The Russian Revolution

1. The Russian Revolution From the Land of the Tsars To the Land of Lenin

2. Land of the Tsars • Tsar: the Slavic term for Emperor • derived from the Latin word Caesar • Autocrat: a ruler with unlimited authority • Ivan IV was the 1st to assume the title of Tsar in 1547 • Nicholas II was the last Tsar • Ruled until 1917

3. Ivan IV – Ivan the Terrible • Ruled from 1547-1584 • Intelligent & strong ruler • Better known for his fits of rage and paranoia • One outburst of rage resulted in the death of his son & groomed heir to the throne Ivan Ivanovich

4. The Romanovs THE ROMANOVS Assumed the Russian throne in 1613 under Tsar Michael I & ruled until Tsar Nicholas II was overthrown in 1917

5. Peter the Great Ruled 1682 – 1725 Founded the Russian Empire in 1721 Brought Russia out of the dark ages through sheer force of will Traveled through Western Europe studying everything about modern European culture, especially shipbuilding! Taught Russia’s shipbuilders the advanced techniques he learned himself! Led the improved Russian Navy to the expansion of Russian territory He was 6’ 8” – a GIANT in his time!

6. Catherine the Great Ruled Russia 1762 – 1796 Known throughout Europe in her time & throughout history as a great ruler Russia greatly expanded its territory under her rule Known as an “Enlightened Monarch” An absolute ruler who, at the least, was open to the new ideas & philosophies of the Enlightenment Invited author of Encyclopedia, Denis Diderot, to her court in Moscow

7. The Expansion of Russia Russia under Ivan the Terrible Russia under Peter the Great

8. The Expansion of Russia Russia under Catherine the Great Russia under Nicholas II

9. Russia at the turn of the 20th century Russo-Japanese War Revolution of 1905 • Fought from February 1904 to September 1905 • Fought over imperialist control of Manchuria (China) and Korea • The Russian Military was poorly organized & lost the war to Japan • Political & social unrest spread throughout Russia • Included worker strikers, military mutinies, & peasant unrest • Resulted in Tsar Nicholas II ceding some of his power • Russia became limited constitutional monarchy

10. Background to Revolution • Russia had many problems in the wake of the loss to Japan & Revolution of 1905 • These problems left them unprepared for the new age of “Total” war in WWI • Lacking militarily & technologically • No competent military leaders • Industry unable to produce enough weapons • Some soldiers were sent to the front lines of WWI without weapons!!

11. Tsar Nicholas & Family • Tsarina: Alexandra • Children: 4 daughters & the Tsarevich Alexi • Alexi was a hemophiliac • Disease of the blood where the blood lacks platelets (clotting agents) • This means even a bruise could be life threatening!

12. Rasputin – “The Mad Monk” • Siberian peasant & supposed holy man • Won the favor of the Tsar, but especially the Tsarina b/c he seemed to be the only one capable of stopping Alexi’s bleeding

13. The Rasputin Problem • Tsar Nicholas was on the front lines of WWI leading the Russian troops ... to defeat • This left the Tsarina, Alexandra, in St. Petersburg to make all of the decisions • She never made a decision w/o consulting her holy man, Rasputin • As military losses mounted & economic woes for Russia’s people continued, resistance to the Tsarist regime grew

14. The Situation Begins to Crumble • Military disasters mounted under the Tsar in WWI • Economic woes continued on the home front under the Tsarina’s decisions • Anger at Rasputin’s influence over the Tsarina & her reliance on him grew • He was assassinated by a group of aristocrats who supported the Tsar in December, 1916

15. The March Revolution In February, 1917 the government began to ration bread b/c the price skyrocketed In Petrograd (St. Petersburg) women who worked 12 hour shifts in the factories now also had to wait in long lines for bread These women staged a series of strikes in March, 1917

16. The March Revolution FACTORY STRIKE IN PETROGRAD

17. The Tsars Response After a general strike of 120,000 workers shut down all of the factories in Petrograd the Tsarina wrote the Tsar & called it a “hooligan movement” Tsar Nicholas ordered troops to break up the strike by any means, even shooting Many soldiers refused these orders & joined the demonstrators instead

18. STRIKE! In Petrograd Tsarist troops fire on striking factory workers.

19. The Provisional Government • On March 12, 1917 the Duma (legislature) established a provisional (temporary) government • It urged the Tsar to step down • Nicholas II did so on March 15, 1917 • Ending 304 years of Romanov rule over Russia

20. The Provisional Government Alexander Kerensky was chosen to lead the Provisional Gov’t Ignored the wishes of the workers, peasants, & soldiers by keeping Russia involved in WWI Authority faced a serious challenge from the soviets

21. The Soviets • Soviet: a council made up of representatives from workers & soldiers • Began to form all over Russia • Factory towns • Army units • Rural areas • Made up mostly of socialists • Socialism: a philosophy of government in which the government owns & controls the means of production • Represented the radical interests of the lower classes

22. VladamirIlyichUlianov • Known to the world as V.I. Lenin • Spent much of this time period in hiding b/c his brother took part in the 1905 Revolution • Fiercely believed the only way for a Marxist revolution could overthrow capitalism was through violence • Shipped back to Russia by the German gov’t after the Provisional Gov’t came to power • Hoped he would create chaos in Russia

23. Lenin & the Bolsheviks While in hiding Lenin took control of the Bolshevik party When he returned to Russia he saw an opportunity for his party to seize power through the Soviets His plan was for the Bolsheviks to gain control of the Soviets & use them to overthrow the Provisional government

24. What the Bolsheviks Promised END Russia’s involvement in WWI Redistribute land to the peasants Transfer ownership of factories & industries from capitalists to councils of workers Transfer of governmental power from the provisional gov’t to the soviets

25. Bolshevik Slogans “WORKERS CONTROL OF PRODUCTION!” “ALL POWER TO THE SOVIETS!” “PEACE! LAND! BREAD!”

26. The Bolshevik Revolution By October, 1917 the Bolsheviks had grown from 50,000 to 240,000 On November 6, 1917 Bolshevik forces in Petrograd took control of the Winter Palace, home of the Provisional Gov’t The Provisional Gov’t quickly fell w/ little bloodshed

27. Lenin in Power • On the surface Lenin & the Bolsheviks passed governmental power to the Soviets • The REAL power, however, sat with the Council of People’s Commissars…controlled by Lenin • Bolsheviks renamed themselves Communists • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • Signed by Lenin on March 3, 1918 • Ended Russia’s involvement in WWI, as promised • Gave up Poland, Finland, Ukraine, & the Baltic Provinces

28. Civil War in Russia • Many groups opposed Bolshevik rule in Russia • Groups loyal to the Tsar • Anti-Lenin socialists • Socialists who did not believe in violent revolution • Allied forces in WWI • Concerned about communist takeover of Russia • U.S., Great Britain, France • Communist forces: RED Army vs. Anti-Communist forces: WHITE Army

29. The Fate of the Romanovs The royal family had been prisoners since the Tsar gave up power Tsar Nicholas II and his family’s continued existence were the biggest threat to Lenin & the Communists’ rule, especially if the White Army gained the upper hand in combat The entire family was assassinated in the middle of the night in Ekaterinberg, Russia

30. The Fate of the Romanovs The last Romanovs The wall behind the final family portrait

31. Red Army vs. White Army(communists) (anti communists) THE RED ARMY • Well disciplined army • Deserters or refusal to obey = instantly shot • War Communism • Gov’t control of banks, most industries, taking grain from peasants to keep the army supplied • Red Terror • The Checka, a secret police force, attacked opponents to communist rule • Appeal to Russian Patriotism • Japan, France, Great Britain, & the U.S. all had troops stationed inside Russian territory to help the anti-communist forces • Communists called on Russians to fight off foreign attempts to control their country

32. Leon Trotsky Secret weapon of the Red Army Commissar of War responsible for manning, supplying, and maintaining the army Insisted on rigid discipline Insisted on a highly organized fighting force Influential in the policies of War Communism

33. Red Army vs. White Army(communists) (anti communists) THE WHITE ARMY • Lacked the single minded focus of the Red Army • Political differences among the various groups created distrust among the White forces & leaders • Some wanted to restore the Tsar to power & continue the monarchy • Others wanted to create a democratic system of government in Russia • No common goal!!

34. The Communists Prevail By 1921 the Red Army & the Communists had total control of Russia Russia was now a centralized state under the control of a single party Russia was also hostile to its former allies, who supplied troops & other aid to the White Army during the civil war