Russian Revolution 1917

Equality, Justice, …..

Tsar Nicholas

• Sometimes kind, sometimes cruel

• Weak/poor leader compared to western kings

The Romanov Family

Winter Castle

Catherine Palace

Tsar Nicholas and Family

• Son was a hemophiliac

• Anastasia mystery• Murdered by

revolutionaries

Faberge Eggs

• Russian treasures• Confiscated many

after execution• Worth millions

Alexandra Romanov

• Brought the Mad Monk into the palace

• Revolutionaries used the Monk to strengthen opposition to the Tsar and his family

Alexei As A Child

• Blood disorder• “Bleeder”• Mother is a carrier• Any slight injury

could cause him to bleed to death

The Mad Monk• Rasputin• Tsar’s family

believed he saved son’s life

• Thought to have supernatural healing powers

• Big influence on Tsar, especially wife

Mad Monk Assassinated

• Nobles saw him as problem

• Poison, bullet, beating didn’t do the job

• Drowned in icy water

Anastasia

Romanov Death Cellar

Execution

• Family, four servants, and doctor held captive

• Death shooting squad

• Didn’t die easily

Anastasia Romanov

• Did she survive?• Was she saved by

one of the soldiers?• Movies and books

carry the legend

Karl Marx

• Philosopher• Father of

communism• “Workers of the

world unite!”• Died before the

Russian Revolution

Leon Trotsky• Pure communist;

followed Marx• Wanted to improve life

for all Russians• Lenin’s KGB (secret

police) chased him away

• Other leader of October revolution

• Well-educated

Communism…in its purist form

• No owners, no rich, no poor

• All are equal• Government owns

everything, people own government

• Rules and regulations…..

Leon Trotsky: Murdered• Exiled in body and spirit• Face removed from

photos• Historical role was

rewritten• Denounced as traitor

and conspirator• Assassinated in Mexico

City in 1940 by Stalin’s agent

Joseph Stalin• Not as well educated as

Trotsky• Didn’t follow Marx’s

philosophy• Pragmatic, not

philosophical• Craved power; killed

those who did not agree with him

• Began KGB/secret police

Lenin

• Supported by KGB• Strong propaganda

Children for Revolution

Propaganda

• Propaganda is, according to the dictionary:

• “the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person”

•Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary. Published by Encyclopedia Britannica, 2009, 11 th Edition

Propaganda• Controlled all news• Supported revolution

leaders• Lied when necessary to

retain support for leaders

• Education was controlled by leaders; people weren’t sure of what was what.

Marching in the Streets

Russian Red Arm Band

• Red = color of the revolution

• People who wanted to stay out of trouble wore the arm band

Tough times, bread lines

• Goods went first to soldiers and government

• Bread lines ran out of supplies

• People were desperate

• Joined army for food

Marching Troops

Romanov Treasures Confiscated

Some believed Alexei lived!

Romanovs Reburied

Russian Farmers• Stalin wanted collective

farms• Ukraine farmers

resisted/killed livestock• Stalin executed farmers

who destroyed their livestock

• 4-10 million Ukranians were starved to death by Stalin; Ukranian holocaust….

Revolution?

Success or Failure?