Russian Revolution An Overview Before Rev Most people

Russian Revolution An Overview

Before Rev. • Most people were poor peasants called serfs – Basically slaves/indentured servants • peasant revolts, and worker strikes were common

WWI = Bad for Russia • WWI brought great suffering to the Russian people – shortages in housing, food, and fuel – armies were illequipped and soundly defeated – 1. 7 million killed, 5 million injured.

Cause of Revolution • Economic – people poor suffering • Social – outdated social structure (serfs) • Political – unhappy with the czar and autocratic system

Rasputin – Mad Monk

March Revolution 1917 • Bread riots • Soldiers sent to end the violent protests side with the demonstrators (Bloody Sunday) • Czar Nicholas is forced to resign (abdicate) • Provisional government set up • Keeps Russia in the war

Germanys plan • Take advantage of Russian unrest • Helps exiled Lenin to return • Hope is that Lenin causes problems

Lenin’’s Plan • Lenin’s plan – Take control through Communism – Appeal to the suffering of the lower classes • End the war • Land reform for peasants Leads the Bolsheviks (Communists/Reds)

November Revolution 1917 • Wages increased between revolutions • Cost of food and other necessities increased at a higher rate • Bolsheviks (communists) take power

November Revolution 1917

Civil War 1917 • Civil War breaks out – Reds vs. Whites • Bolsheviks prevail through shear brutality – even when out numbered. • Vladimir Lenin leads the revolution • Lenin signs Treaty of Brest-Litvosk with Germany to get out of war

November Revolution 1917

Marxism • Horrified by working conditions. • Capitalists were getting richer than workers creating a significant gap between the two • Believed one of the following would happen: – Rich must distribute wealth – A worker led violent revolution

Leninism • Differed from Marx in his belief that the world wide communist revolution had to be led by a power elite forcing it forward – not just the common man.

Leninism • Renamed Russia the “Soviet Union” • Communist Party was the only party allowed. • The use of force and terror through the secret police (Cheka) was necessary and good for the cause

Lenin’s Death • After Lenin’s Death Joseph Stalin took over the new Soviet Union

Effect on WWI • By 1920, it was clear that Communist Russia had won. • Military discipline of Leon Trotsky • Unified purpose • Russian Patriotism • The Russian withdrawal from the war gave the Germans hope. • Allowed Germany to shift more resources to the Western Front • Urgency of American Arrival