Chapter 27-4Chapter 27-4

The Russian RevolutionThe Russian Revolution

Nicholas II Nicholas II

Peter StolypinPeter Stolypin New Prime Minister New Prime Minister Tried to push through agrarian Tried to push through agrarian

reformsreforms Designed to break down collective Designed to break down collective

ownership of the mirsownership of the mirs And encouraged enterprising And encouraged enterprising

peasants: peasants: KulaksKulaks Much land transferred from Much land transferred from

communes to private ownership communes to private ownership

Peter StolypinPeter Stolypin

1911 was assassinated (probably 1911 was assassinated (probably instigated by nobles who believed his instigated by nobles who believed his policies to be too liberal)policies to be too liberal)

1911-1914 Many industrial strikes 1911-1914 Many industrial strikes and peasant violenceand peasant violence

Indications of dissatisfaction with Indications of dissatisfaction with Tsar’s regimeTsar’s regime

Russia’s poor showing during WWI Russia’s poor showing during WWI led directly to tsar’s downfallled directly to tsar’s downfall

Socialism in RussiaSocialism in Russia

1898 1898 Vladamir LeninVladamir Lenin founded the founded the Social Democratic Workers PartySocial Democratic Workers Party

Was exiled to SwitzerlandWas exiled to Switzerland

Lenin was the heir to Marx in Lenin was the heir to Marx in Socialist thoughtSocialist thought

Lenin’s Socialist Lenin’s Socialist PhilosophyPhilosophy

3.3. Lenin believed a highly disciplined Lenin believed a highly disciplined workers’ party, strictly controlled workers’ party, strictly controlled by dedicated elite intellectuals and by dedicated elite intellectuals and full-time revolutionariesfull-time revolutionaries

The above is where Lenin broke The above is where Lenin broke with Marx who believed that the with Marx who believed that the revolution would be controlled by revolution would be controlled by the workersthe workers

Three Basic Ideas Central Three Basic Ideas Central to Lenin’s Philosophy:to Lenin’s Philosophy:

1. Capitalism could be destroyed only 1. Capitalism could be destroyed only by violent revolutionby violent revolution He denounced revisionismHe denounced revisionism

2. Socialist revolution was possible 2. Socialist revolution was possible even in backward Russia (not yet even in backward Russia (not yet capitalist)capitalist) Peasants were poor…so potential Peasants were poor…so potential

revolutionariesrevolutionaries

By 1903 The Social By 1903 The Social Democratic Workers’ Party Democratic Workers’ Party

splitsplit MensheviksMensheviks (the minority) wanted to (the minority) wanted to

delay the revolution until after the delay the revolution until after the evolution of capitalism and the evolution of capitalism and the proletariat.proletariat.

They wanted a more democratic party They wanted a more democratic party with mass membershipwith mass membership

Bolsheviks Bolsheviks (the majority) followed (the majority) followed LeninLenin

After the Revolution of After the Revolution of 1905…1905…

The Bolsheviks in exile planned a The Bolsheviks in exile planned a revolutionrevolution

Lenin and Lenin and Leon TrotskyLeon Trotsky formed formed WorkersWorkers’ ’ Soviets: Soviets: councils of councils of workers, soldiers, and intellectualsworkers, soldiers, and intellectuals

The influence of the above increased The influence of the above increased prior to WWIprior to WWI

Causes for the overthrow of Causes for the overthrow of the Tsar the Tsar

Russia’s poor showing against the Japanese Russia’s poor showing against the Japanese in the Russo-Japanese Warin the Russo-Japanese War

The lack of reform after the Revolution of The lack of reform after the Revolution of 19051905

The impact of WWI (the most important The impact of WWI (the most important cause)cause) Massive casualties, food shortagesMassive casualties, food shortages Tsar’s leadership seemed incompetentTsar’s leadership seemed incompetent Tsarina was a German Princess and widely hatedTsarina was a German Princess and widely hated The influence of RasputinThe influence of Rasputin

The February Revolution The February Revolution of 1917of 1917

Massive strikes in Jan. and Feb. led Massive strikes in Jan. and Feb. led to food shortagesto food shortages

Women rioted for bread in St. Women rioted for bread in St. Petersburg and were supported by Petersburg and were supported by workers and soldiersworkers and soldiers

Demonstrators demanded the Demonstrators demanded the overthrow of the tsar and the overthrow of the tsar and the creation of a provisional governmentcreation of a provisional government

February RevolutionFebruary Revolution

Thousands of soldiers who were Thousands of soldiers who were ordered to suppress the strike joined ordered to suppress the strike joined the revolutionthe revolution

March 2, 1917 Nicholas II abdicatedMarch 2, 1917 Nicholas II abdicated The royal family was placed under The royal family was placed under

house arresthouse arrest March 12March 12thth the Duma declared a the Duma declared a

provisional governmentprovisional government

The Provisional The Provisional GovernmentGovernment

Was a dual governmentWas a dual government Constitutional Democrats and Liberals Constitutional Democrats and Liberals

who wanted to continue the war was one who wanted to continue the war was one partpart

The Petrograd Soviet (the workers and The Petrograd Soviet (the workers and soldiers who actually overthrew the tsar) soldiers who actually overthrew the tsar) were the other part…Mensheviks led the were the other part…Mensheviks led the governmentgovernment

The Soviets accepted the above…The Soviets accepted the above…temporarilytemporarily

Alexander KerenskyAlexander Kerensky

Kerensky was the leader of the Kerensky was the leader of the provisional government but maintained provisional government but maintained his membership in the Soviethis membership in the Soviet

Wanted peace without losing territory Wanted peace without losing territory to the Central Powersto the Central Powers

The government WAS NOT exclusively The government WAS NOT exclusively bourgeoisie…workers and soldiers toobourgeoisie…workers and soldiers too

ReformsReforms

Equality before the lawEquality before the law Freedom of religion, speech, Freedom of religion, speech,

assemblyassembly The right to form unions and to The right to form unions and to

strikestrike Amnesty of political prisonersAmnesty of political prisoners Election of local officialsElection of local officials 8-Hour work day8-Hour work day

KerenskyKerensky

Rejected outright social revolutionRejected outright social revolution

Did not want to confiscate large Did not want to confiscate large landholdings and distribute to landholdings and distribute to peasantspeasants

March 1, 1917March 1, 1917

Army Order #1Army Order #1 : to replace officers : to replace officers loyal to the tsar with officers who loyal to the tsar with officers who were committed to the revolutionwere committed to the revolution

Placed power in the hands of elected Placed power in the hands of elected committees of common soldierscommittees of common soldiers

Big Mistake: soldiers were worried Big Mistake: soldiers were worried about possible future charges of about possible future charges of treasontreason

Army discipline collapsedArmy discipline collapsed

The AlliesThe Allies

Formally recognized the Provisional Formally recognized the Provisional government in Russia in hopes that government in Russia in hopes that Russia would continue to fight in Russia would continue to fight in WWIWWI

BUT Russia plagued by anarchy: BUT Russia plagued by anarchy: Nationalities and local government took Nationalities and local government took

matters into their own handsmatters into their own hands Peasants took land (violently) from Peasants took land (violently) from

large landowners)large landowners)

The October Revolution The October Revolution 19171917

Resulted in a Communist DictatorshipResulted in a Communist Dictatorship

Germany arranged for Lenin to be Germany arranged for Lenin to be transported back to Russia in a sealed transported back to Russia in a sealed RR car in April 1917RR car in April 1917

He hoped to get Russia out of the war He hoped to get Russia out of the war by inciting a more radical revolution by inciting a more radical revolution which would demand peacewhich would demand peace

The April ThesisThe April Thesis

Lenin rejected all cooperation with Lenin rejected all cooperation with the “bourgeoisie” provisional the “bourgeoisie” provisional governmentgovernment

Called for a socialist revolution and Called for a socialist revolution and the establishment of a Soviet Republicthe establishment of a Soviet Republic

He called for the nationalization of He called for the nationalization of Banks and landed estatesBanks and landed estates

““All power to the Soviets” “All land to All power to the Soviets” “All land to the Peasants” “Stop the war now!”the Peasants” “Stop the war now!”

LeninLenin

The Provisional government tried The Provisional government tried unsuccessfully to suppress the Bolsheviksunsuccessfully to suppress the Bolsheviks

Lenin was forced to flee to Finland but Lenin was forced to flee to Finland but continued to issue directives to the continued to issue directives to the Bolsheviks while in exileBolsheviks while in exile

By Summer of 1917, the Bolsheviks By Summer of 1917, the Bolsheviks gained a slim majority in the Petrograd gained a slim majority in the Petrograd SovietSoviet

The Kornilov Affair The Kornilov Affair August 1917August 1917

Conservatives plotted the overthrow Conservatives plotted the overthrow of Kerensky’s governmentof Kerensky’s government

They were unhappy withThey were unhappy with His handling of the warHis handling of the war His inability to suppress the BolsheviksHis inability to suppress the Bolsheviks The peasant seizures of landThe peasant seizures of land

The Kornilov AffairThe Kornilov Affair

The plot failed without bloodshedThe plot failed without bloodshed

BUT Kerensky lost credibility with the BUT Kerensky lost credibility with the armyarmy

AND the fear of right-wing AND the fear of right-wing counterrevolutionaries played into the counterrevolutionaries played into the Bolsheviks’ handsBolsheviks’ hands

They set themselves up as defenders They set themselves up as defenders of the revolutionof the revolution

The fall of the provisional The fall of the provisional governmentgovernment

Was largely due to Kerensky’s Was largely due to Kerensky’s determination to continue the wardetermination to continue the war

AND his inability to prevent anarchy AND his inability to prevent anarchy

The PolitburoThe Politburo

Was formed to organize the Bolshevik Was formed to organize the Bolshevik revolutionrevolution

Led by Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, Led by Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, Zinoviev, Kamenev and BukharinZinoviev, Kamenev and Bukharin

October 25, 1917 Trotsky (leader of October 25, 1917 Trotsky (leader of the Red Army and the Petrograd the Red Army and the Petrograd Soviet) overthrew the Provisional Soviet) overthrew the Provisional governmentgovernment

Opponents of the Opponents of the BolsheviksBolsheviks

Were arrested…including many Were arrested…including many MensheviksMensheviks

The The ChekaCheka (secret police) was created to (secret police) was created to deal with opposition…had absolute power deal with opposition…had absolute power and were universally fearedand were universally feared

New elections to the new Constituent New elections to the new Constituent assemblyassembly

Lenin’s campaign “Peace, Land, Bread”Lenin’s campaign “Peace, Land, Bread” Bolsheviks lost…had only 29% of the voteBolsheviks lost…had only 29% of the vote But took power anyway by Jan. 1918But took power anyway by Jan. 1918

The Communist PartyThe Communist Party

The new name for the BolsheviksThe new name for the Bolsheviks

Though they were a minority, the Though they were a minority, the Bolsheviks were able to maintain Bolsheviks were able to maintain powerpower

Lenin’s ReformsLenin’s Reforms

Lenin gave the land to the peasants Lenin gave the land to the peasants (though they had already taken it)(though they had already taken it)

But by doing this he was perceived But by doing this he was perceived as a friend to the peasantsas a friend to the peasants

Lenin gave direct control of the Lenin gave direct control of the factories to committees of workersfactories to committees of workers

Lenin took Russia out of the warLenin took Russia out of the war

Treaty of Brest-LitovskTreaty of Brest-Litovsk

March 1918March 1918 Lenin wanted peace at any priceLenin wanted peace at any price Russia lost 1/3 of its population and Russia lost 1/3 of its population and

25% of its land to Germany25% of its land to Germany Also lost Baltic lands: Poland, the Also lost Baltic lands: Poland, the

Ukraine, FinlandUkraine, Finland Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was nullified Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was nullified

with Germany’s defeatwith Germany’s defeat

The Russian Civil War The Russian Civil War 1918-19201918-1920

Reds (Bolsheviks) v Whites (many Reds (Bolsheviks) v Whites (many different groups claiming to represent different groups claiming to represent the “real” interests of Russia and old the “real” interests of Russia and old army officers)army officers)

Both sides brutalBoth sides brutal

Civil War caused over 2 million people Civil War caused over 2 million people to leave Russiato leave Russia

Allies sent troops to help Allies sent troops to help WhitesWhites

Archangel Expedition in Murmansk Archangel Expedition in Murmansk tried to keep military supplies from tried to keep military supplies from going to the Redsgoing to the Reds

U.S. contributed about 5,000 troopsU.S. contributed about 5,000 troops

Allies also sent troops to Siberia to save Allies also sent troops to Siberia to save marooned Czechs who tried to prevent marooned Czechs who tried to prevent Bolsheviks from gaining supplies AND Bolsheviks from gaining supplies AND to prevent Japan from taking Siberiato prevent Japan from taking Siberia

War CommunismWar Communism

Bolsheviks applied concept of Total War Bolsheviks applied concept of Total War to the Civil Warto the Civil War

Declared that all land was nationalizedDeclared that all land was nationalized State took control of heavy industries State took control of heavy industries

and ended private tradeand ended private trade Above caused a huge decline in Above caused a huge decline in

productionproduction Peasants were forced to deliver food to Peasants were forced to deliver food to

townstowns

War CommunismWar Communism

The Cheka hunted down and executed The Cheka hunted down and executed thousands of opponentsthousands of opponents

They executed the RomanovsThey executed the Romanovs By 1921 the Reds were victoriousBy 1921 the Reds were victorious Communists were highly organized and Communists were highly organized and

disciplineddisciplined The Whites were divided and poorly The Whites were divided and poorly

organizedorganized Trotsky was awesome with the army Trotsky was awesome with the army

The USSRThe USSR

1922 The Union of Soviet Socialist 1922 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was createdRepublics was created

The world’s first communist countryThe world’s first communist country

The Russian Revolution:The Russian Revolution: 15 million died15 million died Economy ruinedEconomy ruined International trade goneInternational trade gone Millions of workers fled the countryMillions of workers fled the country