RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

1917 - 1921

RUSSIA IS BEHIND Unlike Western European nations, Russia

did not industrialize quickly czars unwilling to give up wealth & power.

Czars are oppressive, poor leadership & ruthless treatment toward peasants

Secret revolutionary groups plot to overthrow government & assassinated Alexander II (he’s for reforms!)

ALEXANDER III Set up autocracy absolute rule or

dictatorship

Stopped all reforms anyone tagged as a revolutionary or spoke language other than Russian = dangerous

Had secret police spy on everyone, including students teachers provided reports

Persecuted Jews & had to live in separate areas

NICHOLAS II Followed father

refused to give up any power

Under him, Russia became 4th largest producer of steel & created Trans-Siberian Railway (longest rail line)

Forced rapid industrialization poor working conditions, child labor, low wages, no unions

Huge gap between rich & poor; people starting to rise up

RUSSIA FACES CRISES Russia & Japan both want Korea &

Manchuria; tried to sign agreements, but Russia broke them Lost Russo-Japanese War

“Bloody Sunday” 1905 200,000 unarmed workers stormed czar’s winter palace with petition for better working conditions & freedoms; soldiers fired at crowd

Final blow: World War I defeated at many battles w/Germans, showed weakness of czar

Shortages of bread & fuel

RASPUTINBorn a peasant in Siberia, Rasputin

became a religious teacher, although he was never ordained as a priest. This sinister monk seemed to cast a hypnotic spell on people, especially Czarina Alexandra & her son. Rasputin was known for having mysterious powers.

He was reportedly taking control of the country, so in December 1916 a small group of aristocrats planned his assassination. They fed him poisoned cakes, but apparently it had no effect on him. Then, they shot him several times. Assuming he was finally dead, they threw him in the Neva River. When his body was discovered 3 days later, doctors confirmed the cause of his death—drowning.

Rasputin’s death sent the czarina into shock. His prediction haunted her: “If I die or you desert me, in six months you will lose your son and your throne

DNA SOLVES MYSTERY OF ANASTASIAFor about 65 years after the

execution of Czar Nicholas II & his family, a woman named Anna Anderson claimed that she was the Grand Duchess Anastasia, the czar’s sole surviving daughter. According to Anna, she managed to escape her assassins.

Anna’s regal manners & detailed knowledge about the Romanov family convinced many that she was telling the truth. Others believed she was a fraud seeking personal gain. Anna held fast to her story until her death in 1984.

In 1993, scientists finally solved the 75-year-old mystery. Prince Philip of Britain is a living descendant of Czarina Alexandra. Scientists compared his DNA to Anna Anderson’s. The DNA proved that Anna was not a blood relative of the Romanovs. Instead, she carried the DNA of polish peasants.

RISE OF THE BOLSHEVIKS Czar Nicholas & family executed

Romanov rule ended Revolutionary group that followed Nicholas

II followed views of Karl Marx & wanted radical change

Leader: Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov adopted name LENIN Great organizer & personality, but ruthless guy Fled country until his party fully took control

CONDITIONS WORSEN Peasants want land

City workers want better working conditions

Revolutionaries form SOVIETS : local councils of workers, peasants, & soldiers had more influence than Provisional Government

LENIN RETURNS! Germany “helps” believed Lenin would stir up more unrest & hurt Russian war effort

BOLSHEVIK REVOLUTION Took power slogan, “Peace, Land, & Bread” Bolshevik “Red Guards” took over provisional

gov’t in few hours Distributed all farmland to peasants & control

of factories to workers Signed Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (Russia out of

WWI) Russians humiliated “White Army” tried to stop increasing Bolshevik

demand lost

LENIN RESTORES ORDER Restructuring government New

Economic Policy (NEP) was small version of capitalism

Allowed peasants to sell surplus of crops vs. turning them over to government & people could buy/sell goods for profit

Kept nationalism in check by organizing Russia into several self-governing republics under central government country renamed Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

Bolsheviks renamed Communist Party

CAUSES OF RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Defeat in Russo-Japanese War in 1905

Landless peasantry & horrible working conditions

“Bloody Sunday”

Incompetence of Czar Nicholas II

Repeat military defeats

High casualties in World War I