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By: Phil Bott

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The czars were under pressure and couldnt ease the nations crisis. Moderates wanted a constitution and social reform but czar Nicholas II denied all that would degrade his authority. Outside the government, revolutionaries were plotting; they wanted to destroy the czarist regime. These revolutionaries worked in secrecy so they wouldnt get caught; they believed a revolution was to come. Marxists wanted to start a revolution against factory and railroad workers, miners, and urban wage earners.

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When the war started, it sparked up national pride and united Russians. The soldiers were enthusiastic to fight, but Russia soon was stripped of resources. By 1915, Russian soldiers had no rifles, no medical care, and no ammunition. Because of this, many Russian soldiers died in battle. In one year, the death toll had reached 2 million.

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Nicholas II tried to take patriotic charge but it was a horrible decision and he died. He left most of his affairs to the czarina Alexandra. Alexandra was not a fit leader because she knew little of government and the people didnt trust her because she was born in Germany. When corruption came over Russia, Alexandra turned to holy man Rasputin.

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Rasputin was a Siberian peasant whose personality helped him gain a reputation as a healer. He gained this title because he apparently healed Alexandras son of hemophilia through hypnosis. Alexandra moved Rasputin to the palace and was given great power. Russia was in the hands of a crazy guy who thought he had powers.

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In order to save the monarchy, five men appointed by the Duma were sent to kill Rasputin. Prince Felix Yussoupov poisoned Rasputins cake and wine after luring him to his palace. The Prince left and later returned to shoot Rasputin. As the five men were examining the body, Rasputin got up, grabbed the Prince, and fled. Rasputin was again shot and later beaten unconscious. The five men threw him into the Neva river where Rasputin drowned.

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When the people heard of Rasputins death, rejoicing rung throughout Russia. Alexandra was very upset when she heard the news. Before he died, Rasputin prophesized that the Russian people would kill the czarinas children. In 1917, the Romanov dynasty came crashing down. But this was not because of Rasputins death.

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By March 1917, deaths on the battlefield, and food and fuel shortages on land, caused the crumbling of the monarchy. Many people started riots and rebellions began. Duma politicians created a temporary government and liberals were working on a constitution. Russian troops were fed up with war and started returning home. In Petrograd, they set up soviets, or councils of workers and soldiers and the Bolsheviks took charge.

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Lenin was a man that deeply despised the czarist government. He spread Marxist ideas al throughout Russia. Lenin called for an elite group to lead a revolution against capitalism and set up a dictatorship of the proletariat. Lenin named this group the Bolsheviks meaning majority. Lenin thought that the only way to bring up change was revolution, not higher wages or increased suffrage.