The Russian Revolution Two revolutions occurred in 1917

The Russian Revolution • Two revolutions occurred in 1917 • The 1 st in March was unplanned where angry mobs protested “Bread & Peace!” • A week after riots ended, Nicholas II abdicated • A Provisional Government set up by the Duma – introduced reforms but was powerless & lost support when continued to fight in WWI

The Russian Revolution • Socialist revolutionaries set up own organizations to challenge Provisional Government • Called soviets – councils made up of workers, soldiers, & peasants • Bolshevik party was active in organizing soviets

The Russian Revolution • Bolsheviks called for socialist revolution and were led by Vladimir I. Lenin • Bolsheviks won support among soldiers & workers w/slogan calling for “Land! Peace! Bread!” • Prov. Gov. called for Lenin’s arrest

The Russian Revolution • Early Nov. – 2 nd Revolution, A. K. A. Bolshevik Revolution, occurred • Bolsheviks captured gov’t bldgs & arrested mbrs. of Prov. Gov’t • Lenin told peasants they could keep land they seized after March Rev. & took Russia out of WWI by signing Treaty of Brest. Litovsk w/Germany in March 1918

Vladimir Lenin • Read the works of Karl Marx & adapted his ideas for Russia • Once Bolsheviks in power, took steps to eliminate all other political parties • Set up the Cheka, secret police force

Russian Civil War • 1918 -1921 – Red Army (communists organized by Leon Trotsky ) vs. White Army (opposition grps. made up of capitalists & royalists & supported by Britain, France, and U. S. ) • Red Army won by ruthlessly taking anything they needed

Russian Civil War • 1922 – Communists had taken control over most of the old Russian Empire • Reorganized Russia into a union of 4 republics and re-named country the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or the Soviet Union • The Russian Soviet dominated union • USSR grew to include 15 republics, made up of more than 100 minorities

Russian Civil War • • 7 million died in civil war Crops, factories, & homes destroyed USSR on verge of economic collapse Lenin announced New Economic Policy (NEP) : gov’t stopped seizing grain from peasants & allowed them to sell surplus but continued to control heavy industry allowing just a few private businesses to operate

Joseph Stalin • Took over when Lenin died in 1924 after struggle with Trotsky (who was later murdered by agents) • Name means “steel” • Set up brutal totalitarian state

Joseph Stalin • Scrapped NEP & introduced 5 -yr. Plans • Communists believed socialism was important step to reaching communism • Set ambitious goals for developing Soviet industry & increasing food production

Joseph Stalin • Emphasized heavy industry (steel, coal, oil) over consumer goods • Factories operated by forced labor & many people worked to their deaths • Workers who didn’t meet quota were severely punished

Joseph Stalin • Prison & slave-labor camps in Siberia • Propaganda everywhere • Collectivization of farms to increase food production • Families would work together

Joseph Stalin • But in reality, was disaster- peasants resisted new system, destroyed livestock & crops • Stalin responded with violence – peasants shot • Kulaks (prosperous peasants) sent to labor camps • 5 -10 million died as result

Communist System of Gov • Supreme Soviet – elected legislature • All citizens expected to vote for members but there was only 1 party • In theory, Supreme Soviet made laws but in reality, the Communist Party ran the country • Supreme Soviet met only 1 x or 2 x a year & only to approve decisions made by Communist Party

Communist System of Gov • • Communist Party operated at every level Controlled factories, schools, & farms Central Committee was head of party It elected a Politburo, small executive body, whose head was the general secretary (most powerful person in country) • Totalitarian – all aspects controlled

Communist System of Gov • Propaganda & terror used to convince people to support gov’t goals • Mid-1930’s – “GREAT PURGE” – all those considered enemies of Stalin were charged with treason & executed or imprisoned (thousands disappeared) • Many believe Stalin killed more than Hitler ever did in WWII

World War II • Hitler signed non-aggression pact with Stalin in 1939 – Hitler free to fight Britain & France and Stalin free to expand territory • Each invaded Poland & split it in 1939 & Stalin took the Baltic nations • June 1941 – Hitler turned on Stalin & invaded Soviet Union

World War II • German siege of Leningrad (formerly St. Petersburg) for 900 days – 1 million Russians died • Soviets finally stopped German advance in Stalingrad & pushed Germans back to Eastern Europe, taking over E. Europe • More than 20 million Russians died in WWII • Stalin set up friendly communist gov’ts in E. Europe to prevent Germany from ever invading again