THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Of

1917

Good Books

Best Short History

Best Novel

Objectives

• Trace the fall of czarist Russia and the rise of

the Communists

Main Ideas

• The czarist regime fell for a variety of

reasons, mostly poor leadership

• The Bolsheviks under Lenin came to power

• Communists triumphed over anti-communist

forces

• The USSR was created

Why 1917?

Strengths of the Monarchy • Peasants loved and revered the Czar, at least

until 1905 (Bloody Sunday)

• Romanov dynasty had ruled since 1613

• The Church was extremely powerful and

supported the Czar

• Government and army controlled by nobles

• Secret police and censorship

• “Rights” and “Octobrists” in the Duma who

supported the Czar

Why 1917? Weaknesses of the Monarchy • Humiliation by Japan in Russo-Japanese war

• Many nationalities, languages, and religions;

only the Romanov dynasty held them together

• Russia was/is huge. 125 mil. people. Poor

roads and few railways

• Out-of-date farming economy

• Problems with industrialization

• Nicholas was all-powerful but weak

• Government opposition from: “Kadets”,

“Social Revolutionaries”, Communists

(Menshivek and Bolshevik)

Russian Revolution

• Russia suffered heavy losses in

early part of WWI (poorly trained

soldiers, outdated weapons, poor

leadership by Nicholas II)

• While Nicholas II was at the front,

wife Alexandra made government

decisions back in Moscow – often

accepted the advice of Grigori

Rasputin, who claimed to be a holy

man

Rasputin’s Corpse

March Revolution

• As military & economic conditions worsened,

Russian people became upset with czar & lost

the will to fight

• Civil Unrest:

– Late in 1916, Conservatives assassinated

Rasputin

– March Revolution – working class women

led strikes in Petrograd because of bread

shortages & rationing

– March 12, 1917 – Russian Duma takes

control & forces Nicholas II to step down

• New provisional government led by Alexander

Kerensky, decides to continue fighting in war =

big mistake

Situation serious. Anarchy in the capital.

Government paralyzed. Transport of food

and fuel in full disorder. Popular

discontent growing. Disorderly firing in the

streets. Some military units fire on one

another, Essential immediately to order

persons having the confidence of the

country to form new government. Delay

impossible. Any delay deadly. I pray to

God that in this hour the blame does not

fall on the crown.

- telegram to Nicholas from Rodzyanko

(president of the Duma)

"It was with a sense of awe that they

turned upon Russia the most grisly of all

weapons. They transported Lenin in a

sealed truck like a plague bacillus into

Russia.“

- Winston Churchill

Lenin & Bolsheviks

• Soviets (council representing workers &

soldiers) challenged provisional government for power

• Another political faction, the Bolsheviks, led by V.I. Lenin maneuvered to overthrow the government – to gain support Lenin promised to get Russia out of the war, give land to peasants, transfer factories from capitalists to workers, & transfer government power to the Soviets

• Lenin led Bolsheviks, with the help of the Soviets, took control on Nov. 6, 1917 – renamed themselves the Communists

USSR/Soviet Union

• Under Communist rule, Russia exited WWI on

March 3, 1918 via Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • Many Russians, however, opposed Communist

rule and civil war ensued • During civil war Communists executed Nicholas

II & family on July 17, 1918 • Eventually Red Army, led by Leon Trotsky

defeated the Whites (those opposed to Communists) and by 1921, the Communists had control of Russia

• Russia officially renamed USSR (United Soviet Socialist Republic) in 1922, remained until collapse in 1991

The Reasons for the Bolshevik/Red

victory: • The Reds occupied the

strategic center of the nation; the Whites were on the fringes.

• The White opposition was ideologically fragmented , including reformists, Mensheviks, Czarists; this wartime coalition proved to be incompatible.

• Trotsky had increased the efficiency of the Red Army, introducing strict military discipline (deserters for example were shot) and making use of czarist officers and their military experience.

COMMUNIST IDEOLOGY

• comm. is a modern ideology, but comm. ideas have existed for 1000’s of years

• as long as people have existed in communities, ideas of communal holdings have been around

• modern comm. got its start in the latter half of the 19th c. w/ KARL MARX

• his ideology was a response to conditions of the day just like con. & lib. – namely conditions created by IR, but Marx viewed lib. as a failure and wanted more extreme measures

• Marxism now viewed as a failure, but profound int’l impact over last 150 years