The Russian Revolution

The people of Russia are unhappy:Czar Nicholas II is in power, abuses

itUnprepared for WWI, costs are highSuffer incredible lossesUnequal distribution of wealth exists

Background

Czar Nicholas II

Nicholas II speaking to troops during WWI, he was on the front lines with them

Leader at battlefront, he influences czar’s wife Alexandra

Influences all decisionsMany of which are disasters

The people grow increasingly discontent with the czarist regime

Grigory Rasputin

1. Rasputin is assassinated 2. March Rev. – Strikes by women, a general

strike ensues3. Czar orders troops to disperse the crowds,

troops refuse to shoot and join demonstrators4. The Duma urges the Czar to step down5. March 15 Nicholas II steps down ending

the Romanov Dynasty!!!

Start of a Revolution

Small faction of the Marxist partyTheir leader is V.I. LeninParty is dedicated to violent revolution to

destroy capitalism

The Bolsheviks

Lenin speaking at a Bolshevik rally

“Peace, Land, Bread”Promise:

End to warRedistribute land to peasantsTransfer power to the Soviets

Led by Lenin and Leon Trotsky, the Bolshevik forces seized the winter palace, overthrow gov.

March 1918, Russia withdraws from war

Bolsheviks Seize Power

LeninTrotsky

1918-1921 the Communist Army (Red) fight the White ArmyWhite army disorganized, lots of foreign troopsRed army, led by Trotsky, more organized

Use War CommunismRed Terror (destroy all those against them)1921 Communists are in total control of the country

Civil War in RussiaVictims of the Red Terror

Firing Squad used during the Red Terror

Russia now becomes the first nation with a communist economic system

Which other countries will follow their lead????

Turning Point in History

Soviet Union

Lenin followed a policy of communismGov. control of productionPublic vs. privatizationCitizens have little choice

Peasants began to sabotage the communist program

Drought caused a great famine between 1920 & 1922, 5 million lives were lost

Industrial output decreased to 1913 levels

Lenin’s New Economic Policy *New Economic Policy

(NEP), a modified version of the old capitalist system.

Peasants allowed to sell their produce, retail stores & small industries could be privately owned & operated

Heavy industry, banking & mines remained in the hands of the government

Lenin’s New Economic Policy 1922, a new Communist

state called the *Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR or Soviet Union was created.

NEP saved the Soviet Union from complete economic disaster, but threatened the goals of the communism

Dies in 1924

Joseph Stalin

http://library.usu.edu/Specol/digitalexhibits/masaryk/images/stalin.jpg

The Great Purge-Stalin had eliminated the Bolsheviks of the revolutionary era and had established a dictatorship.

Trotsky was expelled in 1927

Murdered in 1940, probably on Stalin’s orders

Five-Year Plans1928, *Five-Year Plans, -transform the Soviet

Union into an Industrial PowerLittle provision for caring of labor forceHousing declined, pitiful living conditions, real

wages declined, movement limited

Five-Year Plans*Collectivization, private farmers were

eliminated, government owned all of the land while the peasants worked it.

Strong resistance to plan, peasants hoarded crops & killed livestock

By 1934, 26 million farms had been collectivized