1. The 1917 Revolution in International Context

2. THE IMPACT OF WORLD WAR ONE World War I in retrospective – the start of a century of global conflict Read Eric Hobsbawm’s article “The Future of War and Peace” Eric Hobsbawm: The Future of War and Peace A good reference library on World War I: Trenches on the Web - Reference Library See also this BBC site: BBC - History - The Western Front, 1914 - 1918 Animation And this website devoted to events on the Eastern Front: The Eastern Front — 1914 - 1917

3. The Russian “battle order” The effects of wars on the Russian system: successful wars (1721, 1815, 1878, 1945) – reaffirmed the status-quo, strengthened the state, discouraged reforms unsuccessful wars (1856, 1905, 1917, 1989) – fostered reforms and revolutions

4. Coat-of- arms of the Russian Empire

5. Tsar Nicholas II

6. EUROPE 1914

7. Causes of Russia’s involvement in World War I: - own imperial goals (the Balkans and Transcaucasus): natural behaviour of an empire - influence of Britain and France - a war to avoid a revolution The clash of empires: The interstate conflict The internal factors: - interplay of nationalisms - class conflicts - struggles over democratic reforms

8. THE WAR AS A REVOLUTIONARY FORCE: it tested the West and undermined capitalism Results of the war: -Collapse of 4 empires: Russian, Austro-Hungarian, German, Turkish -World capitalism severely undermined – North and South (economically, politically, socially, ideologically) -The rise of social protest and revolutionary movements everywhere

9. Russia as “the weakest link”: the sudden fall of the state (the February Revolution) A key conflict within the February 1917 revolution in Russia: Reform-minded elites saw removal of autocracy as a way to make Russia more successful in the war The masses revolted, above all, against the war (as well as against imperialism, autocracy, and capitalism)

10. “Dual Power”: the Provisional Government and the Soviets The 9 months between February and October pushed the masses away from more moderate political forces and gave the initiative to Lenin and the Bolsheviks Russian Social-Democratic Workers Party (the Bolsheviks) – renamed in 1918 as: All-Russian Communist Party (the Bolsheviks)

11. Alexander Kerensky, head of the Provisional Government, July-October 1917

12. Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924)

13. Lenin’s plan:  Stage a socialist revolution in Russia to ignite revolutions abroad and overthrow capitalism  Advance the most radical demands to gain popular support: -a democratic peace -radical land reform -worker control of factories -self-determination of nationalities  Push the Soviets to take power  Overthrow the Provisional Government by force, if necessary Germany’s support of the Bolsheviks: were they really German spies?

14. November 7 (October 25), 1917: Bolsheviks and their allies establish a Soviet Government, which proceeds to implement the radical program The first act: The Decree on Peace:  Russia exits the war, offers immediate peace talks to all warring parties to conclude a democratic peace – and urges workers of the world to rise in revolution Secret documents of the Imperial Government pertaining to the war are made public

15. 3 CONCEPTS OF WORLD ORDER CONSERVATIVE: a balance of power between strong states pursuing their national interests LIBERAL: democratic values, self-determination of nations, free trade, disarmament, a world organization to keep the peace RADICAL: socialism to replace capitalism; promotion of social and national revolutions Read Paul Kennedy’s article on geopolitics vs. democracy: Blending Democratic Ideals With Geopolitical Wisdom In the wake of WWI, conservative notions were discredited. The US advocated a liberal alternative Soviet Russia adopted a radical program – or was it that radical?

16. DECREE ON PEACE, 7.11.17 1. Called for immediate democratic peace without any territorial claims or indemnities 2. Right of nations to self-determination 3. Willing to consider other terms proposed by other states 4. Immediate armistice for 3 months 5. Call to working people of the world to rise against “slavery and exploitation of any kind”

17. Woodrow Wilson, US President in 1913-1920

18. WILSON’S 14 POINTS, 8.01.18 Expressed “universal human sympathy” with the Russian desire for peace and the Russian proposals. Offered a program for establishing “an ordered peace”: - Open diplomacy, no secret treaties - Absolute freedom of the seas - Free trade - Maximum arms reduction - Evacuation of the Russian territory - Right of nations to self-determination - Creation of an international organization to keep peace THE KEY THEME: “The principle of justice to all peoples and nationalities and the right to live on equal terms of liberty and safety with one another, whether they be strong or weak”

19. Results of World War I – for detailed analysis read: Results of World War One

20. The Soviets launch their foreign policy in a combination of diverse approaches: 1. Repudiate international obligations of the Empire 2. Foster revolution abroad – use propaganda, subversion, armed force if necessary. Creation of the Communist International (Comintern). 3. Build a strong state and deal with other states on the basis of Realpolitik – and use all the traditional tools of the state 4. Support some liberal-internationalist ideas CONTRADICTIONS IN FOREIGN POLICY: WILL THEY HURT OR HELP THE SOVIETS?

21. FIRST TASKS OF SOVIET FOREIGN POLICY 1.Extricate Russia from WWI Talks with Germany and its allies The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: almost fatal to Soviets The eruption of the Civil War – peace with Germany one of the causes 2.Win in the Civil War Defeat the Whites militarily and politically Repel foreign intervention 3.Help establish Soviet-type regimes around Russia Unsuccessful: Germany, Finland, Baltic states, Hungary, Northern Iran Successful: Ukraine, Belarus, Transcaucasus, Central Asia, Mongolia

22. Timeline 1917-1921: the Revolution and the Civil War 1921-1929: consolidation 1929-1941: mobilization 1941-1945: the Great Patriotic War 1946-1991: the Cold War

25. Hallmarks of the period 1921 as the pivotal year  End of the Civil War: a devastated country  Shift from War Communism to NEP World revolution is postponed Formation of the Soviet Union Normalization of relations with other countries Machiavellianism Use of the Comintern The rise of Stalin

26. “World revolution” is postponed Stabilization of capitalism worldwide NEP means a shift from revolution to reform, a revival of capitalism in Russia, a compromise between communism and capitalism “Socialism in one country” becomes the goal; success of the Soviet model would be the best help to the world revolution Primacy of internal tasks over foreign policy Deep splits within the leadership, the Communist Party, and the Comintern: has the revolution been betrayed?

27. Formation of the Soviet Union – 1922 The Russian Empire is largely restored under a different management Revolutionary annexation of non-Russian lands: Ukraine, Belarus, the Caucasus, Central Asia. Suppression of nationalists; use of the Red Army; reliance on pro-Soviet groups The ambivalence of Soviet federalism: was it a mere façade for a unitary state?

28. Normalization of relations with other countries Recognition of the Soviet Government:  Afghanistan – 1919, USA – 1933  Britain – the trade agreement of 1921 The Soviet needs:  Legitimation: from a rogue state to a legal successor to the Russian Empire  A peaceful international environment  Trade and investment  Participation in international diplomacy

29. Machiavellianism Using conflicts between potential adversaries; building balances of power; pragmatic maneuvering in world affairs, readiness to use any means available to achieve foreign policy goals Rapallo (1922) and the Soviet-German axis  A separate deal between 2 “rogue states”  Mutual interests  Mutual rearmament  What about German Communists? The China policy  Support of Chinese nationalism against Japan and the West  What about Chinese Communists?

30. Use of the Comintern (and other Internationals) The Comintern: 1919-1943 Idealism vs. pragmatism Extremism vs. moderation The domestic/international linkage of Comintern The Comintern as a tool of Soviet foreign policy  The state relied on subversive forces abroad  The key role of secret services  Undermined official interstate relations  Had some disastrous consequences on politics abroad  Discredited the idea of communism Not a single successful revolution Partial responsibility for the rise of Nazism in Germany The tragedy of true believers

31. The Rise of Stalin Stalin as the ultimate Machiavellian: the needs of the state and the personality Lenin’s legacy and the fight over it: leadership, ideology, policy dilemmas A conservative or a revolutionary?