Communism and the

BolsheviksWorld War I

The -isms

• Conservatism - Philosophy based on tradition and keeping society stable.

• Liberalism - Philosophy based on change.

• Capitalism - Means of production owned mainly by private individuals or companies

• Socialism - Means of production owned by the community as a whole, usually through government

• Communism - Ownership of all property in common with everyone else in a community without government control

Karl Marx

• The Communist Manifesto

• Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

• Class System Struggles

• Oppressor and oppressed

• Bourgeoisie – Owned the means of production

• Proletariat – Depended on the owners

• Revolution

• Proletariat overthrow

• Dictatorship, abolish classes, distribute wealth

• Then get rid of dictatorship

Capitalism• Private ownership of industry

• Freedom of competition

• Results in unequal economic classes

Socialism• Government ownership of industry

• Goal is to bring economic equality

• Aims for a classless society

Communism• Goal of classless society achieved

• No government needed

• GAME

The Eastern Front

• Unlike the West

• Not stuck in trench warfare – mobility!

• Loss of Life

• Enormous for the Russians

• Almost 4 million dead, 4-6 million

wounded

• Russia Unprepared

• Training with broomsticks

The Royal Family

• Czar Nicholas II

• Romanov dynasty

• Absolute ruler

• Insists on taking charge of army

• Rasputin

• Alexandra relies for advice

• Death…

• The people begin to revolt…

• Czar Nicholas II abdicates

Soviets and Bolsheviks

• Soviets – Russian councils

composed of representatives

from workers and soldiers

• Similar to unions

• Bolsheviks

• Group controlled by Vladimir

Lenin

• Dedicated to violent revolution

• Attempts to destroy capitalism

Vladimir Lenin

• Travel Abroad

• Spreading revolutionary ideas

• Germans send him packing

• Bolsheviks Gain Power

• Take control of the soviets

• Promise to end the war, redistribute all land to peasants, transfer ownership of factories to committees and government

• VIDEO – Bolshevik Revolution

Russia’s Withdrawal

• Bolsheviks Take Power

• Rename themselves Communists

• Nicholas and his family murdered

• The “lost” Anastasia

• The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

• Ends Russian involvement in World

War I

• Frees up German troops to move to the

Western Front

Reds vs. Whites

PROPAGANDA DURING THE

WAR

• What is propaganda?

• A form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude

of a group toward a cause or position.

• Few Radios and No TV

• Posters became the “weapons on the wall”

• Why is it important?

• Reveal values and attitudes at the time

ANALYSING PROPAGANDA

How does the poster make you feel about the particular

subject they are representing?

Is the viewpoint skewed, biased, or incorrect in any way?

Are there any broad generalizations or stereotypes?

Why is propaganda effective in influencing public

opinion?

REASONS FOR

PROPAGANDA

• Women’s Role

• Encouraged to pressure husbands,

brothers, fathers, any male family

members to go and do their duty

• What if they didn’t go?

• Pressured to feel unmanly,

unpatriotic, selfish, embarrassing,

etc.

REASONS FOR PROPAGANDA

• Posters Reminded Everyone They

Had A Job:

• Through joining the army;

• Through working for the war effort;

• By not wasting food;

• Through investing in government

bonds.

REASONS FOR

PROPAGANDA

• Posters Often Used Fear

• Show atrocities that Germans were

committing

• Germans could invade and commit

those same atrocities against them.

WHY IS PROPAGANDA EFFECTIVE?

• Its main purpose is to influence people.

• It presents facts selectively.

• It uses loaded messages to create emotion.

• It is one-sided and from only one perspective.