Industrial Revolution

Russian Revolution (1917) and Lenin

• Before World War I, the majority of Russians were impoverished, while the Tsar and nobles possessed considerable wealth and privileges.

• Russia's involvement in World War I resulted in numerous defeats, leading to widespread food riots.

• Tsar Nicholas II was overthrown, leading to the establishment of a new provisional government that was soon overthrown.

• The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, promised "Peace, Bread, and Land," seized power, withdrew Russia from the war, and established the first Communist government.

• The Russian Civil War (1919-1921) resulted in a victory for the Reds (Communists) against the Whites (anti-Communists).

Joseph Stalin

• Following Lenin's death, Stalin assumed power in the Soviet Union by 1925, establishing a brutal regime.

• Political Purges: Stalin eliminated his political opponents through execution or imprisonment in gulags (slave labor camps) in Siberia.

• Collectivization: Stalin confiscated land from peasant owners and converted it into collective farms.

• Five-Year Plans: Stalin exerted control over all aspects of the economy, transforming the Soviet Union from an agricultural society to an industrial power.

• World War II (1939-1945): The Soviets repelled the Nazi invasion, suffering approximately 20 million casualties.

World War I - Treaty of Versailles (1919)

• The Treaty of Versailles marked the end of World War I. The Allies, seeking revenge, imposed harsh terms on Germany, leading to significant consequences in the 1930s.

• Germany was compelled to accept responsibility for initiating the war and was subjected to substantial reparation payments to the Allies, severely damaging its economy.

• Germany was stripped of its colonies and its navy.

• The German army was reduced to a small police force.

• The treaty led to the creation of the League of Nations, but the United States and the newly formed Soviet Union declined to join.

World War I (1914-1918)

• A war was fought between the Allied Powers (Britain, France, Russia, U.S.) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Turkey).

• Causes: Nationalism, economic rivalries, the alliance system, militarism, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

• New Weapons and Tactics: machine guns, submarines, airplanes, and trench warfare were deployed.

• Results: The Treaty of Versailles imposed harsh penalties on Germany; Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Turkey were dissolved; the League of Nations was established.

Imperialism - Scramble for Africa

• During the late 1800s, advancements in technology (railroads, armaments, telegraph) enabled European imperial powers to colonize most of Africa. The "Scramble for Africa" was negotiated by these countries at the Berlin Conference (1884).

• Great Britain possessed colonies stretching from South Africa to Egypt, including control of the Suez Canal.

• France maintained colonies throughout Western and Central Africa.

• Belgium, under the rule of King Leopold, controlled the Congo in Central Africa.

Imperialism - Resistance to Colonialism

• Sepoy Mutiny (1857): A mutiny of Indian soldiers in the British army was suppressed by Britain, which subsequently assumed direct control of India from the East India Company.

• Opium War (1840s): China's efforts to halt opium imports led to British military intervention, resulting in China being forced to open "treaty ports" controlled by Western powers.

• Boxer Rebellion (1899): A Chinese uprising against Western influence was quelled by an international expeditionary force and stimulated Chinese nationalism.

Imperialism

• A resurgence of imperialism occurred in the 1870s, with Europe's Great Powers establishing colonies in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. The U.S. and Japan also engaged in imperialistic activities in Asia.

• Impact:

  • Raw materials flowed from the colonies to the imperial powers.

  • Advanced technology, medicines, and Christian beliefs were introduced to the colonies.

  • Native populations were treated as inferior.

  • Local boundaries and traditions were disregarded.

  • Local people were forced to work in mines and plantations.

Japan Rise to Power

• Following the Meiji Restoration, Japan underwent industrialization, leading to an increased demand for raw materials and markets.

• Russo-Japanese War: Japan emerged as an Asian power, marking the first time a European power was defeated by a non-European nation.

• Japan was rewarded for its participation in World War I with several former German colonies.

• The Second Sino-Japanese War marked the beginning of Japan's takeover of China.

Japan - Meiji Restoration

• The Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1868) had isolated Japan from all foreigners, foreign trade, and Western ideas.

• In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry used the threat of naval force to "open" Japan.

• The Shogunate collapsed, and imperial rule under Emperor Meiji was "restored."

• The Meiji Emperor embraced Western technology, education, banking systems, and military tactics.

• Japan was the first non-Western nation to successfully adopt Western ways.

Industrial Revolution

• The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain in the 1750s, driven by new inventions like James Watt's steam engine.

• Effects:

  • Production shifted from handmade goods at home to mass production in factories.

  • New power sources like steam were applied to the manufacture of textiles, ships, and railways.

  • Urbanization: People migrated from rural areas to cities in search of work in factories.

  • The rise of capitalists and a working class as important new groups in society.

Industrial Revolution - Reform - Communism

• Workers in the 1800s endured terrible and unsafe conditions for meager wages.

• In The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels advocated for workers to unite and violently overthrow the capitalist class.

• Marx called for the establishment of a Communist society, the abolition of private property, and the common ownership of the means of production.

• Significance: In the 20th century, several nations adopted the Communist system: Russia, China, and Cuba.

Nationalism - Decline of Ottoman Empire

• From the 18th century to the early 20th century, the Ottoman Empire gradually declined.

• Reasons:

  • Failure to Modernize: The Ottomans failed to keep pace with Western technology, and Muslim leaders often resisted change.

  • Disunity: The empire was overly decentralized, with the Sultan relying on provincial officials to govern.

  • Nationalism: Christian parts of the empire sought independence.

  • Russia seized Ottoman territories and supported Slavic peoples in other regions.

Nationalism

• Nationalism is the belief that each nation or ethnic group should have its own state. An ethnic group can be defined by race, religion, language, or common ancestry.

• Unifying Forces for Nationalism:

  • Italian unification (Garibaldi, Cavour)

  • German unification (Otto von Bismarck)

• Divisive Force for Nationalism: Ethnic divisions eventually led to the disintegration of several large multi-ethnic states:

  • Austria-Hungary (1918)

  • Ottoman Empire (1919)

  • Soviet Union (1991)