The Russian Revolution PreRevolution Russian Government n Czar

The Russian Revolution

Pre-Revolution Russian Government n Czar Alexander III ruled Russia has an autocracy – he had total power n Anyone who questioned the Czar, worshiped outside the Russian Orthodox Church, or spoke another language besides Russian was labeled dangerous n Wanted to wipe out revolutionaries: strict censorship, secret police watching schools, oppressed other national groups n Jews especially were targeted – police watched citizens loot and destroy Jewish places

Industry Reaches Russia n Due to the new factories, there were many Russians who were upset with their place in Russia n Marxist Revolutionaries – groups that believed the proletariat class would rise up and rule the country – In 1903, they split into 2 groups – Mensheviks – more moderate views of revolution – Bolsheviks – more radical views, were willing to sacrifice everything for change n Bolskeviks were led by Lenin – by early 1900 s he had wanted to overthrow the Czar

The March Revolution March 1917 – 5 days of riots flared up over bread and fuel shortages – At first, soldiers obeyed orders to shoot at them but later would join them n Small protest turned into an uprising – Czar Nicholas II was forced to resign n Provisional Governments were set up but were unpopular n Local groups of workers, peasants, and soldiers formed councils called Soviets – were often more influential than Prov. Govt. n

“Peace, Land, and Bread!” n Bolshevik Revolution - In November 1917, Lenin & The Bolsheviks took over the provisional government n Lenin distributed farmland among peasants n Workers now had control of factories n Signed a Peace Treaty with Germany (March 1918) which surrendered quite a bit of land to Germany n Many Russians were embarrassed and upset by the treaty

Civil War n Opponents of the Bolsheviks formed the White Army – hodgepodge of different ideologies (democratic, autocratic, other socialists) – supported by many Western nations n Leon Trotsky led the Bolshevik Red Army to victory in 1920 n 14 Million Russians died during the 3 year war – left Russia in chaos

Lenin Restores Order n To keep nationalism in check, Lenin organized Russia into several selfgoverning republics – named Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U. S. S. R. ) n Bolsheviks renamed their party the Communist Party – name came from the writings of Karl Marx

U. S. S. R. after Lenin n Lenin suffered a stroke in 1922, and the Communist party would get a new leader n Lenin wanted Leon Trotsky, but Joseph Stalin gained total power by 1928

U. S. S. R. after Lenin n He worked his way from a general secretary in 1922 to a dictator by 1928 n Lenin said before his death in 1924 that Stalin would be no good because he didn’t know how to use his power with caution n Trotsky was forced in exile in 1929, and Stalin face no threats