A lie told often enough becomes the truth

“A lie told often enough becomes the truth. ” -Vladimir Lenin If you change this sentence around "Mr owl ate my metal worm" it says the same thing.

The Russian Revolution(s)

The Revolution of 1905 u Traces Wars. its roots back to the Napoleonic u When Russia officers were fighting abroad, they became impressed by the western European social and political reforms. u When the officers returned to Russia, many joined secret societies to discuss the need for economic reform, constitutional government, and for freeing of serfs.

The Revolution of 1905 u. Czar Nicholas I resisted reform and change, and it would take the Russian defeat in the Crimean War for change to happen. u. In 1855, Nicholas I’s son, Alexander II, undertook the task of saving the autocracy and preventing a revolution.

Nicholas I and Alexander II

The Revolution of 1905 u Alexander II: Emancipated the peasants. u Created a new representative local government: zemstvos. u Limited the use and authority of the secret police. u Eased restrictions on the press. u Modernized the judicial system. u Expanded the educational system. u Reorganized the Russian Army. u

The Revolution of 1905 u Unfortunately, the reforms of Alexander II satisfied few Russians: u Landowners had lost both land power. u The peasantry had made few economic gains. u Conservatives feared weakening of the autocracy. u Reformers pushed for greater changes.

u In The Revolution of 1905 response to the growing discontent with the Russian government, radical reformist sects such as anarchists, nihilists, and populists formed. u Alexander II was eventually assassinated by a revolutionist in 1881. u When Alex. II’s son, Alexander III, assumed the throne, he vowed to crush the revolutionaries and reinstate the old autocracy.

Alexander III u u u He did not allow a constitution to be created. He reversed several of his father’s reforms including: Abolishing autonomy in the schools. Restored censorship of the press. Extended the powers of the secret police. He also created the policy of Russification: intolerance and persecution of non-Russian peoples, especially the Jews.

The Revolution of 1905 u When Alexander III died in 1894, his son Nicholas II rose to the throne and declared his intentions of ruling as an autocrat. u However, Nicholas lacked the strong will necessary to make absolute rule effective. u Under Nicholas, dissatisfaction grew and soon Marxist revolutionary groups began to develop.

The Marxists u Marxism: The working class, not the peasants would lead the revolution. u Mensheviks: Believed that Russia needed to develop into an industrial state with a sizable working class before a socialist revolution could occur. u Bolsheviks: Believed that a small party of professional revolutionaries could use force to bring about a socialist society in the near future.

The Russo-Japanese War, 1904 u With the defeat of Russia in a war with Japan over Manchuria, opposition to the Czar grew. u Urban workers, middle-class thinkers, and peasants. u The war put immense strain on the Russian economy; it raised food prices, but not wages.

Bloody Sunday, January 22, 1905

Bloody Sunday, January 22, 1905 u 200, 000 workers peacefully marched to the Czar’s palace in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) to present a petition for reform. u The palace guards, by order of Nicholas II, fired onto the crowd killing hundreds. u This action set off a wave of political protests.

Bloody Sunday, January 22, 1905

u After The Revolution of 1905 Bloody Sunday, the first soviets (workers’ councils) were created in order to voice their grievances. u In October 1905, workers sized control of the major cities during a strike. u Nicholas II created the Duma, or legislature, to help appease to strikers, however, the Duma was only going to serve as an advisory council rather than a legislative body.

The October Manifesto u When the protestors learned of the intended role of the Duma, nationwide strikes continued. Nicholas was forced to comply to the demands of the people: u Granted civil rights to citizens. u Duma has the power to make laws. u u In theory, Russia became a constitutional monarchy, in practice, Nicholas kept his powers. By the time WWI broke out, people were ready for Revolution again.

u Mass 1917 Revolution: The Causes Discontent: Low morale among the soldiers and the people. u Dissident Elite: Elites siding with peasants in political opposition to the Czar. u Unifying Motivations: Anti-war, Anti. Czar, and Socialism. u Severe Political Crisis: Ineffective government. u Permissive World Context: WWI

The Czar’s Government u The Russian government was an autocracy: government ruled by one person with unlimited authority. u Czar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra became unpopular due to: u Czar was politically incompetent. u The Czar and his wife’s reliance on the mystic healer Grigori Rasputin. u Food and fuel shortages; inflation.

Nicholas II and Alexandra

Grigori Rasputin u Believed to be a psychic and a faith healer. u He is accredited to having been the personal healer to Nicholas’s son, Alexis, who had hemophilia. u His position as a healer put him in a position of influence with the royal family that many came to distrust. u He was later assassinated in Dec. 1916 in an effort to save the royal family’s power.

u “Without - a revolutionary theory there cannot be a revolutionary movement. ” Vladimir Lenin The King of Hearts is the only king without a moustache.

The February Revolution u u March 8, 1917: 100, 000 s men and women marched on Petrograd (St. Petersburg). They were demanding food, an end to the war, and shouting “Down with the Czar!” March 11 -12: Soldiers ordered to put down the protest refused to fire on the crowd; many join the protestors. March 16: the Czar abdicates and ends the 300 year long Romanov dynasty.

The February Revolution During the Revolution, there were few lives lost. u Took place without Revolutionary intellectuals (exiled abroad). u

u Revolutions Breaks Out: Soldiers and Citizens Unite

The Czar Abdicates u Nicholas Abdicates the Throne

The Czar Abdicates u u u When Nicholas II abdicated on March 16, 1917, Russia declared itself a republic. The Czar’s Parliament, the Duma, chose members to set up a new provisional government under the Czar’s brother Prince Mikhail, a moderate reformist. Nicholas's brother refused to become Czar unless that was the decision of an elected government; he wanted the people to want him as their leader.

The Czar Abdicates u The provisional government’s responsibility was to govern Russia until elections could be held for a National Constituent Assembly. u The provisional government eventually came under the leadership of the moderate socialist Alexander Kerensky.

Alexander Kerensky u u u April 22, 1881 -June 11, 1970. Vice Chairman of the Petrograd Soviet: a representative body of the city’s workers. Second Prime Minister of the Provisional Government until Vladimir Lenin was elected by the All-Russian Congress of Soviets following the October Revolution.

Problems with the Provisional Government u The members reflected the social class composition of the Duma: the wealthy upper-class. u The provisional government represented the upper-class interests and was viewed with suspicion from the peasants and the lower-classes of the Petrograd Soviet.

Problems with the Provisional Government u. The provisional government decided to continue the war with Germany. u. Patriotism, hatred of Germany, and trying to preserve future economic and technical aid from its allies.

Problems with the Provisional Government u. Delayed economic reforms, redistribution of land to the peasants, and postponed the elections for the National Constituent Assembly. u. Feared mass desertion of troops if redistributed land before the war ended.

Germany and Lenin u u u Germany recognized that if Russia left the war, they would be able to focus on the Western Front (ending the two-front war). In an effort to knock out the Russians, they decided to instigate another “Revolution” by helping Vladimir Lenin return to Russia. The German leaders predicted that the chances of Russia leaving the conflict would be much greater if the charismatic Lenin, long an opponent of the war, returned to Petrograd.

Who Was Lennon?

Who Was Lenin?

Who Was Lenin? u 1870 -1924. u He came from a middle-class background. u His older brother, Alexander, was hanged due to his involvement in an attempt to assassinate Nicholas II’s father, Alex. III. u In 1895 he was arrested and exiled for revolutionary activities. u During his exile, he kept a close eye on the political situation of Russia and would later return with Germany’s help.

u Lenin Wants Romanov Family Dead

Who was Leon Trotsky? He was an influential politician in the early days of the Soviet Union. u People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs. u The founder and commander of the Red Army and People's Commissar of War. u

The Return of Lenin: The October (Bolshevik) Revolution, 1917. u Trotsky, Lenin, and the other Bolshevik leaders called for a Second Revolution in which the workers and peasants would seized power from the upper-class. u “End the war; ” “All land to the peasants; ” and “All power to the Soviets. ”

The Return of Lenin: The October (Bolshevik) Revolution, 1917. u In early July, the provisional government launched an unsuccessful offensive against Germany; Germany responded with a successful counterattack. u Deserting troops fled to Petrograd. u The Bolsheviks tried to launch an unsuccessful rebellion. u Trotsky and other Bolshevik leaders were jailed. u Lenin went into hiding.

The Return of Lenin: The October (Bolshevik) Revolution, 1917. u In September, conservative general Lavr Kornilov staged an unsuccessful coup. u The provisional government released Trotsky and other Bolshevik leaders to lead the B’s in assisting the pro. gov. in stopping the coup. u As a result, the B’s were elected to majority numbers in the Petrograd and Moscow Soviets; Lenin decides now is the time for Revolution.

The Return of Lenin: The October (Bolshevik) Revolution, 1917. u November 7 (Oct. 25 on Julian Calendar), Trotsky leads soldiers, sailors, and armed workers to the Petrograd Soviet. u They occupied transportation and communication centers, gov. buildings, and the Czars winter palace.

The Return of Lenin: The October (Bolshevik) Revolution, 1917. u As a result of the Revolution: u Kerensky fled. u The pro. gov. collapsed. u The B’s took over Moscow and other large cities. u The B’s instructed the peasants to seize estate and church land, abolished private ownership of industry, and ended the war with Germany.

u Lenin and the Bolsheviks

The Return of Lenin: The October (Bolshevik) Revolution, 1917. u As a result of the Revolution: u Elections were held for the new government. u The B’s were in the majority, but in some areas they had to form a coalition with Social Revolutionaries. u Tensions arise. between the parties would soon

The Russian Civil War, 1918: The Reds vs. the Whites

The Russian Civil War, 1918: The Reds vs. the Whites u The October Revolutionary success did not extend across the entirety of the vast country of Russia. u On the periphery of European Russia, various forces gathered, some to overthrow the revolution and some to establish different versions of revolutionary society than that proposed by the B’s.

The Russian Civil War, 1918: The Reds vs. the Whites u Former Czarist generals, officers, and soldiers organized into the White Army. u The B leaders organized the Red Army: 1 st composed of volunteers, then a draft was instated. u The Red Army was composed of 5 million men and was under the leadership of Leon Trotsky.

The Russian Civil War, 1918: The Reds vs. the Whites u The Capitalist countries of U. S. , Britain, and Japan sent military assistance to anti-B armies (the White Army promised to reenter the war). u The White Army’s aid from the West backfired: it increased Russian nationalism, support for communism, and distrust of the West. u By 1923, the Red Army had defeated all the White Armies and other anti-B forces.

Trotsky, Lenin, and the Red Army in Petrograd, 1921.

Russian Civil War Map

Life Under Lenin u Policy of “war communism: ” direct control of industry and peasants were forced to send food to the cities. u 1918: Communist soldiers imprisoned and killed the royal family. u The Cheka, secret police, arrested counter-revolutionaries.

Life Under Lenin u Severe restrictions were placed upon the Russian Orthodox Church. u After 1923, the Communists had complete control over the country. u With Lenin’s death in 1924, Trotsky and Stalin went into a power struggle with Stalin eventually seizing power and exiling (and later assassinating) Trotsky in 1929.

Communist Party!!!