Was the 1917 Russian Revolution…Was the 1917 Russian Revolution…

Inevitable?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Due to Romanov Rule?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

RUSSIAN REVOLUTIONRUSSIAN REVOLUTIONWas the Russian Revolution Inevitable? Due to Romanov Reign?Was the Russian Revolution Inevitable? Due to Romanov Reign?

FRENCH REVOLUTIONFRENCH REVOLUTION• 1789-1799

And so it And so it begins…begins…• Decembrist Revolution 1825

– Beginning of the Russian Rev???• Alexander I had died unexpectedly• Nicholas I became Tsar

– UNPOPULAR

• Boyars (Noblemen) & officers staged coup.• UNSUCCESSFUL!

– Afterwards 289 Decembrists were tried; five were executed, 31 imprisoned, and the rest banished to Siberia. Their martyrdom inspired later generations of Russian dissidents.

MarxismMarxism

Proletariat: workers or working-class people, regarded collectively

Bourgeoisie:  the capitalist class who own most of society's wealth and means of production

Communist ManifestoCommunist Manifesto

Marx, Lenin and Bolsheviks, Oh my!Marx, Lenin and Bolsheviks, Oh my!

• 1898: the Marxist group, Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (RSDLP), formed– First Russian Marxist groups

– Delegates arrested by Tsar! (Later freed)

• 1903: Disagreement between Vladimir Lenin and Julius Martov, so the RSDLP broke and formed two separate groups

– Bolsheviks: Lenin

– Mensheviks: Martov

Lenin addressing the Bolsheviks

Russian Revolution of 1905Russian Revolution of 1905

• Led by the Father Gapon as a last minute plea to the Tsar for help (Tsar doesn't know we are suffering!)

• Workers marched on Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to ask Tsar to help…– Representative government– End to war with Japan

• Tsar Nicholas’ troops fired on peacefulpeaceful protesters, killing hundreds. (Myth shattered)

• Jan-Oct 1905– Unrest and Strikes!!!!– Sergei Witte laid foundation for DUMA

• 10/17/1905- 10/30/1905: October ManifestoOctober Manifesto– Tsar Nicholas created DUMA… Allowed freedom of speech

and ELECTED assembly– Was it successful? (1906, Nicholas dissolves the DUMA for a more

conservative one…)

Jan 22Jan 22ndnd, 1905, 1905

WWIWWI15,000,000 Russians in…

8,000,000 Russians out…

• 1) February Revolution/19171) February Revolution/1917– Revolutionaries overthrew the Tsar

• Ultimatum from Duma… step down and give us power!• Army abandoned Nicholas• Nicholas- tried to hand power to son, no!

– Unorganized! Supported by Mensheviks, NOT Lenin’s Bolsheviks

– Set up Provisional Government (Not ready for Socialism?)• 2nd Leader, Alexander Kerensky of the Social Revolution Party• 6.3.1917: First Congress of the Soviets (137 of 1090 were

Bolsheviks)

• 2) October Revolution/ 19172) October Revolution/ 1917– Bloodless Bolshevik Coup led by Lenin– Set up Cabinet: Council of People’s Commissar

• Lenin: Chairman• Trotsky: Commissariat of Foreign Affairs/ Military leader• Stalin: Commissariat of Nationalism/ General Secretary

• 1917-1922 Russia becomes a Democratic Republic

Russian Russian RevolutionRevolution

Russian Civil WarRussian Civil War• Red Army VS White Army

– Reds:Reds: Bolsheviks (Communists) led by TrotskyTrotsky and Lenin

– Whites:Whites: Anti Bolsheviks led by ???• Lack of cooperation

• Reds win!!!!• 1922--- (Beginning of USSR)(Beginning of USSR)

– Lenin has stroke, paralyzed, and scales back government responsibilities

– Stalin essentially takes over

• 1924: Lenin dies– Two Year power struggle: Stalin and Trotsky duke it out for leader of

newly formed USSR

• Stalin wins/ becomes general secretary of USSR (1922-1953)• USSR (1922-1991)

Красная площадь

Kremlin- Tsar’s Palace

St. Basil’s

Lenin… On display