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The Russian Revolution and the Major Players 1905-1917. Pre-Revolution. Russia had been oppressed for centuries by tyrannical czars (Russian Kings) Ended with Nicholas II. From the beginning of Nicholas’ reign he failed; Coronation-- hundreds were killed because of poor crowd control.
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Pre-Revolution • Russia had been oppressed for centuries by tyrannical czars (Russian Kings) • Ended with Nicholas II. From the beginning of Nicholas’ reign he failed; • Coronation-- hundreds were killed because of poor crowd control. • Poor harvest in the late 1890’s led to civil unrest, Many without enough food or wages. • Wasn’t ready for the Japan-Russo war 1904-05.
Russian Revolutions1905 - 1917 • Revolutions were actually several protests (people revolting) against the Czar over a 12 year span, finally ending with the October Revolution of 1917. • It ended hundreds of years of oppression from the Czarist Regimes. • It paved the way for the totalitarian communist governments to exist for the next 70 years and created the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.)
Background: Causes of Revolution • Repressive and aristocratic regimes of the Romanov dynasty: Nicholas II • Severe economic and social crisis in Russia • Russia in WWI: Unpopular war, many Russians were being killed. • Corruption in Government • Numbers of Poor and Rich
Causes Continued • Revolutionary Middle Class • Nicholas II refused to allow any type of government reform and refused to let go of total control • New Ideas of Marxist Communism in Europe • A new leader of the visionary Revolutionary class named Vladmir Lenin
Due to Russia’s economic problems, the lower classes looked for an answer. • No social classes! • Wealth to be shared among more people!
Karl Marx and Communism • Marxist Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production (farms, factories, etc.) • Wealth to be shared among the society
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov or Lenin • Supporter of Marx’s ideas of Communism and wanted to overthrow the Czar • Weak Government paved the way for Lenin to rise to power. • Lenin appealed to the masses “Peace, Land, Bread ” • Led group known as the Bolsheviks (Social Democrats) in the revolution. • First leader of the new communist Russia • Died of a stroke after only a few years in power Lenin
Leon Trotsky founded “Red Army”, or MRC (military revolutionary council) in 1917. • MRC was the group that actually removed of the Duma (Russian legislature), completing the Revolution • Trotsky allowed Lenin to lead in the following years but was an vital member of the communist government. • Later he would battle for power with Stalin after Lenin’s death.
October Revolution October 25 1917 • Trotsky’s “red army” took over the government in St. Petersburg • Lenin seized power immediately with Trotsky and Joseph Stalin by his side. • First 2 acts: • End Russian involvement in WWI. • Give peasants land. “private ownership shall be abolished forever”.
Joseph Stalin “Man of Steel” • Took control of the government after Lenin died of a stroke 1924 • Lenin had actually wanted Trotsky to lead. He distrusted Stalin. • Stalin was popular with the people. He seemed like a regular guy and spoke in a way that people could understand. • Stalin’s first policies were his Five Year Plans and the Collective Farms.
Trotsky Flees the Country • Stalin fears Trotsky will take his power • Uses secret police to threaten and attempt to assassinate Trotsky • Trotsky flees the country and hides in various countries • Tries to work against Stalin from “outside” • Eventually moves to Mexico
Five Year Plans: Modernize the Soviet Union in five years no matter what the cost. It caused massive shortages and suffering for all.
Collective Farming: All farmers are forced to give up their own farms and work and farm in groups. It was a huge failure.
The Secret Police: Terror policewhose job it was to kill and eliminate all people thought to oppose Stalin.
Propaganda:Designed to influence and control peoples beliefs and information flow. Stalin used it and when he took over he forced it on people everywhere.
The U.S.S.R. :1922, The Union of Soviet Socialists Republic was formed to unite all Russian people under one government.
Trotsky in Mexico: Leon Trotsky was hunted down by Stalin’s agents and killed in his hotel room in Mexico City with an ice pick in 1940.
Karl Marx Vladimir Lenin
George Orwell • British Author (Famous for: Animal Farm, 1984) • Admired Marx and to some extent Lenin • Believed in some parts of communist theory, but not others • Disliked Joseph Stalin • Believed that Stalin and warped ideas of communism into totalitarianism • Expressed his views through allegorical writing
Eric Blair (George Orwell) Animal Farm 1945