Revolutions in Russia

Russian Revolution is culmination of problems

19th century czars were cruel and oppressive◦Caused social unrest◦Army officials revolt in 1825◦Czar Alexander II assassinated in 1881 by revolutionaries

Setting the Stage

Alexander III becomes czar in 1881◦Halted all reforms◦Liked autocracy Form of government where one person has total authority

Czars Resist Change

Believed opposition was dangerous:◦Anyone who questioned absolute authority of czar

◦Anyone who worshiped outside Russian Orthodox Church

◦Anyone who spoke language other than Russian

Alexander III wipes out revolutionaries◦Strict censorship codes◦Secret police force Watched secondary schools and universities

Teachers sent reports on every student

◦Political prisoners sent to Siberia

Czar Continues Autocratic Rule

Alexander III tries to establish uniform culture◦Oppressed other groups◦Russian made official language Forbade use of minority languages in schools

◦Targeted Jews with pogroms Russian citizens looted and destroyed homes, stores, and synagogues

Police and soldiers stood by and watched

Rapid industrialization changes Russia◦# of factories doubles from 1863 to 1900 Russia still lagged behind western Europe

◦1890s – Nicolas II launches industrialization plan Government increases taxes and seeks foreign investments

Boosted growth of industry, especially steel

1900 – Russia 4th ranking producer of steel

Russia Industrializes

Trans-Siberian Railway◦Begun in 1891◦Finished 1916◦Linked European Russia with Russian ports on Pacific Ocean

◦Worlds longest continuous rail line

Industrialization causes problems◦Grueling working conditions◦Low wages◦Child labor◦Gov’t outlaws trade unions◦Workers organized strikes Upset over low standard of living Lack of political power

The Revolutionary Movement Grows

Believed workers would overthrow the czar◦Workers would form “dictatorship of

proletariat” Workers would rule the country

1903 – two factions◦Mensheviks Moderate Wanted broad base of popular support

for revolution

Marxist Revolutionaries

Radicals◦Supported small # of revolutionaries

willing to sacrifice everything for change Led by Vladimir Lenin

◦Engaging personality and excellent organizer

◦Extremely ruthless◦Early 1900s fled to western Europe to

avoid arrest◦Waited until he could return and take

power

Bolsheviks

Vladimir Lenin

Russo-Japanese War◦February 1904 Japanese attack Russians in Manchuria

◦News of Russian losses sparks unrest at home

◦Results in revolt during war

Crises at Home and Abroad

January 22, 1905 200,000 workers and families approach the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg◦Brought petition with them Better working conditions More personal freedom Elected national legislature

Soldiers open fire on the crowd◦1,000 wounded◦Several hundred killed

Bloody Sunday: The Revolution of 1905

Provoked wave of strikes and violence Oct 1905 Nicholas II promises more freedom

Approved creation of the Duma◦Russia’s first parliament◦Met in May 1906◦Leaders were moderates who wanted

constitutional monarchy◦Czar dissolved after 10 weeks

Reaction to Bloody Sunday

1914 – Nicholas II drags Russia into WWI◦Russia unprepared Weak generals Poorly equipped troops

◦4 million killed, wounded, or taken prisoner within a year

World War I: The Final Blow

1915◦Nicholas II moves headquarters to war

front Hoped to rally troops

◦Left wife, Czarina Alexandra, in charge of government Ignored czar’s advisers Turned to Rasputin

Began as healer to Czar’s son Alexei Became political figure

◦Alexandra’s most trusted confidant◦Opposed reforms◦Filled positions will loyal friends

Opposed by many nobles◦Murdered in 1916 Poisoned, shot 3 times, clubbed,

stabbed, drowned

Rasputin

Soldiers mutiny◦Desert or ignore orders

Home Front◦Food and supplies low◦Inflation◦People want change

Demand end to war

Effects of War

March 1917 – textile workers strike in Petrograd◦Riots ensue Shortage of bread and fuel

◦200,000 flood the streets Soldiers refuse to shoot rioters Eventually join them

March Revolution

Local protests lead to general uprising across Russia

Forced czar to step down◦1918 Nicholas II and family executed

Revolution takes down czar◦Fails to create stable government

Czar Steps Down

Duma established provisional government◦Led by Aleksandr Kerensky◦Continues WWI Loses support of soldiers and civilians

Russia gets worse◦Peasants demand land◦Workers grow radical

Soviets formed◦Local councils◦Workers, peasants, soldiers

Lots of influence

Lenin returns to Russia◦Germans support Lenin’s return Presence would hurt Russia and the war effort

April 1917 – arrives in Petrograd

He’s Back

Bolshevik Revolution◦Bolsheviks and Lenin take control of Petrograd

◦Fall 1917 People in many cities support Bolsheviks

“Peace, Land, and Bread”

Bolshevik Red Guards◦Nov 1917◦Armed factory workers storm Winter Palace in Petrograd

◦Take over gov’t offices and arrest leaders of gov’t Kerensky and colleagues disappear

Provisional Government Topples

Lenin orders all farmland distributed among the peasants◦Gave control of factories to the workers

Sign Treaty of Brest-Litovsk w/Germany◦March 1918◦Russia surrenders territory to Germany◦Triggers opposition to Bolsheviks

Bolsheviks in Power

Opposition forms White Army◦Different groups People who supported return to rule of czar

People who wanted democratic government

Socialists that opposed Lenin

Civil War Rages in Russia 1916-1918

◦United by desire to defeat Bolsheviks Barely cooperated

◦Supported by Western Nations Sent military aid and forces to Russia

Red Army led by Leon Trotsky

Deadly struggle◦14 million died Fighting and famine

Russia left in chaosRed Army crushed opposition

◦Bolsheviks could seize power and maintain it

How did Lenin win?◦Red Army was well disciplined Leon Trotsky reinstated draft and insisted on discipline

Soldiers who deserted were executed◦Disunity of White Army

Triumph of the Communists

◦The Cheka Secret police Began Red Terror Destroyed those that opposed Lenin

◦Patriotism Foreign presence led to unification

◦1921- Communists in total command of Russia

New Economic Policy – not state-controlled ◦Allowed peasants to sell surplus crops ◦Didn’t have to turn them over to gov’t◦Gov’t controlled major industries Banks Means of communication

1928 – Russia had recovered from WWI◦Farms and factories produced as much as before the war

Lenin restores Order

1922 – Lenin forms Union of Soviet Socialist Republics◦Bolsheviks saw nationalism as a threat

◦Lenin organized small self-governing republics

Political Reforms

Bolsheviks become Communist Party◦1924 create constitution Based on socialist and democratic ideas

◦Held all the Power◦Established Dictatorship of Communist Party

1922 – Lenin suffers strokeTrotsky vs Stalin (“Man of Steel”)◦Lenin saw Stalin as dangerous

1928 – Stalin gains control of Communists◦1929 – Trotsky exiled

Stalin becomes Dictator