1. WHII: SOL 10c
Russian Revolution of 1917

2. Causes of 1917 revolutions Defeat in war with Japan in 1905
Landless peasantry
Incompetence of Tsar Nicholas II
Military defeats and high casualties in World War I

3. March 1917 Revolution Tsar Nicholas abdicates
Russians experience extreme poverty, peasants want land, factory works want control
Provisional gov’t. is set-up but, does not pull out of WWI or deal with land reform
No economic or social changes made
**Weak due to diversity of groups in Russia

4. November 1917 Revolution Provisional gov’t. was ineffective
Bolsheviks (radical communists) rally peasants and factory workers to rebel and overthrow the provisional gov’t.
It only took a week to oust them from the Kremlin and take Moscow
“Peace, Land, and Bread”
For 3 more years, civil war raged between the “Reds” and “Whites”

5. Changes under Communism
1922 United Soviet Socialist Republics-U.S.S.R
Supreme Soviet-all resources, means of production, and power belonged to the citizens (over 18)
Communist Party really had control-secret police, labor camps

6. New Economic Policy
NEP allowed some small businesses could open for private profit
State retained control of banks, foreign trade, and large industries
Peasants could sell their surplus crops
**Temporary break from communism to fix the economy

7. Stalin
Lenin died in 1924
Stalin vs. Trotsky, Stalin forced Trotsky from Russia (assassinated in Mexico 1940)
Eventually became a dictator
Wanted to focus on developing socialism at home before urging a worldwide revolution against capitalism

8. R – Russia lost to Japan in 1905.
E – Every landless peasant demanded land.
V – Violence broke out over bread shortage and military defeats.
O – Overthrow of provisional government was led by Bolsheviks.
L – Lenin created communist U.S.S.R. (Stalin was his successor).
T – The New Economic Policy (NEP) of Lenin allowed some capitalism