The Russian RevolutionThe Russian Revolution

1917 - WWII

Aftermath of WWIAftermath of WWI

There was widespread famine and economic collapse.

People didn’t want a war or a monarchy under the czar - non-elected monarch.

Karl Marx put forth the idea of Communism for the first time (the collective ownership of property and the organization of labor for the common advantage of all members).

Social & Political ChangeSocial & Political Change

Peasants were over 80% of the population,Czar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate the

throne in February, 1917 because of the hatred for the monarchy.

A short-lived provisional government still chose to involve itself in the war.

The intelligentsia (aristocrats) were HATED as was the class system.

The Revolution BeginsThe Revolution Begins

Involuntary labor in the armed forces (as conscripts) caused mutiny and desertion.

Soldiers gave their weapons to Socialist factory workers.

In 1917, the Bolsheviks were the majority party (of Socialists). Vladimir Lenin led the Bolshevik Communist Party.

BolsheviksBolsheviks

They, the “Reds,” wanted to end anything related to WWII efforts.

They were at civil war with the Cossacks, “Whites,” until 1922. The “Whites” were supported by the Allied Powers.

Under their policy, there were no rival parties (Democratic Centralism) and no factions.

The founded a secret police as a security force in 1917. It found counter-revolutionists and expelled them in the “Red Terror.” Hello, KGB.

They founded a newspaper called Pravda to distribute only their propaganda.

In 1922, they, together with the Ukraine and others, founded the Union of Soviet socialist Republics (USSR).

Lenin now adopted War Communism.

War CommunismWar Communism

It was the breakup of landed estates and the seizure of agricultural surpluses.

In 1921, under Kronstadt, rebels were crushed by Leon Trotsky who led the Bolsheviks under Lenin.

Lenin got the point and ended War Communism and instituted his New Economic Policy (NEP).

NEPNEP

Under the NEP, the market was kind of open again.

USSR became the world’s greatest producer of grain.

With the extra money made on surplus being sold in the market, lower classes could afford to buy some of the old estates.

Unfortunately, Lenin died in 1924.

Trotsky v. StalinTrotsky v. Stalin Trotsky didn’t like the NEP and lead the

Left Opposition. He hated the fact that the NEP caused inflation, unemployment, and a wealthy class.

Joseph Stalin defeated him socially and politically and had him exiled and later killed by the secret police.

Later on, a letter from Lenin was found “warning against Stalin.”

Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin

Stalin was a leftist in that he opposed market agriculture.

He was a rightist in that he promoted patriotism in Socialism and exporting to other countries.

He became a brutal, totalitarian dictator.

EVIL StalinEVIL Stalin

He enlarged the secret police, ushered in the Cold War, and exported revolution.

Under his Gosplan, industrialization was accelerated. People worked 16-18 hour days. Treason and famine resulted, and 5-6 M died because of famine. Anti-Stalin supporters were put in labor camps as expendable resources.

Stalin, in 1928, instituted “collectivization,” a plan where the state set the price for everything very low.

3.7 M were sentenced for counter-revolutionary causes.

.6 M were sentenced to death.2.4 M were sentenced to labor camps. .7 M were sentenced to expatriation.

Stalinist PropagandaStalinist Propaganda

Employment roseSocial liberalization roseAnd there was universal healthcare

What a wonderful leader...What a wonderful leader...

Stalin had opponents assassinated in 2 Great Purges. He signed 40,000 death sentences personally.

Stalin signed a pact with Germany in 1939; Hitler invaded in n1941 after giving a warning to Stalin, which he ignored.

WWII’s Effect on the USSRWWII’s Effect on the USSR20 M Soviets died in WWII.1 of every 3 deaths in WWII fighting was

a Soviet citizen.The policy of Stalin was a “scorched

earth” policy where fleeing citizens were told to destroy their own resources rather than have the Nazis take them.

Eventually, the Soviets helped defeat Nazi Germany.