Russian Revolution

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The Leadership of Russia:

Originally Russia was led by a Tsar. * Tsar: King or Monarch in slavic countries. The Tsar was an Autocrat. Which means he had complete control over the government.
The final Tsar was: Tsar Nicholas II. * He was described as Shy and Weak. * Was not ready to rule. * He married Alexandra Feodorovna. She was rumored to be a Traitor Was also German.

Bloody Sunday and The First Revolution:

Workers were upset with their Working Conditions and Pay.
Workers Marched on the Tsar's palace in St. Petersburg.
There they demanded for better conditions and pay
They were led by Gregory Gapon, who was a Radical priest.
This march was Peaceful. The Imperial forces at the palace responded by Firing on the crowd. * This event made many workers go on Strike.

Reasons the people were discontent with the government:

Poor working conditions
Losing the war with Japan
Little pay
Bloody Sunday

→ Most of the revolution consisted of Strikes, some of which turned Violent.

The Revolution also spread to some other Eastern countries like: Poland, Finland, and other Balkan areas In these countries the strikes were more about the Railroads.
The Revolution was quelled with Tsar Nicholas promising A Duma.
Duma → Representative Assembly which would work toward reform.

The October Manifesto:

→ After the first Duma, they came up with the October Manifesto Nicholas was forced to make it, due to the strikes.

Changed Russia to a Constitutional Monarchy. * Similar to the Magna Carta
The Tsar didn’t like it much, but he knew it would Solve/quell their current problems.

Rasputin:

Was known for being a Mystic Healer.
Was called to help the royal family with their son Alexei. * Suffered from Hemophilia.
Became close with the Royal Family, and moved in with them.
Some people became Suspicious of him after a while. * He was killed in 1916, by Nobles trying to end his Influence over the Tsar’s.

Communism: (Review)

→The Government owns everything

→ Everybody is Equal

→ Started by Karl Marx

→There is no Competition.

Vladimir Lenin:

Became a revolutionary because his brother was Killed.
Really liked Communism, after reading the Communist Manifesto.
Was very against the rule of the Tsar.
Created some Marxist groups in Russia.
Led to him being Exiled in 1895.
Left Exile in 1900 and moved to Western Europe.
In Europe he met a group of marxists who’s name was RSDWP. He caused a division in the group, and his side was The Bolshvicks. * It means Majority in English. They were usually in the minority though.
The other side was called The Menshiviks. It means Minority in English. They were usually in the majority though
Lenin Returned to Russia after The First Revolution.

World War One (The Great War):

Russia joined the War because they wanted to defend the Russian people in Serbia. They also had an alliance with France.
Tsar Nicholas went out and became Commander-In-Chief.
This left Rasputin and his wife back at the palace. * It would lead to Rasputin gaining more Power.
At first the people were United over the war, and wanting Russia to win. * Morale started to fade, once Russia lost some of the battles.
They lost lots of Money and people in the war, leading to a poor economy. * All of these factors led to more discontent with the Tsar.
Some people like Lenin wanted Russia to Lose. * It would make the people Suffer, giving more cause for a Revolution.

Leon Trotsky:

Was in the same Marxist group as Lenin, but was on the Menshevik side.
He Became a Leading Speaker at the St. Petersburg Soviet. * Soviet → A Council that made a unit within the Soviet Union.
He was Exiled for being against the Tsar.
Wrote “Results and Prospects ” Brought about the idea of Permanent Revolution.
He was also very against the War (Like Lenin) This idea got him kicked out of France and Spain Made him move to NY.

The 1917 Revolutions:

→ There were two parts to this revolution:

→ The February revolution, and The Bolshevik revolution.

February Revolution:

Started because of widespread Inflation and food shortages.
Led to them taking the Tsar out of power.
The Duma made a Provisional Government .
This was led by a prime minister: Alexander Kerensky. * He tried to fight back against the Bolsheviks later on, by trying to get allies to fight. This plan ended up Failing.

Bolshevik Revolution:

Russia was running low on Supplies because they were still in WW1. * Made people upset.
The Bolsheviks launched a peaceful Coup d’état on the new provisional government. * They were led by Lenin.
They were upset because the provisional government was made mostly of the Upper Class.
They then changed Russia to a Soviet Government, which would be ruled by Councils of Soldiers, and the Lower Class.
They then pulled Russia out of the War.
The main goal of this revolution was

“Peace, Land, and Bread”

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk:

→ Treaty took Russia out of WWI.

Gave lots of territory to Germany. * As well as other central powers.

Treaty of Versailles reaction:

Russia hoped to get their Land back. * This is because they fought on the Winners side for most of the war.
In the end Russia got Nothing from the treaty. * Most of the land which they gave up became Independent countries.

The Civil War:

The Tsar and his family were captured by Bolsheviks, in 1917 One night they were told to get ready for a Move. On the way out the family was Attacked and Killed.

The Civil War began after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Lasted until 1923.

The Two sides:

The Red Army →Lenin’s side. Wanted Communism.
The White Army →Any groups which opposed Lenin. Wanted anything but Communism.
The U.S tried to help the White Army, to stop the spread of Communism.
The Red Army ended up winning.

Joseph Stalin:

Joined Lenin, and served on the First Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party.
After the revolution he became Secretary of The Central Committee of the Communists. * Was able to appoint people for government jobs.
Lenin ended up dying from Strokes in 1924.
Stalin was able to Move Past his competition. * Got rid of most of them.
Took over for Lenin and became the next Dictator of the Soviet Union.
Stalin started to make “5 Year Plans” * These were intended to modernize Russia through Industrialization. * Wanted the Government to control Farms. * Destroyed lots of Russian history
He ruled through Fear and totalitarianism. * Totalitarian →Government (usually a dictator) with Complete/Total control.
Made a secret police
Those who opposed him were either killed or sent to labor camps (Gulags)
The Great Purge→ A bunch of campaigns which worked to rid the Soviet Union's of “threats” to Stalin.

The Holodomor:

A Famine in Ukraine.
Happened because of many Agricultural acts.
The government controlling farms * Also Stalin wanted to Starve and weaken Ukraine.
About 3.9 million Ukrainians died in this event.
This was a smaller part of the Soviet Famine. In total (including Ukraine) the famine killed about 5 million people.