The Russian Revolutions

Russian Stats Russia makes up 1/6 of the Earth’s land surface There are 11 time zones in Russia Russia is 1.71 times as large as Canada It is 713km from Moscow to St. Petersburg, about the distance from Port Elgin to Montreal.

Background Russia is ruled by a Czar or Tsar Government is an autocracy Most people are peasants. Most peasants were serfs until 1861 Under under Czar Alexander III, Czar Nicholas II (the last Czar), the contradictory policies of rapid industrial development and continued political repression created the potential for a revolutionary explosion ◦Why?

Lenin Born Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov on April 22, His views were influenced by the execution of his older brother as a terrorist. Adopted the pseudonym Lenin in 1901

Lenin Became the leader of the Russian Social Democratic Party, where he wrote “What is to be done?” Defended the necessity of revolution but argued that it was not necessary to wait for spontaneous insurrection of the masses. Advanced the idea that a dedicated core of professional revolutionaries, the vanguard of the political party, could take a political crisis and lead the working class into full scale revolution

What about Russia? George V of England & Tsar Nicholas II of Russia

Prince Charles & Russia

1905 Nicholas II became Czar in 1894 He was weak and indecisive Very influenced by his wife Alexandra He recognized the unrest that had been brewing for decades, and thought a war would settle things. Choose to go to war with Japan in 1904 Their defeat by Japan in 1905, paved the way for the first revolution

Bloody Sunday 1905 January 22, 1905 A group ( ) lead by Father Gapon (a government supporter), went to the Winter Palace to petition the Czar to: ◦Call an elected Duma ◦Freedom of speech ◦Fair trials ◦End of the war The people were peaceful, but the guards open fired killing more than 100

January – August million workers go on strike Nicholas II eventually granted an Duma, and other civil liberties ◦Freedom of speech, press, and elections This Band-Aid approach worked until 1917 What changed in 1917?

World War I Russians very unprepared and untrained for the war Lost almost every battle, millions dies from battle, and disease. Millions more deserted What do you think Lenin’s view of the war was? The Duma wanted to accuse the government of treason

Revolution The people revolt Soldiers turn on their leaders Workers strike and revolt March Nicholas II abdicates the throne He is arrested shortly after and eventually executed in July 1918, along with his entire family

Consolidation A provisional government is set in place Attempt to continue the war by making the army democratic Lenin return from exile and begins to work to take down the provisional government He eventually succeeds through a coup d’etat Lenin removes Russia from the war and begins to consolidate his power

Lenin Today

Grigorii Rasputin

Boney M - Rasputin

Death of Rasputin Fearful of Rasputin’s growing power It was also believed by some that he was plotting to make a separate peace with the Germans A group of nobles, lured Rasputin to Youssupov Palace on the night of December 29, Rasputin’s would-be killers gave the monk food and wine laced with cyanide

Death of Rasputin When he failed to react to the poison, they shot him at close range, leaving him for dead. A short time later, however, Rasputin revived and attempted to escape from the palace grounds His assailants shot him again and beat him viciously.

Death of Rasputin Finally, they bound Rasputin, still miraculously alive, and tossed him into a freezing river. His body was discovered several days later It has since been discovered that there was a British agent there at the time who likely orchestrated the entire thing. Brittan didn’t want Russia to leave the war

RASPUTIN’S LAST LETTER I write and leave behind me this letter at St. Petersburg. I feel that I shall leave life before January 1st. I wish to make known to the Russian people, to Papa, to the Russian Mother and to the children, to the land of Russia, what they must understand. If I am killed by common assassins, and especially by my brothers the Russian peasants, you, Tsar of Russia, have nothing to fear, remain on your throne and govern, and you, Russian Tsar, will have nothing to fear for your children, they will reign for hundreds of years in Russia. But if I am murdered by boyars, nobles, and if they shed my blood, their hands will remain soiled with my blood, for twenty-five years they will not wash their hands from my blood. They will leave Russia.

RASPUTIN’S LAST LETTER Brothers will kill brothers, and they will kill each other and hate each other, and for twenty- five years there will be no nobles in the country. Tsar of the land of Russia, if you hear the sound of the bell which will tell you that Grigory has been killed, you must know this: if it was your relations who have wrought my death then no one of your family, that is to say, none of your children or relations will remain alive for more than two years. They will be killed by the Russian people...I shall be killed. I am no longer among the living. Pray, pray, be strong, Think of your blessed family.

RASPUTIN’S LAST LETTER 23 days later, Rasputin was killed, by two relatives of the Tsar Nicholas II 19 months after Rasputin's death, the Tsar and his family lay dead Spooky

Why? Who/what is to blame? War?

Why? Who/what is to blame? Have’s and Have Not’s…

Interpretation: why? who/what is to blame? Social discontents? May Day 1917

Why? Who/what is to blame? Opposition parties and leaders? ◦Bolsheviks: “Bread, Peace, Land” Lenin