Russian Revolution (Chapter 30)
Alexander III
Hated Russian reforms Supported absolute rule Used harsh measures to
control Used secret police Controlled schools Oppressed non-Russian
groups Persecuted Jews (pogroms)
Russian RevolutionNicholas II, son of Alexander II
Autocratic ruler like his father Ruled a nation lacking industrial power Used top official to bring about
changes
Hired Sergey Witte helped finance Russian industry
Higher taxes & foreign investments Russia became leader in steel
making Built the Trans-Siberian railroad
Russian Revolution – Revolutionary Movement
Rapid industrial growth caused discontent among workers. Working conditions Child labor Low pay
Trade unions were outlawed Workers had low standard of living & lacked political
voice
Working People Arise
Russian Revolution
Political GroupsBolsheviks wanted a few dedicated
revolutionaries willing to sacrifice everything for radical change
Mensheviks wanted broad based popular support for the revolution
Mensheviks
Bolsheviks
Russian Revolution
Bolsheviks Led by Vladimir Lenin Ruthless leader Fled to Europe to avoid arrest
by the czar Waited until the czar had been
overthrown to return to Russia
First ruler of Russia under communist control.
Russian RevolutionRusso-Japanese War Russia & Japan competed for power over Korea
and Manchuria Signed treaties broken by Russia Japan attacked Russia in retaliation for broken
treaties Japan defeated Russia
Russian RevolutionBloody Sunday
200,000 industrial workers went to the czar’s palace• Petitioned for
• Better working conditions• More personal freedom • Elected national legislature
• Between 500 – 1,000 were killed the palace guards.• Nicholas agreed to the Duma, (elected legislature) but dismissed them when they wanted a constitutional monarchy
Russian RevolutionRussia in World War INicholas allowed Russia to enter WW I
Germany had the superior army Russia lost 4 million men in one year 1915, Nicholas II moved to the war front Czarina Alexandra ran the country Ignored the czar’s advisors Took advise and council from Rasputin
Russian RevolutionRasputinGrigory Yefimovich Rasputin is has been described as one of the most scandalous figures in Russian history. A semi-literate peasant from Siberia, he arrived in St. Petersburg, the capital of Russia, and within a few years had become one of the most influential men in the Russian government.
• believed to have magical powers• seemed to help the czar’s son, Alexis who suffered from hemophilia• Alexandra allowed Rasputin to make key political decisions• spread corruption throughout the court• eventually killed by a group of Russian nobles
Russian RevolutionMarch Revolution
1917 – Russia’s war efforts and the state of the nation were in decline- women workers led a strike in Petrograd- riots over bread & fuel shortages- soldiers shot the rioters at first,
then joined them- soldiers killed their commanding officers
Russian RevolutionCzar Abdicates
Riots spread throughout Russia Czar Nicholas abdicated his throne Imprisoned by Bolsheviks Executed along with his family which gave rise to
the many theories concerning Anastasia, his daughter
Duma established a provisional government Soviets were formed by revolutionaries seeking
power Lenin returned to Russia from exile
Russian RevolutionBolshevik Revolution
• Bolsheviks stormed the winter palace and overpowered the provisional government
• Lenin took over• Ordered all farmland to be given to the peasants• Gave control of the factories to the workers• Signed a treaty (Brest –Litovsk) with Germany,
surrendered land to Germany & its allies• Many objected to the Bolsheviks & their policies• Civil war broke out
Russian RevolutionRussian Civil WarMany Russians opposed
the Bolsheviks = Civil War
Red Army = BolsheviksWhite Army = Menshiviks 15 million Russians dies in thethree year battle. America gave aid to the White Army. Red army won giving the Bolsheviks, (Lenin)
control of Russia.
Russian RevolutionLenin Restores Order
Revision of Government and Economy• New Economic Policy
• Abandoned the state-controlled economy idea• Est. a mini-capitalism economy where peasants
could sell surplus goods• Government controlled industry, banks,
communications• Individuals could control farms and small business
Russian RevolutionLenin’s Government Reforms• Organized self-governing republics under the
control of the central government. (USSR)• Bolsheviks took the name Communist Party.
* Communism – classless society* Created a constitution based on socialist and democratic principles.* In reality – communist party held all of the power
• The USSR slowly recovered by 1928 the farms and
• factories were back to pre-war production