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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.

Next Lesson: World War Two