The Russian Revolution: A Journey of Change and Conflict

Europe: a Survey

The landscape of countries with borders is a relatively new idea in the grand scheme of humanity • Originally there were simplistic understanding of territory and ownership in the “Old World” • This is quite the contrast in comparison to the First Nations beliefs in North America • These cultures did not use ownership, but rather a holistic understanding of usage and cycles • The First Nations culture respected the Earth and its bounties, understanding that within every decision comes an equal reaction. • Thus, the ideals of ownership can be pinpointed to European powers and their hunger for power, order, and an odd sense of instilled Nationalism

A majority of these countries did not exist, as we know them, at the end of World War One, but by studying these countries, particularly where they are found, we can begin to understand the internal conflicts that led to such atrocities - i.e. “The Great War” • Many of these countries were the direct result of a minority populous within a larger empire that fought, and gained, their independence • To understand all of this fully we will have to look into a few “isms” • Colonialism, Nationalism, Militarism, Communism, Capitalism, Marxism, etc.

Colonialism: the practice of forcefully taking control of another area of land that is already occupied, then economically exploiting the area’s resources, and in some cases the people. “Hey, that land over there looks pretty awesome. Let’s just take it and have no regard for the people already there!” Nationalism: having an instilled sense of patriotism for your nation/country “Whoa, bro. Canada is the freaking best! We rule at hockey, maple syrup, beavers, and maple leafs, so it would be best if, you know, we just got along. Sorry for being so aggressive.” Capitalism: an economic and political theory where a nation’s trade system is controlled by private industry rather than the state. This system is used to generate profit, generally more so for those in the upper percentiles. “Hey, could I trade you this computer for some groceries?” “Sorry, man, you need to purchase this with ‘money’ which is denoted as being ‘legal tender’. Although there is no actual standard placed on ‘money’, it is intrinsically worthless, and our society is the one that creates the ‘value’ of it, you need it to buy things.”

Militarism: when a nation believes, either induced by the government or the people, that it must have a strong military to defend national interests, or “promote” their interests in their colonies/ other areas. “Well, if we can’t crush those around us with our sheer might, how would we get anything done?” Socialism: a political and economical system where industry is controlled by the government rather than privatized. “You know, a lot of people say that Canada has some socialist aspects, but they forget that I can go and get my feelings checked for free at the hospital.”

Communism: a political and economical paradigm where the state controls the resources of the country, and the the wealth is to be distributed equally amongst all the nations people. “Look! I got two pounds of coal, four carrots, and an xbox!” “Yeah, man. Everyone did.” Marxism: theories that were put forward by Karl Marx that are related to socialism and its related views. Marx’s theories would later serve as the basis for communism, a number of revolutions (Russia’s being one of the most famous), and a ideology that is known as the antithesis of capitalism. “I would totally ask her out if it weren’t for her being part of the bourgeois crowd.” “Man! It doesn’t matter because classes don’t exist anymore! We are no longer part of the proletariat! Talk to anyone you want!”

Russian Revolution Image Retrieved from: http://static01.nyt.com/images/2008/10/01/timestopics/romanovs_395.jpg

The topic of the Russian Revolution is as vast as the country itself, so to begin with here is a short history of how “Russia” came to be. Originally known as the Kievan Rus, this loose amalgamation of peoples became the massive nation we know of today. Video Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etmRI2_9Q_A

What the heck is a “Russia”? Russia - 10.67 million sq miles ( 17 million kilometres) - 150 million people approx. - Before the end of WW1 the country was actually larger including: - Finland - Kazakhstan - Lithuania - Turkmenistan - Latvia - Ukraine - Estonia - Tajikistan

Background to the Russian Revolution • Problems in Russia in the 19th Century. • Like most events in history there are multiple issues and situations that lead to their beginnings • The Russian Revolution began as an answer to the people’s frustrations with their government • In 1825, after the death of Alexander I, a crisis developed over who would be the next Czar. • Some soldiers supported Alexander’s brother, Constantine. However, Constantine declared Nicholas (his brother) to be the rightful heir. • The situation became known as “The Decembrist Revolt”, and it took place on the day of Nicholas I’s Coronation. This event is significant because it was the first time there was any real opposition to the Czar. • Rebel soldiers attacked soldiers loyal to the Czar. Cavalry and cannons were brought out to “control the crowd”.

The ring leaders of the revolt were rounded up, tortured, and executed. • From this day forward, Nicholas distrusted his military officers, demanded absolute obedience, and attempted to prevent any further opposition to his rule. Essentially he tried to keep Russia as “silent as a grave”. • b) The Russian Economy • In 1825, Russia was an agricultural country composed of a tiny upper class and millions of “serfs”. • A serf was anyone from a craftsman to field workers. Serfs were tied to the land, meaning that they were not allowed to leave the land. Serfs were viewed as property and their lives depended upon the wealthy landowners.

In the 19th century, Russia faced a choice in regards to modernization. • Option 1: Open up their borders to the west. • Option 2: Close their borders and industrialize with their own resources. • In any event, the export of cereal crops was critical to Russia’s modernization. In order to export they required access to the Black Sea, through the Dardanelles, to the Mediterranean Sea. • This solution posed a problem. Russia was in competition for this area with Austria-Hungary. • The result of Russia’s desire for this area was the Crimean War (1853-1856). • Nicholas I died before the end of the Crimean War and he was succeeded by Alexander II.

c) Actions of the Czar In 1861, Alexander II started a “revolution” of his own. He decreed the serfs free and gave them the right to own their own land. This was called the “Act of Emancipation”. Under this new law, 1/2 of Russian agricultural land were to become property of local councils. These local councils would then distribute the land to the serfs, who were to compensate the landowners. The results were less than successful: Peasants merely took the land. The councils distributed land in an unsystematic manner. Production levels were low and farming methods were primitive. Peasants did not have enough land to maintain a suitable standard of living.

The basic point was that there were too many peasants and too little land available to satisfy them. • - In 1866, Alexander II gave up on his policy of reform and replaced it with repression. • Alexander’s repressive regime led to the development of secret terrorist societies. There were a number of attempts on his life. In 1881, Alexander II was killed. • Alexander III (son of Alexander II) succeeded his father. The new czar again reverted to a repressive regime of police control. • - Under Alexander III, every kind of political action was outlawed. • The Czar also introduced a new law called “The Exceptional Measures Act”. It stated that districts were to be turned over to military governors who could guarantee order and stability. In effect, it put most of Russia under Martial Law. • Towards the end of the 19th century, Russian industrial growth made significant gains. All industrial development had been placed under state control. However, Russia was still far behind the industrial might of many western European nations.

2) Short Term Causes Introduction Nicholas II came to the throne in 1894. He was a reluctant leader who came to power at a time of unrest and growing terrorism Perhaps one of the earliest blows to Nicholas’ power was the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. In this conflict Russia experienced a humiliating defeat and gave up their claims to Korea and economic concessions in Manchuria. This conflict was significant because never before had a non-western nation defeated one of the Great European powers. This loss caused the czar’s political authority to be undermined and the people’s faith shaken in their leader.

b) The Rebellion of 1905 On January 22, 1905, a public demonstration occurred in St. Petersburg. It included about 200,000 workers and their families marching outside the Czar’s winter palace. The workers were asking for better working conditions (such as 8 hour work days and Sunday holidays), more personal freedom, and an elected legislature. The Czar was not even in his palace, however police and military troops were on hand. As protesters walked through the streets they were approached by the soldiers and police. A conflict erupted, resulting in police and soldiers firing upon the crowd. In the end 500-1000 people were killed or injured. “Bloody Sunday” as it became known set off riots and political unrest among workers in major cities across Russia.

Unrest was temporarily settled when the Czar created the “Duma” (a national assembly). • While this was a concession to the people, the Czar retained full authority over the army, foreign affairs, and could also over rule any decision made by the Duma. • In addition to this, the Czar could “dissolve” the Duma at any time. This meant that if he did not like it, he could wipe it out and have a new Duma put in place. This occurred about 4 times. • This concession was not enough to satisfy the people, especially the workers. In the next decade, strikes and work stoppages would escalate. • Handouts: Russia Under the Tsar, Russian Empire in 1900, The Government of Russia

Paranoia and War in Russia • By the 1870’s, following Alexander II period of “reformation” paranoia and oppression set in • The tension and dissent created by Alexander II reforms led to radicals assassination attempt on the Tsar’s life • A bomb was planted and the Tsar’s carriage was destroyed - 1881 • The radical group that staged the assassination hoped for further reforms, but the opposite followed • Alexander III, Alexander II son, came to power - he was paranoid, and damaged by the death of his father • Alexander III repealed most of his father’s reforms and enforced “Russification” • “Russification” was a national program that promoted purely Russian culture • This affected thousands of people from different cultures that were under the rule of Russia

With the Industrial Revolution in full swing, Alexander III introduced economic reforms in response to the changing “West” - Sergei Witte, Finance Minister helped modernize Russia • Alex III died in 1894, Nicholas II, his eldest son, became Tsar • 1904-1905 the Russo-Japanese War took place • Nicholas II wanted to expand Russian presence in Asia, which would simultaneously provide an exhibit for Russian power - Russian Industrial Revolution! • this war failed miserably for the Russians • Nicholas II underestimated the power the Japanese possessed • the defeat the Russians suffered embarrassed them on a local and international scale leading to further dissent inside of Russia - Poor Judgement • This set the tone of where Russia stood militarily going into WWI

Bloody Sunday and the 1905 Revolution Unlike Russia’s Western counterparts, working and industrial conditions continued to be abhorrent There were no laws concerning work, unions were suppressed, little was done for the benefit of the average worker Bloody Sunday began as a peaceful protest led by a group of steel workers that were angry with the economic conditions in Russia the Russo-Japanese War was also causing economic issues due to their humiliating defeat January 9th, 1905 - thousands of steel workers marched on the Winter Palace, the home of the Tsar and his family, looking for positive reforms these workers were led by Georgy Gapon - he organized thousands of workers and put together a petition looking for better working/living conditions, wage increases, and other general reforms for the better of the working class (the proletariat) the Tsar was not present, not knowing how to properly handle the situation soldiers opened fire on the peaceful protesters this mishandling of the situation led to the working class going on massive strikes around the country, challenging the Tsarship and the Royal Families authority

This act of violence set in motion the revolution of 1905 • strikes across Russia were the initial response to “Bloody Sunday” and within a month nearly a million workers were on strike • with such a large body of workers striking there needed to be centralized organization • this culminated in October, 1905 with the creation of the St. Petersburg Soviet • this is where the Mensheviks, Bolsheviks and other anti-tsarist parties came to prominence • 500 delegates were elected by 200,000 workers • The military also began losing trust in the Tsarship - mutinies became more commonplace

Tsar Response? In response to the creation of the Soviet and various mutinies across Russia a representative Duma was to be created the Duma was a to be an elected group that would represent the people, but not threaten the Tsar’s power thus the creation of such an entity would only appear to give the average citizen power This led to further anger from the proletariat The October Manifesto followed promising sweeping reforms in favour for the average citizen This Manifesto was greeted by radicals and conservatives alike with the October Manifesto in place it bought time for the Tsar and his Autocracy Rather than furthering liberal reform, Nicholas II issued a constitution of sorts that reinforced autocracy by 1907 radical groups had been suppressed into hiding

Although certain reforms such as the elected Duma actually took place they were rigged in favour of the Tsar and his conservative confidants - three Duma elections from 1905 to 1907 - kept being dissolved until the third election where it benefitted the Tsar • Between 1905 and 1911 Pyotr Stolypin led reforms for the betterment of the Tsar’s autocracy • Stolypin dissolved the Duma until it worked for the Tsar • He also attempted to create a new affluent working class • This did not come to fruition at any large capacity, and by 1911 he was assassinated by an anti-tsarist terrorist group • By WW1, which began in 1914, unrest and dissent within Russia was at its height which would culminate in the 1917 revolution of Russia leading to the destruction of the Tsar and their autocratic society and the creation of the USSR • QUIZ #1

c) The Role of World War I - World War I further slowed development within Russia. - Millions of workers and farmers were called to arms. - The Russian army was poorly trained and equipped, thus they would experience horrific defeats and a staggering loss of life. - In 1915, Czar Nicholas II went to the front to take command of his armies and serve as an “inspirational” leader to his forces. By doing this, he made himself a prime target for the peoples anger over the armies losses. - In the absence of the Czar, control over the government was left in the hands of his wife, Czarina Alexandra.

World War I and Russia • The handling of WWI by Nicholas II was the final straw leading to the February Revolution, the July Days, and October Revolution of 1917 • Following the defeat of the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War it was evident that the Russians had issues militarily with their command and organization • The Russian economy was also still struggling in its development causing sweeping recession and starvation due to the demand of the War effort • Nicholas II did not expect there to be war between Russia and the Germans • Wilhelm, the Kaiser of Germany, was Nicholas II cousin, but due to Russia being politically tied to Serbia, and Germany being allied with the Austro-Hungarian Empire it caused Russia to declare war on Austro-Hungary, thus Germany declared war on Russia • Anti-Tsarist Sentiment was also at its height of the time when WWI began • Production slowed to a near halt with sweeping strikes across Russia due to the abhorrent work conditions and wages

At the advent of WWI in August of 1914, patriotism took hold of Russia staving off the political instability that had become commonplace • Even with this newfound patriotism the war effort went poorly • Just as in the Russo-Japanese War the commanding officers showed incompetency, this coupled with improper equipment production to support the war effort caused significant losses of Russian life • by mid-1915 over 800,000 Russians had died and support was dwindling back home • by 1916 the entirety of the Russian economy was in arrears: inflation rates caused widespread starvation and poverty

- Czarina Alexandra ruled over the country, but she was also being influenced by her advisor, a “holy man” named Grigory Rasputin. - The Czarina believed Rasputin to be a “holy man” and the only person who could help her son, Alexis, the heir to the Russian throne. Alexis was a hemophiliac, meaning that the blood does not easily clot. Therefore a bruise or cut could become a life threatening situation. - Rasputin became a powerful influence over Alexandra in regards to political affairs. - The public’s negative outlook on the Romanov’s continued to grow. Rumors circulated that the German-born czarina and Rasputin were having an affair and that they were conspiring with Russia’s enemy in the war, Germany. - In response to these allegations, a group loyal to the Romanovs planned and succeeded in assassinating Rasputin in December of 1916. Their motive was to prevent public opposition to the Romanovs from becoming a revolution. - In the end though, the damage was done. The people’s faith in their leaders had been shaken past the point of no return. It was now only a matter of time...

3) Revolutions • a) The March Revolution • - The Russian Revolution of 1917 began with a lockout of workers in Petrograd (the new name for St. Petersburg) • - Food shortages in cites in the previous months caused unruly demonstrations. Most demonstrations were organized by women demanding “bread and peace”. • Angry workers joined demonstrations and strikes quickly spread. • - On February 27, 1917, a general strike was joined by army troops from Petrograd. What had started as a demonstration had now become a revolution against the old order. • - The Czar attempted to return from the front, however his train was stopped by rebel soldiers. • - Under pressure from the people and the army, Nicholas II abdicated the throne, and the Romanov dynasty ended with hardly a whimper. • - Control of the government was handed over to the Czar’s brother, Grand Duke Michael, who declined. As a result a “Provisional” or temporary government was put in place.

The March Revolution (sometimes known as the February revolution) • The downfall of the Romanov family, and the future Tsarship, began in February, 1917 • The February Revolution was a spur of the moment answer to Public distrust of the current government, not an organized insurrection as Lenin believed in • As the insurrection took hold, Nicholas II was at the Eastern Front leading his failing army • Rodzianko, who was the president of the Duma, called for the immediate return of Nicholas II to quell the insurrection • Nicholas II thought this to be an overreaction and called for the dissolution of the Duma • This became a further issue for the Russian government as the Duma denied the Tsar’s request • this also led to the Duma creating a representative committee that later became the Provisional Government of Russia • The Soviet of Petrograd, led by mainly Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries, garnered support from the proletariat • The Tsar, attempting to save his throne, called for the Imperial Army to crush the insurrection, but the army, too, did not follow the Tsar’s leadership

It was here that the Tsar lost his power • As Nicholas II was returning to Russia, the Duma met Nicholas II and asked for his immediate abdication, which, although he hesitated at first, was given quickly • On a train platform in Pskov the Russian Tsarship ended on March 2nd, 1917 • Hours after the signing of abdication the Provisional Government took ahold of Russia, but just as the Tsar crumbled, so too did the Provisional Government due to the mishandling of many issues • The biggest mistake the Prov. Govt. made was to keep up with the war effort - Russia was unable to support such a commitment and soon the people distrusted the PG • Alexander Kerensky came into power of the PG after a leaked document condemned the two previous leaders into resigning • It was Kerensky who would lead the final days of the Provisional Government • His most important, and destructive, command was an offensive in Galicia - this became known as the July Offensive which resulted in the loss of 400,000 Russian lives • Kerensky scape-goated his command-in-chief and brought in Lavr Kornilov, which would later damn his position in Russia

The PG had armed the Red Army, the troops under Bolshevik leadership, which led to their own destruction as the Bolsheviks would seize this opportunity for control of Russia • The Bolsheviks were able to garner much support with their anti-war campaign and by the end of September had 400,000 members and an army that was 100,000 strong setting the stage for yet another revolution in Russia • Kerensky attempted to abate such a situation by declaring Russia a republic, but was unable to reverse the plans that were already set in motion

The Kornilov Affair • In August, 1917 Kornilov sought to place himself military dictator • With the Russian army under his command, and “acting under the orders of Kerensky”, Kornilov was attempting to restore order in Petrograd • Although Kornilov was placed in power by the Provisional Government, he felt at odds politically with them • He was a traditionalist, supported the Tsar and the old order rather than the new order • The actions of Kornilov have been open to interpretation for years, even to this day it is hard to determine where Kerensky and Kornilov stood morally • Kornilov, supposedly acting under Kerensky’s orders, and with the backing of several prominent Russian nobles, sought to arrest the Bolsheviks, disperse the Petrograd Soviet, and restore the old order • Kerensky, hearing the rumours of Kornilov and a possible military coup, fired Kornilov and asked for the Soviet to protect Russia’s government • Kerensky was now at odds with both sides of the government, leading to the floundering of the Provisional government and the space for the Bolsheviks to rise to power

b) The Provisional Government • A Provisional Government was put in place in March of 1917. • A number of other groups also rose up in an attempt to provide stability. The most important of these were the “Soviets” (workers and soldiers councils). • The Petrograd Soviet was far more popular than the Provisional Government. This resulted in 2 rival political organizations that vied for public support. • The Provisional Government was to govern Russia until national elections could be held in October. The elections were intended to create a representative assembly that would write a new constitution. • The Provisional Government made a number of mistakes such as refusing to consider land redistribution and union demands, however their fatal mistake was the decision to remain in the war. • Inexperienced Russian troops poured to the front lines where they were decimated by experienced German forces. • During the summer, the Russian Army collapsed as soldiers turned their backs on the war and began to walk home.

c) November Revolution(sometimes known as the October Revolution) - During the confusion, the Bolshevik Party, under Vladimir Lenin plotted to seize power. - Lenin, an exile, was sent back to Russia by Germany in April 1917, where he made known his “April Thesis”. -Lenin called for an end to the war, an adequate distribution of bread (especially to cities where workers and families were starving), and placement of the government in the hands of the soviets. -Lenin and the Bolsheviks gained public support, but after a failed uprising in July, Lenin was forced to flee to Finland. He had been declared a “German spy” by the Provisional Government. -In Lenin’s absence, the Bolshevik cause was maintained by Leon Trotsky, the party theorist. -When the Bolsheviks took over the powerful Petrograd and Moscow Soviet, Lenin, who had returned in October, called for action. - He returned to Petrograd to arrange his “dictatorship of the proletariat” (the working class). - On October 25, 1917 (November 7 on the new calendar), with the aid of troops from Petrograd and the addition of 6000 volunteer Red Guards, The Bolsheviks seized key buildings in the capital.

On October 25th, 1917 the Bolshevik Red Army, acting on behalf of the entire Soviet, stormed the Winter Palace in Petrograd and within hours had deposed the Provisional Government • Although the Bolsheviks acted on behalf of the Soviet, which was also made up of Mensheviks, Lenin had no plans to share control of Russia with other parties • With this began years of civil war, famine, and the Red Terror • During the fleeting moments the PG were in power certain political prisoners were released • one such prisoner was Leon Trotsky • during this time period leading up to the October Revolution, Lenin was out of the country hiding in Finland, but Trotsky was present and organizing the masses - on September 23rd, 1917, Trotsky was elected chairman of the Petrograd Soviet • For the next month Trotsky and the Bolsheviks spent their time arming the Red Guards, and with the pseudo-protection of the PG were unopposed • Soon the Military Revolutionary Committee was ran by Trotsky, and most of the army supported the Bolsheviks • On October 24th, 1917, after a month of stagnation from the Provisional Government allowing the Bolsheviks to gain power, Kerensky called for the remaining loyal soldiers to arrest Trotsky and other Milrevcom members • This failed for Kerensky and the PG as the Bolsheviks answered with a mass army marching on the Winter Palace • within four hours the Winter Palace had been taken and Russia was now under the control of the Bolsheviks • The Soviet continued to meet while the fighting took place, and it was here that the Mensheviks and moderate Social Revolutionaries claimed the Bolsheviks actions illegal • This ended with the Mens. and SR’s walking out leaving power to the Bolsheviks completely

-After the October coup, Lenin established a Bolshevik Government. This would be a single party administration that required the army in order to maintain power. • The Bolshevik forces dissolved the National Assembly in 1918, touching off a Civil War that would last • from June of 1918 until 1920. • In March 1918, the Bolshevik Government signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. German treatment of Russia was harsh, but Lenin had made good on his promise to the Russian people that • he would take Russia out of the war. • - Under the treaty, Russia gave up: • 34% of it’s population • 32% of it’s Agricultural land • 54% of it’s industry • 89% of it’s mines and coal fields.

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • this treaty would come as the effective end of WWI for Russia • this treaty came at a cost for Russia - during the several weeks of negotiations, Russia eventually had to concede the Ukraine to Germany • originally this was seen as minimal loss because both Trotsky and Lenin believed that socialist revolution was at the doorstep of Germany • Germany was able to exploit the weakness of Russia and their new government by fraternizing with the Russian emissaries • an ultimate was issued by the Germans in February, 1918, exploiting the weakness of the Russians, forcing major concessions of land • there was much opposition to the concessions of the Brest-Litovsk treaty, but with the ending of the war the country was able to focus on rebuilding their economy • After the Germans were defeated the concessions that the Russians had agreed to were null and void

Bolsheviks and Mensheviks • Both the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks were socialist groups that found their roots in Marxism • Before the rise of these parties there were the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party • Vladimir Lenin came to prominence challenging the Social Democrats (SD’s) - he published a pamphlet, What is to be Done? • The pamphlet described Lenin’s views of what a successful revolution would look like - the SD party was not going to be successful in Lenin’s view

Lenin criticized the SD’s democratic policies, stating that a successful revolution needs a strong leader to centralize and organize the revolutions people and power • Lenin’s ideals began to garner support from some SD supporters, while others stuck to more traditional views • In 1903, Lenin called for a vote for leadership of the party • Lenin narrowly won, 24-20, due to support from the young, radical politically involved • Those who voted for Lenin were then known as the Bolsheviki, which means “majority”, • Although there was now a clear division between the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks they were still affiliated with one another due to their involvement with Social Democrats • In 1905 during the Revolution and Tsarist retaliation both parties had to cooperate to succeed • Between 1906 and 1912 there were numerous times the SD party attempted reunited, but failed due to Lenin’s unwillingness to compromise his ideals • In 1912 the division became permanent between the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks - Lenin called for a vote where the Bolsheviks would separate from the Social Democrats • The two parties then existed as separate political entities • and those who voted against were the Mensheviki, which means “minority”

During the next few years the Mensheviks were more visible politically • Many of the Bolsheviks were exiled or in hiding due to their extreme views and anti-tsarist sentiment • The Mensheviks garners support from the urban working class, worked closely with the Provisional Government, and during the 1905 Revolution were able to take a leading role • This was in part because Lenin was in exile at the time, but the Mensheviks were able to lead for trade and workers unions, and creation of the St.Petersburg Soviet • The Mensheviks ran into trouble due to their large group - there views began to differ because of their sheer size leading to issues and discontinuity in the party, which Lenin predicted

The New Government • On October 26th the government of Russia was in place • the Provisional Government was deposed, and most Bolshevik opposition willingly walked out of the Soviet leaving Lenin and his party in power • The first two orders of business that came from the Bolsheviks were: 1. the Land Decree 2. the Peace Decree • The Land Decree was to end privatization of land “forever” and effectively allow the citizens of Russia to seize the land back for their communes, but this had been happening for several months already • the Peace Decree was to effectively end the war with Germany, which was one of the points the Bolsheviks were able to come to power under

The Bolsheviks also set up the “Soviet People’s Commissars” or Sovnarkom • the Sovnarkom was a committee of 17 different positions, each with their own responsibility • Lenin was the chairman, Trotsky the foreign affairs minister, and Stalin the leader of nationalities • eventually the Sovnarkom came to rule the Central Executive Committee, and in July, 1918 the first Soviet constitution was in place • the Bolshevik party continued to meet annually under their Party Congresses • here they would bring up different issues and decide on policies • March, 1918 - debated the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • March, 1919 - elected the Politurbo, which was a five man committee responsible for formulating policies • Party congresses were also used to announce new policies, such as the New Economic Plan in 1921 • Besides sweeping economic reforms and the signing of the Brest-Litovsk treaty, the Bolsheviks were concerned with major social reform

Alexandra Kollantai - a female leader within the Bolshevik Party • the rights of women, like most other countries at the time, were especially abhorrent • women were paid lower wages, worked long hours, and had little freedom within traditional marriages • in the latter part of 1918 Kollantai held a “women’s Soviet”, and in 1919 the Zhenotdel was created, which was a government committee the was concerned with only Women’s affairs - the first ministry of its kind in the world • Along with furthering Women’s rights, the Bolsheviks planned to better education amongst Russians • A sweeping program for literacy was put in place • this had little effect until after the civil war • by the mid-1920’s literacy had increased significantly for males and females, rivaling their western counterparts • Women’s work days were shortened to eight hours • Maternity leave programs were put in place with eight weeks of paid leave • Pregnant women were not allowed to work overtime or night shifts • Abortions were made legal to combat rampant unsafe home procedures • Marriages and divorces were changed to make them more comfortable and accessible for women as well

The Bolshevik’s Economic Policy • When the Bolsheviks came to power they were left with a ruined economy due to the ongoing war effort • The answer that Lenin created was based off of Karl Marx’s theories of Marxism • Lenin came up with a plan of “state capitalism” which would allow the country to regain its economic footing, which is based upon Marx’s theories • Marx believed that capitalism was a stepping stone to true socialismissues were met with Lenin’s plan of state capitalism because it combatted many of the socialist reforms they were attempting to meet • the workers of factories were to take ahold of their factories and thus the economy, but this was not possible since capitalism ideals could not support this • this meant that the state would control the factories, rather than the masses • Lenin also believed that after WWI, there would be socialist revolutions in the West, but this would not come true

4) The Russian Civil War The Civil War came as an answer to the political strife in Russia (1918-1921) • there were so many different views within Russia that there were three major armies that constituted this civil war • there was the Red Army, the White Army, and the Green Army • the Red Army constituted the Bolsheviks and their supporters • The White Army constituted those that supported the Provisional Government, the Duma, and the remaining traditionalists who supported the Tsar • There was a third group, dubbed the Green Army, whom decided to fight for their own interests • This group believed in neither the Red or White cause, thus they formed a small army which did nothing more than cause small rows

The Communists, under Lenin, encountered strong opposition from a number of groups. - Within Russia, they faced opposition from anti-Bolsheviks, or the “Whites”, who were led by loyal officers to the Czar, liberals, and royalists. - Outside of Russia, Russia’s wartime allies supported the Whites. The allies resented Communist Russia’s withdrawal from the war, and the communist call for a “world revolution”. - Russia also faced strong opposition from the newly created state of Poland, which desired additional Russian territory. - From 1917 to 1920, the Communist regime faced attack from Polish troops, Allied intervention forces (their impact was minimal), and the Russian “White” armies. - To protect their revolution, the Communist Bolshevik forces acted ruthlessly. In 1918, they put Czar Nicholas II and his entire family to death.

Communist secret police, the Cheka, often judging by hear say and prejudices against the upper classes, executed thousands as “counter revolutionaries”. - The Communist “Red Army” smashed all military threats. It’s success resulted from: i) Leon Trotsky’s (the Bolshevik party organizer, theorist, and father of the Red Army) ability as a military organizer and inspirational leader. ii) The peasant soldiers’ determination to prevent a return to nobility rule. iii) Russian nationalism which made Russian people resent foreign intervention. iv) Disunity and war weariness among the “White” armies. - By the end of the Russian Civil War, 15 million Russians were dead. - The Civil War ended in victory for Lenin and the Red Army, however the Bolsheviks were now faced with a problem of a much different sort. The Russian economy was in ruins.....

After the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Russia was now at peace, but not for long • With the returning of troops to Russia, the government in shambles, it was rife with political tensions • This culminated with a Czech division of soldiers revolting against the Bolsheviks • with this insurgency from a handful of soldiers, a nation decided to join - Enter the Russian Civil War • By the end of the Russian Civil War fifteen million Russians were killed • That number is a mixture of both military personnel and civilians • The White Army and the Green Army were defeated by their own disunity, and the military prowess of Trotsky • Although the Bolsheviks had now won the war, they had an old trouble to deal with: the Economy • The economy in Russia, by this point, has been in ruins since the Crimean War, which ended in 1856 • Although the Russians continued functions it simply deteriorated to nothing by 1921

The Red Terror • the Red Terror was a Bolshevik campaign to silence any and all anti-Bolshevik sentiment • under Dzerzhinsky, the CHEKA played a large part in arresting, interrogating, and executing thousands of Russian dissidents • this terror, and other issues such as the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the ending of the Executive Committee of Commissars, and any type of democratic freedom that the public yearned for, a civil war was coming • In August, 1918, the Red Terror was in full swing as the “White Army” began formulate its ranks to challenge the Bolsheviks and their Red Army • The Red Terror could be seen as either an answer to anti-Bolshevik rhetoric, or as an inevitable action due to Bolshevik views • As you can see, Russia history is full of political instability and periods of enlightenment, as well as periods of oppression and darkness - The Red Terror was a period of oppression that could be seen as a necessary evil, or simply evil depending on your political views at the time

The CHEKA (later the KGB) • the CHEKA was a secret police that was set up by the newly formed Bolshevik government following the October Revolution in 1917 • the purpose of the CHEKA was to combat political instability • due to constant political threat in Russia, the CHEKA was very active • one thing to note is that unlike a normal police force, the CHEKA acted outside of the law; they were able to investigate and arrest anyone they wanted • This type of police force showed the paranoia of political figures in Russia • the CHEKA was created by a decree on December 19th, 1917 • this new police force was to combat anti-revolutionaries, which became anyone against the Bolshevik party • Felix Dzerzhinsky was appointed the leader of the CHEKA, and his ruthlessness was quick to come out • The CHEKA grew quickly because of the rise of anti-Bolshevik sentiment, and by 1919 there were over 100,000 agents in the CHEKA • The CHEKA was effective in its methods, but cruel • over several years it was confirmed that 12,000 people were murdered, but that number is predicted as being much higher

The Russian Revolution: A Journey of Change and Conflict