Revolutions in Russia

1. Revolutions in Russia

2. Setting the Stage • 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

3. Czars Resist Change • Alexander III becomes czar in 1881 • Halted all reforms • Liked autocracy • Form of government where one person has total authority

4. 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

5. Czar Continues Autocratic Rule • 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

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

7. Targeted Jews with pogroms • Russian citizens looted and destroyed homes, stores, and synagogues • Police and soldiers stood by and watched

8. Russia Industrializes • 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

9. Trans-Siberian Railway • Begun in 1891 • Finished 1916 • Linked European Russia with Russian ports on Pacific Ocean • Worlds longest continuous rail line

11. The Revolutionary Movement Grows • 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

12. Marxist Revolutionaries • 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

13. Bolsheviks • 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

14. Vladimir Lenin

15. Crises at Home and Abroad • Russo-Japanese War • February 1904 • Japanese attack Russians in Manchuria • News of Russian losses sparks unrest at home • Results in revolt during war

17. Bloody Sunday: The Revolution of 1905 • 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

19. Reaction to Bloody Sunday • 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

20. World War I: The Final Blow • 1914 – Nicholas II drags Russia into WWI • Russia unprepared • Weak generals • Poorly equipped troops • 4 million killed, wounded, or taken prisoner within a year

21. 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

22. 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, drowned

23. Effects of War • Soldiers mutiny • Desert or ignore orders • Home Front • Food and supplies low • Inflation • People want change • Demand end to war

24. March Revolution • 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

25. Czar Steps Down • 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

26. 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

27. He’s Back • Lenin returns to Russia • Germans support Lenin’s return • Presence would hurt Russia and the war effort • April 1917 – arrives in Petrograd

28. “Peace, Land, and Bread” • Bolshevik Revolution • Bolsheviks and Lenin take control of Petrograd • Fall 1917 • People in many cities support Bolsheviks

29. Provisional Government Topples • 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

30. Bolsheviks in Power • 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

31. Civil War Rages in Russia 1916-1918 • Opposition forms White Army • Different groups • People who supported return to rule of czar • People who wanted democratic government • Socialists that opposed Lenin

32. 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

33. Deadly struggle • 14 million died • Fighting and famine • Russia left in chaos • Red Army crushed opposition • Bolsheviks could seize power and maintain it

34. Triumph of the Communists • 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

35. 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

36. Lenin restores Order • 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

37. Political Reforms • 1922 – Lenin forms Union of Soviet Socialist Republics • Bolsheviks saw nationalism as a threat • Lenin organized small self-governing republics

38. Bolsheviks become Communist Party • 1924 create constitution • Based on socialist and democratic ideas • Held all the Power • Established Dictatorship of Communist Party

39. Stalin becomes Dictator • 1922 – Lenin suffers stroke • Trotsky vs Stalin (“Man of Steel”) • Lenin saw Stalin as dangerous • 1928 – Stalin gains control of Communists • 1929 – Trotsky exiled