Preview

1
Revolution in Russia

• Preview
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• Russia and World War I
• The Russian Revolution
• Faces of History Vladimir Lenin
• After the Revolution

2
Revolution in Russia
Main Idea The war and social unrest combined to
push Russia to the edge of a revolution. The
events that followed led to Russias exit from
the war and became a major turning point in world
history.

• Reading Focus
• What was Russias experience in World War I?
• What were the main events of the Russian
  Revolution?
• What major events took place after the Russian
  Revolution?

3
Russia and World War I
4
Russia in World War I
At the start of the war, Russia had an enormous
army of some 6 million soldiers.
5
Conditions Grow Worse

• Czar Nicholas II took personal command of forces,
  1915
• Move made little sense since he knew little of
  military matters
• Czars fate became linked with fate of Russian
  armed forces
• Bad situation grew worse under Czars command

• Russian army seemed doomed
• Central Powers were able to stop Russian
  offensive
• Destroyed Russian soldiers faith in leadership
• Army had little strength, even less confidence

• Conditions in Russia worse than on battlefield
• Food, goods scarce peasants grew desperate
• Unpopular Czarina relied on Grigory Rasputin,
  viewed as corrupt, immoral
• Shaky support for Russian monarchy dipped even
  lower

6
Find the Main Idea How did World War I affect
Russia?
Answer(s) poor economic conditions, worker
strikes, unpopular czar
7
The Russian Revolution
By the end of 1916, Russia was once again on the
edge of a revolution. As the new year began and
conditions in Russia continued to worsen, the
Russian people clearly wanted a change.
8
The Russian Revolution

• Provisional Government
• Duma established temporary government
• Led by Aleksandr Kerensky
• Many unhappy with new leadership

• Bolsheviks
• Led opposition to Kerenskys provisional
  government
• Wanted fundamental change in government and
  society
• Planned Marxist revolution

• Bolshevism
• Abolish private property
• Enforce social equality
• Later known as Marxism-Leninism

• Vladimir Lenin
• Bolshevik leader forced to live outside Russia
• Returned, April 1917
• Germany hoped Lenin would weaken Russian war
  effort

9
(No Transcript)
10
The Bolshevik Revolution

• Kerenskys final offensive
• Kerensky ordered final military offensive against
  Central Powers along Eastern Front, mid-1917
• Drive failed and led to widespread rebellion in
  Russian army
• Weakened Russian army collapsed

11
Summarize What were the main events of the
Russian Revolution?
Answer(s) the February Revolution and the
Bolshevik Revolution
12
After the Revolution

• Lenin sought to end Russian involvement in World
  War I
• Sent Leon Trotsky to negotiate peace with Central
  Powers
• Russias army virtually powerless
• Trotsky had to accept agreement harsh on Russia
• Russia gained peace, gave up large parts of empire

13

• Reaction to Treaty
• Bolsheviks acceptance of peace treaty angered
  many Russians
• Bolsheviks opponents organized the White Army
• White Army included army leaders, political
  opponents, wealthy Russians opposed to Communist
  system

• Civil War
• White Army received military help from France,
  U.S.
• Civil War raged for 3 years between Lenins Red
  Army and White Army
• Millions of Russians died in fighting, famines
• Bolsheviks finally triumphed, late 1920

14
New Economic Policy

• Collapsing economy
• Brought on by civil war, pushed Russia to edge of
  total ruin
• Peasants, workers especially hard hit
• Lenin introduced New Economic Policy, 1921

• Key points
• New Economic Policy permitted some capitalist
  activity
• Peasants could sell food at profit
• Tried to encourage badly needed food production

• The Soviet Union
• Russia reunited with several neighboring lands,
  became Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
  dominated by Communist leadership
• Lenins death in 1924 led to struggle for control
  of Soviet Union

15
Sequence What events took place after the Russian
Revolution?
Answer(s) The Bolsheviks formed the Red Army
which fought against the White Army. The White
Army was made up of army leaders, political
opponents of the Bolsheviks, and wealthy Russians.