1. The Russian Revolution
1917

2. I. Background to Revolution
Russia unprepared for WWI
Technologically inferior
No good military leaders
Czar Nicholas II commanded military
No military training
Not enough weapons
Soldiers trained with broomsticks
By 1916, 2 million died, ~5 million captured or wounded

3. Grigori Rasputin- Holy man or fraud?
Claimed to be a starets, or holy man
Was a healer who attended to the Czar’s sickly son
Increasingly strong influence on Czar and his wife
Distrusted by nobles and peasants alike
Believed he was using royal family to gain power
Assassinated by nobles in 1916

4. February Revolution of 1917
Price of bread skyrockets, government begins rationing food
People protest in Petrograd (St. Petersburg)
All factories in the city shut down
Nicholas orders army to break up protests
Soldiers refuse to shoot, join protest

5. Duma (legislative body) met and urged Czar to step down
Established provisional government
End of absolute monarchy in Russia
Aleksandr Kerensky led new government
Stays in war- soldiers and peasants are tired of suffering

6. Soviets challenged government
Soviets- councils representing workers and peasants
Socialist soviet groups sprang up, pushing radical agenda

7. II. Lenin and the Bolsheviks
Bolsheviks were a Marxist faction of Soviets
Led by Vladimir Lenin
Exiled in Russia for his revolutionary ideas, Lenin then traveled around western Europe, connecting with other socialist organizations
Returned to Russia in 1917 to seize power
German government sent Lenin back to Russia, hoping his movement would create disorder and ultimately help them defeat the Russians
Believed only violent revolution could destroy capitalist system

8. Bolsheviks promised to
End involvement in WWI
Redistribute land to peasants
Transfer factory ownership to the workers
Transfer government power to Soviets
“Peace, land, bread”

9. III. Bolsheviks Seize Power
October Revolution
By October 1917, Bolsheviks held a majority in Petrograd and Moscow soviets
November 6- Bolshevik forces seize the Winter Palace
Government collapses with little bloodshed
Lenin holds power, Bolsheviks are renamed Communists

10. Russia exits WWI in 1918 Signed Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in Germany
Gives up Poland, Ukraine, Finland
Lenin promises peace to Russians

11. IV. Civil War in Russia Reds v. Whites
Many did not like the Communists (Reds)
Allies did not like Communist takeover
Sent troops to Russia to bring Russia back into war
Aided anti-communists to overthrow Lenin’s government
Anti-Communists (Whites) attacked but were defeated
Ukraine is retaken, followed by other territories
Czar and his family were imprisoned and shot, their bodies burned

12. V. Triumph of the Communists
Red Army
Rigid discipline and a military draft
Soldiers who deserted or didn’t follow orders were immediately shot
War Communism ensured supplies for Red Army
Government controlled banks and industry, confiscated grain from peasants
Cheka (Secret police) aimed to destroy those who opposed the new regime
Foreign forces on Russian soil promoted patriotism

13. By 1921 the Communists were in total command of Russia
White Army
Not unified
Some wanted to restore monarchy, some wanted democracy
By 1921 the Communists were in total command of Russia
Major famine caused by economic conditions and drought
Killed as many as 5 million