The Russian Revolution

Russian Monarchy

• Before the First World War Russia was a monarchy rule by Tsars

• At the time of the war Russia’s Tsar was Nicholas II

• Nicholas was very conservative and wanted Russia to follow the old system of social classes

• This mean that Russia was not as industrialized as many other countries

Russia in WW1

• The First World War was the first major industrial war

• This meant that Russia could not keep up with the amount of supplies needed by its forces, including: Rifles, ammunition, artillery and even food

• Because of their inability to supply their soldiers the Russians were suffering heavy losses in battle

Revolution Beginnings

• Because of the war there were food shortages across Russia and inflation was out of control

• Workers became politically involved and formed groups known as “soviets”

• Almost 400,000 on strike workers were joined by peasants and thousands of deserting soldiers

• They demanded the redistribution of land from wealthy landowners to common people

• On February 28, 1917 Tsar Nicholas abdicated his throne and a provisional government was formed

Socialist Soviets

• The Provisional government wasn’t doing much better, food was scarce and they were still doing poorly in the war

• More radical members of the Soviets, such as Vladimir Lenin provoked workers and soldiers with statements like, “Bread, peace and land!”

• Lenin and his followers became known as the Bolsheviks

Soviet Union

• In September of 1917 Bolsheviks win a majority in the provisional government

• On October 25 Bolshevik soldiers capture key buildings in Petrograd (the capital) and the Tsar’s old Winter Palace

• On October 26 the Bolsheviks gave themselves state power and local authority to the soviets

• They abolished capital punishment, got Russia out of the war and formed a Bolshevik government with Lenin as Chair