Bellringer Study for 2 mins!

During the course of WWI, Russia withdrew before the war was over because of a revolution at home. Russia emerged from their revolution as the world’s first communist state.

Background to the Russian Revolution Russia was militarily and technologically unprepared to fight in WWI  Lacked competent leaders and industry to produce weapons Czar Nicholas II (The Last Czar of Russia) was a weak and harsh ruler  Cut off from what was going on with the government as he led Russia in the war  Wife, Alexandria, made important government decisions based on the advice of Grigory Rasputin, a mystic “holy man”

Czar Nicholas II and Family

Rasputin

Rasputin with Admirers

Background to the Revolution The people became more and more upset with the royal family as they suffered war losses  War became very unpopular  Rationing food led to starvation of the Russian people Assassinated Rasputin in December 1916  Stabbed three times, tied up and thrown into the river  He untied the knots before he drowned!

March Revolution (1917) Protests spread throughout the capital (St. Petersburg) as women revolted over bread rations and workers went on strike A provisional government was set up and the Czar was forced to step down Aleksandar Kerensky, the leader of the temporary government, kept the war going to preserve Russian honor  The new government then became unpopular because they were sick of war!  Meanwhile, the soviets (groups of radical socialists) were spreading

October (Bolshevik) Revolution (1917) Bolsheviks (radicals who wanted violent revolution) began to grow under the leadership of V.I. Lenin  Wanted an end to capitalism  “Peace, Land, and Bread” Used the soviets to overthrow the provisional government Lenin became the new head of government, and the party renamed themselves “Communists” Became the world’s first socialist state and Lenin intended for the revolution to spread

Russia leaves WWI Lenin had promised the people peace, though it would mean the loss of territory Signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany to end the war in 1918 The Allies were worried about the Communist takeover of Russia and many people in Russia were opposed to the new government Civil war took place between Red (Communist) and White (Anti-Communist) forces Communists won because of well-disciplined army, no common goals among White forces, Red secret police and the Red Terror’s fear tactics, and nationalism

Outcome By 1921, Communists had total command  Communism is a form of socialism where the government makes all the decisions about the economy Russia became known as the United Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) Centralized state ruled by a single party Hostile to the Allies because the Allies helped the White forces against them

Connect! 1. What things led to the Russian Revolution? 2. Who was the leader of the Bolsheviks and the leader of the new Communist ruled Russia? 3. Why did Russia withdraw from WWI? 4. Why did the Red Army win the civil war?