Russian Revolution

1
Russian Revolution
2
What was it?

• Actually TWO revolutions
• February/March of 1917 overthrow of the Tzar
• October/November of 1917 Bolshevik (Communist)
  Revolution

3
Why Important?

1. Led to Russia withdrawing from WWI to deal with
   internal problems.
2. Communism put into effect instead of just an
   idea.
3. Conflicting ideologies communism vs. capitalism
   was the reason for the Cold War.

4
So what is Communism Anyway?

• Communism is an ECONOMIC system.
• Part of Karl Marxs theory of economics.
• Says that all the means of production should be
  owned by the government for the good of the
  people everyone owns everything and shares in
  the profits.
• Nice ideas no hunger, everyone works to the
  best of their ability, and everyone gets just
  what they need.
• Fails to take into account that we humans are
  greedy and lazy!

5
So why did they choose communism? We know it
doesnt work!

• We know because hindsight is 20/20, but it
  sounded good to 90 of the Russian population in
  1917.

6
This is the choice they made
Utopia everybody has something and no one goes
hungry!
Living in abject poverty with no chance of ever
advancing! OR. . .
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Back to the Revolution
8
Causes of the Revolution

• The Russian involvement in the Russo-Japanese
  War, and its ensuing loss brought embarrassment
  to the country and also decimated its economy.
  In response to the perceived incompetence of the
  Russian tsar and the shortage of food and work,
  the loss of the war led to the Revolution of 1905
  that was quickly put down.

9
Causes of the Revolution

• Besides the embarrassment and perceived
  incompetence of the government after the
  Russo-Japanese war, the citizens of Russia were
  desperately hungry and landless. Russia relied
  on an agrarian economy that was outdated and
  inefficient.
• The small farming communes had trouble providing
  enough food for the country, creating massive
  food shortages.

10
Causes of the Revolution

• Factory workers also had to endure long hours,
  low pay, and horrible working conditions.
  Strikes for improved situations were often
  ignored or suppressed. Wartime inflation also
  caused prices to inflate, causing the already
  scarce food and goods supply to be unaffordable.
• Most peasants did not own the land they farmed,
  causing more resentment towards the government.

11
Nicholas II (1894-1917)

• Decided to lead troops into battle during WWI
  stupid idea by a stupid man.
• Forced to abdicate in 1917

12
Causes of the Revolution

• The losses and casualties during World War I led
  people to believe tsar Nicholas II was
  incompetent. Due to his song, Alexeis
  hemophilia the questionable Rasputin was called
  on to heal him. Russian citizens mistrusted
  Nicholass wife and Rasputin to run the country
  while the tsar fought the war.

13
Rasputin

• Alexandra was heavily under the influence of
  Rasputin. He was the only one who could bring
  Alexei some relief.
• He was murdered in December 1916

14
World War I The Last Straw

• Corrupt military leadership had contempt for
  ordinary Russian people
• Average peasants had very little invested in the
  War

15
World War I

• Ill-trained, ineffective officers, poorly
  equipped (Russ. was not ready for war)
• Result mass desertions and 2 million casualties
  by 1915
• Result Chaos and Disintegration of the Russian
  Army

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The Revolutions of 1917

• February Revolution (March 8, 1917)
• Czar Nicholas Abdicates

17
February Revolution

• On February 28, 1917, tsar Nicholas II was asked
  to abdicate the throne. A provisional government
  took over, led by Alexander Kerensky. The new
  government supported the war, upsetting the army
  and the country. Kerensky ordered the arrest of
  the Bolshevik party, for its anti-war protests.

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Then what happens?

• In April, Vladimir Lenin arrives in Petrograd
  (St. Petersburg) with the help of the Germans
• Lenin calls for armed resurrection
• October 16, 1917/November 6, 1917 (Russian
  Calendar) Bolsheviks toppled the Provisional
  govt in a coup

19
October Revolution

• Lenin led the Bolsheviks in the October
  Revolution under the slogans, Peace, Land,
  Bread! and All power to the Soviets!
• Lenin was elected the head of the Bolshevik part
  and led the new Russian government through a
  civil war against all its anti-communist enemies.
  The Reds or Bolsheviks defeated the Whites or
  anti-communists.

20
Treaty of Brest LitovskMarch 3, 1918

• Trotsky negotiated it
• Very Harsh!
• Lost 32 of the land
• Lost Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, much of the
  Ukraine and of Belarussia
• Lenin didnt care this was a capitalist war

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Civil War

• From 1918-1920
• Reds
• Whites

• Creation of USSR
• Nationalization of all land and banks
• Millions of Russians died in the fighting and
  from famines

22
Lenins New Economic Policy (NEP)

• Lenin wanted to accomplish specific goals with
  his NEP. They were
• Reduce mandatory food offerings from the peasants
• Regulate supply and production (limited
  capitalism)
• Generate money to industrialize
• Secure Russia for communism

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Lenins Death

• NEP was Lenins attempt to help the USSR recover
  from the devastating Civil War
• But then Lenin died in 1924 from a stroke
• He had named no clear successor which led to a
  power struggle

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Who would succeed Lenin?
Trotsky Red Army Commander and Commisar of
Foreign Affairs
Stalin Commisar for Nationalities
OR
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Stalin

• Stalin rose to power through the use of political
  alliances to pit his enemies against each other.
  He would align with one group to discredit
  another, and then separate himself from that
  group to discredit it.
• Stalin became the head of the Communist Party
  (Bolsheviks) in 1928. He believed in Communism
  in one country instead of Lenins idea to spread
  communism abroad.
• He changed Lenins NEP to his own Five-Year Plan
  that designated the desired goals to the Russian
  economy for the next five years.

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Winners and Losers

• Winners
• Communist Party
• Some Workers
• Massive Literacy Projectall those who learn to
  read and write
• Vastly improved health careall those who lived
  longer and healthier
• Women had greater opportunities

• Losers
• Poorest peasants
• Traditional Russian upper classes
• Many of those in traditional Russian middle
  classes
• Those killed or imprisoned because of oppressive
  regime
• Jews, Muslims, other ethnic minorities
• Romanovs the royal family was killed, and their
  bodies were secretly disposed of led to
  rumors of their survival
• Democracy