Russian Revolution Review

Alexander II

• Emperor of Russia from 1855 to 1881

• "Tsar Liberator" for emancipating the serfs in 1861

• Despite this reform, many serfs remained dissatisfied due to insufficient land and continued obligations to landowners.

• assasinated by the peoples will inn 1881

Alexander III

• son of alexander II

• rather than being a reformer like his father, he was a represser

• censored people, enforced russification, and started pogroms (excecutions)

Nicholas II

• his father alexander III never belived in him so he wasn’t prepared to be a tsar

• responsible for many big mess ups like the russo-japanese war loss and bloody sunday which sparked the civil war in europe

• last tzar of russia and ended the romanov dynasty

Alexandria

Empress of Russia, wife of Nicholas II. Her German heritage and reliance on Rasputin during her husband's absence contributed to public distrust.

Alexi

Only son of Nicholas II and Alexandra, afflicted with hemophilia, which led to a search for alternative medical treatments, notably involving Rasputin

Romanov family

The ruling dynasty of Russia for over three centuries, overthrown during the Russian Revolution.

Social Revolutionaries

A political party advocating for agrarian socialism and the redistribution of land to peasants.

Bolsheviks

• led by lenin during october revolution

• fought vs the whites during the civil war and won

Mensheviks

A faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, opposing the Bolsheviks, advocating for a more gradual approach to socialism.

Russo-Japanese War

A conflict between Russia and Japan over imperial ambitions in Manchuria and Korea. Russia's defeat exposed its military weaknesses and contributed to domestic unrest.

Bloody Sunday

A massacre of peaceful protesters in St. Petersburg, leading to widespread outrage and a loss of faith in the Tsarist regime.

Tsar (Czar)

The title for emperors of Russia.

Cyrillic Alphabet

The writing system used in Russian and other Slavic languages.

Orthodox Church

The dominant Christian denomination in Russia, closely tied to the Tsarist regime.

Rasputin

A mystic who gained influence in the Russian court due to his alleged healing abilities concerning Tsarevich Alexei's hemophilia.

abdicate

To formally relinquish the throne.

Provisional Government

The temporary government established after Nicholas II's abdication, which was eventually overthrown by the Bolsheviks.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

• a peace agreement between Soviet Russia and the Central Powers, led by Germany, to end Russia’s involvement in World War I

• Russia gave up large amounts of territory, including Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic states, losing about one-third of its population and resources

• Lenin accepted the harsh terms to focus on building the new Bolshevik government and ending the civil war

Alexander Kerensky

A leader of the Provisional Government who failed to address key issues, leading to his downfall.

“Bread, Land, and Peace”

The Bolshevik slogan addressing the needs of the people: food, land redistribution, and withdrawal from World War I.

Lenin

Leader of the Bolsheviks, who played a pivotal role in the October Revolution and the establishment of the Soviet Union.

Middle class man who was a jerk and wanted to overthrow the Tzar to put communism in place because he looked up to the Marx Manifesto

Trotsky

• Leon Trotsky was a Russian revolutionary, Marxist theorist, and close ally of Lenin

• He played a key role in organizing the Bolshevik takeover during the October Revolution and later led the Red Army to victory in the Russian Civil War

• After Lenin's death, he lost a power struggle to Stalin and was eventually exiled and assassinated in Mexico in 1940.

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

The socialist state established in 1922, uniting multiple republics under a centralized government.

• USSR

• union of soviet socialist republics

Reds

The Bolshevik forces during the Russian Civil War.

Whites

The opposing anti-Bolshevik forces during the Russian Civil War.

Basically everyone who wasnt pro communist so they wanted to keep the tzars

Communism

A political ideology advocating for a classless society and the abolition of private property.

Why were the Russian people upset with Alexander II even when he freed the serfs?

• the serfs were stuck renting land from their same land owners until they could get out of their immense debt

• the land serfs received was only ¼ achre, which barley enough to feed their family let alone profit

Why did Russia lose the Russo-Japanese War?

• Russia underestimated Japan's military strength and was poorly prepared for a distant war in East Asia

• Japan had modern, well-trained forces and won key battles at sea and on land,

• Russia struggled with long supply lines and internal unrest

• The defeat shocked the world and weakened the Tsar Nicholas II’s authority, contributing to the 1905 Russian Revolution.

Why was Bloody Sunday a turning point in how people viewed Nicholas II?

The massacre of peaceful protesters shattered the image of the Tsar as a benevolent ruler, leading to widespread disillusionment.

Why did Russia do so poorly in WWI?

Contributing factors included inadequate military leadership, poor infrastructure, and low morale among troops.

How did Rasputin influence the Russian Government?  How did this make the Tsarina appear?

When Tzar Nicholas II stepped up to be commander cheif and lead their military, his wife Tsarina Alexandra was put in charge politically. Their close relationship with Rasputin made her trust him and he gave her advice and had a major influence on the political decisions for Russia. This damaged the monarchys reputation and fueled public distrust since someone as unqualified as Rasputin was making decisions for Russia just because he was friends with the family

What caused the Bread Riots?  How did this lead to the Tsar’s abdication?

Food shortages and economic hardship sparked the Bread Riots, escalating into broader protests that pressured Tsar Nicholas II to abdicate.

Describe Kerensky’s biggest mistake.

• Alexander Kerensky was a Russian lawyer and politician who became the leader of the Provisional Government after the February Revolution in 1917

• His decision to continue Russia's involvement in World War I alienated key support groups and weakened the Provisional Government

• His government was eventually overthrown by Lenin and the Bolsheviks during the October Revolution

Why did the Germans send Lenin back to Russia?  How did he overthrow Kerensky?

• He had fled Russia years earlier to avoid arrest for his revolutionary activities against the Tsarist regime. Germany allowed him safe passage through their territory in 1917 because they hoped his return would spark unrest in Russia and weaken its war effort.

• Lenin gained support by promising "peace, land, and bread," appealing to war-weary soldiers, peasants, and workers. With the Bolsheviks, he overthrew Kerensky’s Provisional Government in the October Revolution by seizing key locations in Petrograd.

Describe the Russian Civil war.  Why were Trotsky and the Bolsheviks successful?

The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was fought between the Bolshevik Red Army and various anti-Bolshevik forces after the Bolsheviks seized power in 1917. The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin and Trotsky, were successful due to their strong leadership, control of key areas, effective propaganda, and the disorganization of their enemies.

How did Stalin take power from Lenin and Trotsky?

Stalin took power by using his role as General Secretary to build a loyal base within the Communist Party, quietly placing supporters in key positions. After Lenin's death, he outmaneuvered Trotsky—his main rival—by forming temporary alliances, discrediting Trotsky, and eventually forcing him into exile. This allowed Stalin to consolidate total control over the Soviet Union by the late 1920s.

March Revolution

• women factory workers revolt over bread, army ends up joining in with them

• nicholas II has to step down from tzar and a provisional government is put in place