Russia’s History

1
Russias History
2
Czar Ramanov Family Rules Russia

• Russia was becoming powerful and the lives of
  serfs had not improved. Russia was divided
  between two groups the very rich and the very
  poor. Tensions between the two groups began to
  rise drastically.
• 1855-1881 Alexander II
• -Wanted Russia to become more like European
  nations.
• -Freed the serfs and gave them their own land.
• 1881-1894 Alexander III
• -Reversed many of his fathers reforms and the
  country again came under harsh rule.
• 1894-1917 Nicholas II
• -After a devastating defeat by the Japanese,
  unrest grew among serfs and workers.
• -Bloody Sunday 1/22/05 Thousand of workers
  marched to the Winter Palace to request reforms
  from the czar. The workers were met by troops
  that fired into the crowds killing thousands.
• -After Bloody Sunday Nicholas was forced to agree
  to the Duma. The Duma was a congress elected
  by the people. The Duma held power along with
  czar until 1917.

3
World War One

• 1914-1919
• War that was fought over territory and alliances
  in Europe.
• Russia formed an alliance with France, Britain,
  and the USA
• 2, 500, 000 Russians killed
• Russia withdrew from the war in 1917 due to its
  own civil war at home. Russia was economically
  devastated after the war. Inflation soared,
  people suffered severe food shortages and
  reconstruction costs were astronomical. Russia
  was on the verge of collapse. The Russian
  citizens rioted. The czar Nicholas Romanov was
  forced to relinquish his power and a weak
  democratic government controls Russia.

4
Communist Principles Rule Russia

• 1917 Vladimir Lenin overthrows the new Russian
  democracy and makes peace with Germany.
• In order to heal the deep split between Russias
  rich and poor, Lenin installs a communist
  government.

5
Russian Civil War

• 1917-1922
• Communists come to power under Lenin.
• War broke out between the communists and
  nationalists. The war lasted for three years and
  cost millions of Russian lives.
• The czar Nicholas Romanov and his family are
  murdered by the Bolsheviks (Communists).

6
USSR Formed

• 1922 under Lenin
• Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
• The USSR was made up of Russia and smaller
  republics under Russian control.
• Lenin jailed or killed people who opposed his
  communist government.
• Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland,
  Romania, Albania, East Germany, Mongolia, Cuba,
  and Vietnam were nations that were ruled by the
  USSR.
• Lenin dies in 1924

7
Josef Stalin Rules Russia
Rules from 1924-1953 Stalin is a harsh and cruel
dictator that supports communist principles. He
controlled every aspect of Soviet life and jailed
or executed anyone who opposed him. Stalin
forced the serfs to give their farm products to
the government and sent millions of serfs to the
Siberian Labor camps where millions died.
8
World War Two

• In 1939, Stalin signed a pact with Germany to not
  invade, Germany invades anyway.
• In 1941, Germany invades the USSR and millions
  die. Soviet cities are destroyed.
• The Soviets joined forces with the Allies and
  captured Berlin, Germany in 1945. Germany is
  defeated and the Russians never leave Eastern
  Europe after the war.

9
Cold War

• The Cold War was a time of great tension in the
  world. Communist countries of Eastern Europe and
  the USSR formed an alliance called the Warsaw
  Countries.
• The capitalist countries of Western Europe and
  the USA formed the alliance of NATO Countries.
• The two alliances competed in an arms race of
  nuclear weapons, a space race, through education,
  and the Olympics.
• The Iron Curtain marked the dividing line between
  communism and capitalism.

10
Sputnik Launched

• The Cold War was a time of great tension and
  secrets. Both the United States and the USSR
  worked very hard to secure their countries.
• Both nations were very fearful of spying and
  nuclear attacks.
• Sputnik was one of the ten artificial orbiting
  satellites launched by the USSR that was believed
  to be spying on the USA.

11
Vietnam War

• 1959-1975
• Conflict was part of the Cold War and was a
  hidden war between the USA and USSR/China.
• South Vietnam Capitalists
• USA Supported
• North Vietnam Vietcong (Communists)
• USSR/China Supported

12
Berlin Wall

• The Berlin Wall was built in 1961. It divided
  Berlin, Germany into the East (Communism) and the
  West (Capitalism). This wall split families and
  friends for 28 years.

13
Cuban Missile Crisis

• 1962
• Communist Dictator Fidel Castro rules Cuba with
  the financial and military support of the USSR.
• The USA had long range nuclear missiles that
  could strike all of the USSR. The USSR was
  unable to reach the USA with their missiles.
• The USSR devised a plan to set up Soviet nuclear
  sites in Cuba that could reach the USA.
• Both nations were in the highest state of
  readiness and prepared to use nuclear weapons to
  defend their territory.
• This crisis is the closest the world has ever
  come to nuclear war.

14
USSR Invades Afghanistan

• 1979-1989
• USSR invades Afghanistan in attempt to install a
  communist government.
• The United States supported the Islamic
  Fundamentalist government (Taliban and Bin Laden)
  that opposed Soviet rule.
• Extension of the Cold War

15
Chernobyl

• 1986 Ukraine
• Worst nuclear reactor disaster in history. The
  explosion caused radioactive material to be
  released into the atmosphere.
• Hundreds suffered from severe radiation sickness,
  high cancer rates and genetic mutations were
  common.
• Chernobyl and near by towns were all evacuated.

16
Fall of Berlin Wall

• November 9th, 1989
• East German government opens its borders to the
  West and allows thousands to pass freely through
  the Berlin Wall.
• November 10th, 1989 East German troops begin to
  dismantle the Berlin Wall which marked the end of
  communism in Europe.

17
Break Up of the USSR

• 1991
• In economic ruin due to military spending to
  support the Cold War, the USSR collapses.
• Russia becomes democratic and embraces
  capitalism.
• Former Russian republics emerge as free nations
  and hold their own elections.
• Communism is no longer present in Europe.