The Russian Revolution

By 1915 Russia is in trouble2 million soldiers killed or woundedFood shortages people blame Czar as they had done in the pastLegislature set up after 1905 (Duma) has no real power ~ Czar refuses advice

Impact of World War I

Czar Nicholas II goes to the frontCzarina Alexandra left in charge; relies upon Rasputin’s advice

Rasputin

Holy man and healerClaimed ability to cure son Alexei’s hemophilia {in reality used hypnosis}Held influence over Czar and CzarinaInfluence=danger; Rasputin killed in 1916 by czar’s nephew

The Russian Revolution: 1917 The March [February] Uprising:Women in Petrograd Protest Bread Shortages Touches off Protest of 300,000 Workers Demanding The Overthrow of the MonarchyTroops Fire on the Crowd of ProtestersCzar abdicates; revolutionary socialists set up Soviets The Czar and His Family Are Placed Under Arrest

Soviets = councils of workers and soldiers

The Russian Revolution: 1917

New government continues war against Germany

The Russian Revolution: 1917

New government continues war against GermanyVladimir Lenin returns to Russia in AprilLenin and followers, the Bolsheviks (majority), start second revolution; Promise “Peace, Land, Bread” and win control of government in November 1917.

Vladimir Lenin ~ Notes

Had been exiled to Switzerland for spreading Marxist ideas to factory workersOlder brother hanged for trying to kill Alexander III

Vladimir Lenin ~ More Notes• Lenin returns from Switzerland with German

assistance and issues his April theses (Peace, Land, Bread)

• This called for oOverthrow of GovernmentoEnd to waroSoviets to form new government oLand given to peasantsoState to control factories and banks

Lenin’s Russia: 1917-1924

The Bolsheviks took control of the government in an almost bloodless coup between November 8-11, 1917.Lenin is assisted by Leon Trotsky; forces = “Red Guard” attack, take over provisional gov’t, then take over other cities, Moscow becomes capital, Kremlin = HQNew Flag = Red w/ hammer and sickle to symbolize union between workers and peasants; “Bolsheviks” “Communist”Lenin adapts Marxist ideas to Russian conditions “dictatorship of the proletariat"

Dictatorship of the Proletariat

1848 Karl Marx wrote The

Communist Manifesto

Marx called upon factory workers (proletariat) to rise against factory owners (bourgeoisie) and take control of factory production.Russia doesn’t have much industry so Lenin called for an elite group to lead the revolution and set up a dictatorship of the proletariat

Lenin’s Russia: 1917-1924• November 19: Bolsheviks Call for an Immediate

Armistice On All Fronts

December 1: Bolsheviks meet With Central Powers at Brest-Litovsk

December 15: Russia and the Central Powers declare a cease fire

The Treaty of Brest LitovskRussia lost more than 300,000 square miles of territory The treaty helped to establish [for the time being,] the independence of Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

Lenin’s Russia: 1917-1924• November 19: Bolsheviks Call for an Immediate

Armistice On All Fronts

December 1: Bolsheviks meet With Central Powers at Brest-Litovsk

December 15: Russia and the Central Powers declare a cease fireRussia’s loss of lands Civil War: Reds vs. Whites (counter revolutionaries loyal to czar); Allies support Whites (roused Russian nationalism); Japan seizes land in East Asia; Czar and family murdered; Trotsky “every 10th man in army killed for poor performance”

The invasion of U.S.,

British and French

troops fed communist

distrust of the West

Leon Trotsky

• Used “brutal measures”

• Czar and his family are killed

From Lenin to Stalin: 1924-1939By 1921 Communists defeated all foes; Russia in chaos; Lenin rebuilding creates constitution, legislature “Supreme Soviet;” Most of old empire USSR; economic recovery=NEP; foreign policy=Comintern

• Rebuilding = immense job• Economy = in ruins; prices 10x higher than

before WWI• “Supreme Soviet” elected by anyone over 18• USSR = Union of Soviet Socialist Republics• NEP = “New Economic Policy” allowed for some

capitalism (banks were gov’t owned, but some small businesses could make profit)

• Comintern = “Communist International” to aid revolutionary groups around the world and encourage colonial people to rise up against imperial powers

From Lenin to Stalin: 1924-1939By 1921 Communists defeated all foes; Russia in chaos; Lenin rebuilding creates constitution, legislature “Supreme Soviet;” Most of old empire USSR; economic recovery=NEP; foreign policy=Comintern• Lenin dies suddenly in 1924 Trotsky vs. Stalin*

• Lenin’s body displayed for 65 years

• Stalin – had changedname to “man of steel” (from Djugashvili)

From Lenin to Stalin: 1924-1939By 1921 Communists defeated all foes; Russia in chaos; Lenin rebuilding creates constitution, legislature “Supreme Soviet;” Most of old empire USSR; economic recovery=NEP; foreign policy=Comintern• Lenin dies suddenly in 1924 Trotsky vs. Stalin*

Stalin’s goal = Soviet Union as industrial power: Several “five-year plans;” command economy; production grows (machinery not consumer goods); collective farming; standard of living remains poor

• 5-year plans take USSR back to real communism

• Command economy = government officials make all economic decisions

• Collective farming – large farms owned and operated by peasants as a group; the state sets prices and supplies

From Lenin to Stalin: 1924-1939By 1921 Communists defeated all foes; Russia in chaos; Lenin rebuilding creates constitution, legislature “Supreme Soviet;” Most of old empire USSR; economic recovery=NEP; foreign policy=Comintern• Lenin dies suddenly in 1924 Trotsky vs. Stalin*

Stalin’s goal = Soviet Union as industrial power: Several “five-year plans;” command economy; production grows (machinery not consumer goods); collective farming; standard of living remains poorRuthless policy, kulaks targeted; Great Purge 1934: secret police crack down on opponents labor camps in Siberia, execution 800,000 of 4 million “purged”Propaganda, war on religion maintains totalitarian state

• Kulaks = wealthy peasants; many sent to Siberia or killed in “Great Purge”

• Secret police = Cheka• Propaganda against capitalism

leads to Red Scare in U.S. in 1920s