the russian revolution tsar nicholas ii vladimir ilyich lenin v
TRANSCRIPT
The Russian The Russian RevolutionRevolution
Tsar Nicholas IIVladimir Ilyich Lenin
V.
Alexander II Alexander III Nicholas II
The End of the Monarchy in Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century
Nicholas II and Family
Alexis, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia Nicholas and Alexandra
SocietySociety This period was one of rapid
growth of capitalism and industrialization.
– Rise of an urban middle class (`bourgeoisie’) and urban working class (derived from peasantry)
• great social instability,
• a proliferation of political movements, parties, and ideologies
• strikes, demonstrations, and disturbances.
Fascination with mysticism and sensual delights, because the government was hopeless, so why the heck not.
Change in society… Resisted calls for codifying civil rights and for
institutions of political representation. There were no elections for national governance.
On the assassination of his grandfather in 1881,`Temporary Regulations’ were introduced, a mild form of martial law; Alexander III maintained and extended them.
They included the government’s right to:– fine, exile, or imprison people without a court decision– suspend or close newspapers or journals– prohibit meetings and demonstrations
Did everything possible to limit and control the local administrative organs, such as the zemstvo.
Tsar Nicholas IITsar Nicholas II Assumed throne at 26; felt
inadequate and unprepared.– Probably because he was
inadequate and unprepared. Simple, modest, devoted to
family Weak, indecisive,
inconsistent, education by his father did not match role in life; relied excessively on uncertain advice of rotating ministers and advisers. His political inclinations were clearly conservative.
The Romanov FamilyThe Romanov Family Eldest son of
Alexander III and Empress Maria, he married German princess Alexandra (granddaughter of Queen Victoria)
• They had five children: the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia, and finally the Tsarevich Alexei (b. 1904).
1905 Rehearsal1905 Rehearsal Tsarist government won’t Tsarist government won’t
accept liberal ideologiesaccept liberal ideologies 1904-1905 Russo-1904-1905 Russo-
Japanese war leads to Japanese war leads to hardships and hardships and embarrassing defeatembarrassing defeat
Liberal and radical groups Liberal and radical groups press for changepress for change
January 22, 1905, January 22, 1905, workers gather to workers gather to peacefully protest peacefully protest economic hardshipseconomic hardships
Tsar’s troops fire on the Tsar’s troops fire on the crowdcrowd
Bloody Sunday Anniversary Poster
Bloody Sunday (1905)Bloody Sunday (1905)
OutcomeOutcome Demands for reforms spiral out of control Demands for reforms spiral out of control
(1825 Decembrist Revolt serves as a model)(1825 Decembrist Revolt serves as a model) General strike paralyzes country in OctoberGeneral strike paralyzes country in October Army is occupied with Russo-Japanese warArmy is occupied with Russo-Japanese war Government faltersGovernment falters Nicholas II issues a new manifesto promising Nicholas II issues a new manifesto promising
civil liberties, a popularly elected Duma civil liberties, a popularly elected Duma (parliament), legalization of unions(parliament), legalization of unions
Troops return, repression restores the old Troops return, repression restores the old order by 1907order by 1907
Countdown to RevolutionCountdown to Revolution August 1915, August 1915,
Nicolas II leaves to Nicolas II leaves to supervise WWI supervise WWI troops personallytroops personally
People blame the People blame the Tsar for heavy Tsar for heavy losses of trench losses of trench warfare – it was warfare – it was mostly due to mostly due to underproduction of underproduction of goods & weapons.goods & weapons.
Nicholas II Congratulating Nicholas II Congratulating SoldiersSoldiers
Countdown to RevolutionCountdown to Revolution Tsarina Alexandra Tsarina Alexandra
comes under the comes under the sway of Rasputin sway of Rasputin (who claims to be (who claims to be able to heal her able to heal her son)son)
Even aristocratic Even aristocratic supporters rebel supporters rebel at his access to at his access to the royal families, the royal families, influence on influence on policiespolicies
Alexandra with Alexei. He had to be carried most places due to his crippling hemophilia and pain.
Grigorij Efimovich Rasputin (1869-1916)
`Rasputin’ is a nickname, from the Russian word for debauchery. His real surname was `Novyx’.
Born in Siberia, a peasant in origin. Huge fellow, not a priest; belonged to a sect for which bathing was ... optional.
In 1901 he quit his home to become a pilgrim. He stopped washing and didn't touch his body for months on end. In an effort to gain spirituality, he sometimes wore shackles to increase the hardship of his journey. He was now a 'starec', a wandering holy man. He had personal charisma, made his way into the royal family to help Alexei – it was said he could cure the boy’s suffering from hemophilia.
1917 Revolution Begins1917 Revolution Begins
Cities face severe hardships due to WWICities face severe hardships due to WWI Women strike in March 1917, demand an Women strike in March 1917, demand an
end to high prices and the rule of Nicholas end to high prices and the rule of Nicholas IIII
Troops reluctant to fire on the crowd Troops reluctant to fire on the crowd because of the presence of women because of the presence of women
Government fallsGovernment falls March 12 – 1March 12 – 1stst Provisional Government Provisional Government
organized, Nicholas II abdicatesorganized, Nicholas II abdicates
Provisional Government Provisional Government (March-May)(March-May)
Initial plan is for a modern Initial plan is for a modern constitutional constitutional parliamentary democracy, parliamentary democracy, politicians from the upper politicians from the upper classesclasses
Must share power with Must share power with workers’ groups (soviets), workers’ groups (soviets), which want socialist self-which want socialist self-rulerule
Government continues Government continues unpopular involvement in unpopular involvement in WWIWWI
Neither group can control Neither group can control the peasants, who hoard the peasants, who hoard food, seize land, make food, seize land, make shortages worseshortages worse
Provisional Government (May-Provisional Government (May-November)November)
Initial leaders Initial leaders resign, moderate resign, moderate socialists (led by socialists (led by Kerensky) head the Kerensky) head the new governmentnew government
Bolshevik minority Bolshevik minority agitates for radical agitates for radical changechange
Kerensky stays in Kerensky stays in WWI, throws WWI, throws Bolsheviks in prison, Bolsheviks in prison, forces them to fleeforces them to flee
Alexander Kerensky
Petrograd Street Fighting Petrograd Street Fighting (1917)(1917)
Lenin Sweeps Away Workers’ Enemies
Nov. Nov. RevolutionRevolution
Threat of military Threat of military coup forced Kerensky coup forced Kerensky to release Bolsheviks to release Bolsheviks to defend the capitalto defend the capital
Provisional Provisional government government discrediteddiscredited
Demonstrations on Demonstrations on Nov. 6/7 cause Nov. 6/7 cause Kerensky to fleeKerensky to flee
Lenin takes control to Lenin takes control to “defend” the state“defend” the state
Captivity and Murder of the Captivity and Murder of the RomanovsRomanovs
Forced to stay captive in Forced to stay captive in home at Tsarskoe Selo home at Tsarskoe Selo until August of 1917, when until August of 1917, when they were forced into exile they were forced into exile in Tobolsk.in Tobolsk.
The following May they The following May they were sent to Yekaterinburg were sent to Yekaterinburg to avoid advancing White to avoid advancing White Army supporters. They Army supporters. They were all shot in the were all shot in the basement of the basement of the Governor's House under Governor's House under the pretence of a family the pretence of a family photo. No one survived.photo. No one survived.
Bolsheviks Fulfill Promises Bolsheviks Fulfill Promises (1918)(1918)
March – Sign Treaty of Brest-Litovsk March – Sign Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany, despite harsh termswith Germany, despite harsh terms
Russia loses Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia loses Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine, and GeorgiaEstonia, Ukraine, and Georgia
Much of the population no longer in Much of the population no longer in Russia, ¾ of iron, 9/10 of Russia’s coalRussia, ¾ of iron, 9/10 of Russia’s coal
Begin to give power to the workersBegin to give power to the workers
Russian Diplomats at Brest-Russian Diplomats at Brest-LitovskLitovsk
Civil War Civil War BeginsBegins
1918-1920, Civil 1918-1920, Civil War between Whites War between Whites (aristocracy, (aristocracy, supported by Allied supported by Allied Powers) and Reds Powers) and Reds (anticapitalist (anticapitalist Bolshevik Bolshevik government)government)
Reds see betrayal Reds see betrayal everywhere everywhere andand try try to spread revolution to spread revolution to Central Europe to Central Europe (where post-war (where post-war instability makes it instability makes it possible)possible)
Red Army Red Army Soldier Soldier
brandishibrandishig a sword g a sword
over over White White
Generals Generals (1920)(1920)
Consolidation of the Consolidation of the Russian Revolution: Russian Revolution:
The USSRThe USSR
Revolutionary Social Revolutionary Social ChangesChanges
Abolish private property, nationalize Abolish private property, nationalize factories, legalize universal suffragefactories, legalize universal suffrage
Attempt to centralize agricultural Attempt to centralize agricultural production (seize grain to feed army and production (seize grain to feed army and workforce)workforce)
Not successful: industrial production at Not successful: industrial production at 13% of pre-WWI levels13% of pre-WWI levels
Famine strikes, peasants revolt, workers Famine strikes, peasants revolt, workers strike, sailors mutinystrike, sailors mutiny
NEP (New Economic Plan) attempts to NEP (New Economic Plan) attempts to solve the problems in 1921 with its solve the problems in 1921 with its “compromise with capitalism)“compromise with capitalism)
NEP (1921)NEP (1921)
Peasants manage and sell their own Peasants manage and sell their own cropscrops
Small amounts of private ownership Small amounts of private ownership are allowedare allowed
Other countries become less Other countries become less threatened by Bolshevism and threatened by Bolshevism and recognize Russia (except USA, which recognize Russia (except USA, which doesn’t recognize the USSR until doesn’t recognize the USSR until 1933)1933)
New Political StructuresNew Political Structures
Communist Party becomes Communist Party becomes formalized (and all candidates must formalized (and all candidates must belong)belong)
Cheka (secret police, precursor to Cheka (secret police, precursor to KGB)KGB)
New structures promote totalitarian New structures promote totalitarian state, brutally suppress opposition.state, brutally suppress opposition.
Struggle for Power post-Struggle for Power post-LeninLenin
Lenin dies in 1924 – Lenin dies in 1924 – who is his heir?who is his heir?
Most assume Trotsky Most assume Trotsky (brilliant leader of the (brilliant leader of the Red Army)Red Army)
Stalin posed as Lenin’s Stalin posed as Lenin’s heir, led movement to heir, led movement to deify Lenindeify Lenin
Stalin brings new Stalin brings new people into the Partypeople into the Party
Stalin uses control over Stalin uses control over Central Committee to Central Committee to seize power in 1928seize power in 1928
Joseph Stalin
Stalin Transforms RussiaStalin Transforms Russia
Calls for rapid and Calls for rapid and massive massive industrializationindustrialization
Attacks the Attacks the KulaksKulaks who who protest collectivizationprotest collectivization
5 Year Plan (1928) 5 Year Plan (1928) moves away from NEP moves away from NEP toward original idealstoward original ideals
““Mobilize for Mobilize for industrializaton”industrializaton”
Consumer goods Consumer goods remain scarceremain scarce
TotalitarianismTotalitarianism
Use Political PropagandaUse Political Propaganda Engineered FamineEngineered Famine Developed Cult of StalinDeveloped Cult of Stalin Eliminated Political Enemies through Eliminated Political Enemies through
Purges (1936-38 especially)Purges (1936-38 especially) Millions executed or died in forced Millions executed or died in forced
labor campslabor camps