Revolution (yes, there is a small timeline in the book with six events) You need to have at least 12 events/items on your timeline with explanations and details for each You need at least 3 visuals corresponding with the events

Background of Revolution Short-term problems: 1. No good military commanders Czar Nicholas II led armies in WWI (fatal mistake) soldiers not trained well, few weapons ( at times they had one bullet a day), huge casualties, industry couldn’t keep up with other European weapons (outdated equipment) 2. Distrust in leadership - Czarina Alexandra: (German by birth) left in charge while czar was fighting - made decisions based on bad advice of Rasputin -(medicine man whom is eventually killed by nobles, 1916) 3. Food shortage: On March 8, 1917: - Protest in Petrograd/ St. Petersburg > country-wide strike, wanted peace/bread - Soldiers won’t take action against people = gov’t has no power - Czar disbands Duma= Duma ignores Czar (along with soldiers and citizens) March 15, 1917- Duma declared new gov’t and Nicholas II stepped down (abdicates throne) - (based on old Russian calendar, thus is called the “February Revolution”)

Rasputin and Royal Family

“The Provisional Government” In power after Czar Nicholas II abdicates (his brother abdicates the following day) Led by Alexander Kerensky keep on fighting in WWI for Russia’s honor soviets (councils of workers and soldiers) challenged Kerensky’s gov’t for authority

Rise of Vladimir Lenin Bolsheviks – socialist group Lenin in exile: leader Vladimir Illyich Lenin= dedicated to violent revolution Karl Marx said proletariat would rise in revolt against bourgeoisie Lenin in exile: Abroad from1900-1917 When revolution happens= he hurried back to Russia with Germany’s support Germany was hoping it would weaken Russian unity and lead to sectarian warfare within… which would weaken Russia in WWI And it did! “Peace, Land, Bread” became slogan for Lenin

Lenin and Bolsheviks

Bolsheviks Seize Power November 1917- “October Revolution” Bolsheviks seized winter palace in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) Provisional Gov’t under Kerensky collapsed Lenin takes power Land ownership becomes illegal (NO private property)!!!! March 1918- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Russia withdrew from WWI Russia loses land to Central Powers Humiliating, but out of war Loss of land and natural resources! Peace still illusive as country sank into civil war

Loss in Russian territory in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk….. 1.Ukraine, Georgia and Finland= independence 2. Gave Poland and Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) to Germany &Austria Hungary 3. Gave territories of Kars, Ardahan and Batum to Turkey (modern day areas in Turkey and Georgia) Total loss= 1 million sq. miles of Russian territory; 1/3 of population or 55 million people; the majority of coal, oil and iron reserves/industry

October Revolution in Nov. 1917

Civil War in Russia: 1918-1921 Bolshevik or Communist forces = the Reds Anti-Communist forces = the Whites Army leaders, wealthy Russians, political opponents, land owners ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Allies worried about Communists thus gave supplies to Whites (Reds questioned patriotism of Whites ) July 1918- Reds killed Czar Nicholas II, wife Alexandra and family (story of Anastasia)

Civil War

Triumph of Communists Red Army superior to White better trained by Leon Trotsky, demanded rigid discipline Whites had no common goal, Reds were united in goal/purpose Reds set up war communism central gov’t controls all food, banks, factories, etc. Reds created secret police to get rid of anyone who opposed Communists > Red Terror once Communists controlled Russia (1921) hostile to Allies who had tried to keep Communists out of power Economy not going well: Lenin instituted New Economic Policy (NEP) 1921/1922 to help Peasants could sell food for profit (allows some capitalism within economy) Tries to encourage food production 1924- Lenin died from stroke= power struggle between Trotsky and Stalin

Leon Trotsky

Jospeh Stalin Real name: Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Iosif= Joseph in Russian (Vissarion Dzhugashvili= his father) Stalin= ‘steel’ in Russian He made himself into a man of steel, literally…his nickname but also name translation.

Russia → Soviet Union USSR = Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (created in 1922)