Two Revolutions in Russia What is a Revolution

Two Revolutions in Russia

What is a Revolution? n. What does the term revolution mean?

Name That Revolution! n Revolution Resulting in the Factory System and Mass Production: n Revolution with new ideas on Government and society n Revolution with a Reign of Terror and the Rise of Napoleon n Revolution Where Japan Modernizes

Communism/Marxism n Economic and Political System n Sees All History as Economic n Worldwide Revolution of the Workers n All Means of Production to be owned by the workers. n Class Struggle n Power to the working class

Alexandra and Alexei

Rasputin

Russia in 1914 n. A huge country– spread from Eastern Europe all the way to the Pacific Ocean n Ruled by the Romanovs n Emperor in 1914 was Czar Nicholas II n His German wife was Alexandra n His son Alexei suffered from haemophilia

The Russian People n Many Russian people were peasant farmers – they were poor and illiterate n Most of the land was owned by the nobility n There was a growing URBAN population which worked in the factories – they lived in poor conditions n So for most Russians life was hard

The Czar n The Czar Ruled as An Absolute Monarch. He Held Total Power

Long Term Causes of the Russian Revolutions n Large Gap Between Rich and Poor n Rapid Industrialization n Loss in Russo-Japanese War n Failed Revolution of 1905 and Czar’s Failure to Make Changes

Into World War 1 In 1914 Russia entered the war n It had a massive army BUT faced problems! 1. It was badly equipped (By 1915, men were sent to battle without weapons) 2. High Casualties n

Nicholas II heads to war n Nicholas II decided to head to the front lines to help his men n Unfortunately he was not a competent leader and the Czarina Alexandra was left in charge ( Nicholas II) n The Czarina, German born, knew little about government – The Czarina turned to Rasputin for advice

Gregory Rasputin n An illiterate peasant and selfproclaimed “holy man” n He gained the reputation as being a healer n Following a “healing” experience with her hemophilic son, Alexandra released more power to Rasputin n A group of nobles killed him fearing his power in 1916

Immediate Causes of Russian Revolutions n. Unpopularity of Czar and his Family n. Massive Casualties in World War 1 n. Food Shortages

Vladimir Lenin n Communist n Lenin and the Bolsheviks promised the people “Peace, Land Bread” n Bolsheviks-Russian Communists

Germany and Lenin n Germans Help Lenin go Back to Russia in Hopes that he would start Revolution and Take Russia Out of WWI

Answer n What Three Things Did the Communists Promise the Russian People?

The November Revolution n In November (Oct. in Russian Calendar) n In just a few days Lenin’s and the Bolsheviks overthrew the government, who put up no fight n Communists will Execute Czar and Family

The Russian Civil War n The Bolshevik’s quickly looked for peace with Germany (signed the Treaty of Brest -Litovsk) n For 3 years the Reds (Communists) battled the Whites (Counterrevolutionaries) who remained loyal to the czar n The Allies (of WWI) sent forces to help the Whites/The Reds used this to increase distrust of the West and increase nationalism

Communism Wins n By 1921 the Communists/Reds win the Russian Civil War n But Russia was in shambles: millions of deaths from the wars, famine, and disease n Lenin would now have to rebuild the nation

USSR n Russia under Communist Rule was Known as the Soviet Union or the USSR!

Joseph Stalin n After the Death of Lenin, Joseph Stalin Will Take Power in the Soviet Union. n He Was One of the World’s Most Brutal Totalitarian Dictators.

Answer: n Who was Rasputin? n Who fought in the Russian Civil War n Who won the Russian Civil War? n Who took power after Lenin? n What three things did the Russian Communists Promise?