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The Russian Revolution • A. The Fall of Czar Nicholas II • 1. Rasputin had damaged the Czar’s popularity with his people and the aristocracy • 2. The war had caused severe food and fuel shortages – 3. On March 11,12 1917 a woman's march was held in which the women called “Down with the Czar” – Soldiers refused to break up the march and joined the protest – On the 15th of March the Czar abdicated the Throne The Provisional Government • With the abdication of the Czar power transferred to a temporary government. – The provisional government called for elections to choose a constitutional assembly (Duma) – The provisional government had a rival for power . • The Petrograd Soviet – The Petrograd Soviet was made up of workers and peasants belonging to various socialist groups The Petrograd Soviet • The Majority of the membership were Mensheviks (Social Revolutionaries) • A smaller more radical group was the Bolsheviks (Communist) Alexander Kerensky • He was a man who could move between the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet. – He served as Prime Minister in the Provisional Government and was on the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet simultaneously • The Petrograd Soviet will become a model for other Soviets throughout Russia. • Together the Soviets called for an end to the war with Germany and transfer of land to the peasants and control of the factories by the workers. • This three point program quickly gained the support of the majority of the Russian people The Provisional Government makes a poor decision • In spite of the suffering and anger of the Russian people the Provisional Government continues to fight the war. – The government could not conduct the war and solve the social problems simultaneously – The Army faced shortages in supplies and many men deserted. • This caused the Provisional Government to lose the support of the people and lead to its downfall Lenin • Believed that a socialist society could be introduced by force • Believed that this revolutionary movement would spread worldwide • Urged a revolution by his small group of followers to topple the Provisional Government The Bolshevik Revolution • In November of 1917 the Bolsheviks under Lenin overthrew the Provisional Government in the name of the soviets. – Lenin's first move was end Russian involvement in WWI – Lenin negotiated a separate peace with Germany, Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, in March 1918 – Lenin did not mind the treaty because he felt that Germany would so have a revolution and become communist also. Civil War in Russia • During the early months of 1918 a civil war began in Russia • The Allied powers; England, France America helped those fighting against the Bolsheviks. – This was motivated by a desire to bring Russia back into the war • The Allies sent equipment, men, and money to the rebels, called Whites, who promised quick victory over the Reds (Communist) • After three years of fighting the Bolsheviks (Reds) won Peace • In the spring of 1918 the Germans made one last attempt to win the war by capturing Paris. – They come within 37 miles of Paris before they were stopped • The Germans had used up what was left of their reserves and equipment and the Allies counterattacked. Lead by fresh American troops they pushed the Germans back to the border with Germany • In the Middle East Arabs seeking independence form the Ottoman Empire joined with the British and French and destroyed the Ottoman’s. • By December of 1917 the English occupied the city of Jerusalem in Palestine The End Comes • As the resistance of the Central Powers decreasing the Allies drove into the Balkans and Turkey asked for peace. • The Italians defeated the Austrians at Vittorio Veneto and Austria Surrenders • Germany alone stood against the allies, the Kaiser abdicated and fled the country and an Armistice was signed on November 11th 1918 The Effects of the War • Europe was shattered • Governments were bankrupt • Revolution threaten much of Europe • The old Aristocratic political order was dead – Boundaries of parts of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa had to be redrawn • • • • Human misery was common place 9-10 million soldiers were dead 21 million had been wounded 13 million civilians were dead Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points • A peace plan whose terms included • • • • • • International recognition of freedom of the seas and trade Limitations of weapons An end to secret alliances Just settlement of colonial claims The right of self-rule for all nations The establishment of a “general assembly of nations” to settle future problems peacefully • It was on these terms that Germany thought the final peace would be based Problems develop England could not support any plan that did not grant them control of the seas. They could not support the idea of open seas. France had reservations over the idea of no annexations, no contributions, and no punitive damages. France demanded that Germany pay for the cost of the war. The Treaty of Versailles • Punished Germany severely • Reduced the size of Germany – – – – France was given Alsace-Lorraine France would control the Saar Basin The allies would occupy the Rhineland Poland was created out of lands previously controlled by Germany and Austria – Germany was stripped of its overseas colonies and the allies took them over as mandates (The Ottoman Empire was also divided up into mandates) • The Germans would pay war reparations for damage and the cost of fighting the war • Only four of the fourteen points ended up in the treaty • The League of nations was included New Nations As a result of the treaties which ended WWI several new nations were created from the ashes of the German, Austrian, and Ottoman Empires Finland Estonia Latvia Lithuania Poland Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia Serbia Achieves its goal • Yugoslavia was created as a country for the Southern Slavs • This was a creation that would come back to cause problems in the future because it brought many ethnic groups together with significant cultural differences. Slavic Nationalism was satisfied but new nationalistic movements were created that would lead to the re-division of Yugoslavia in the 1990’s The Middle East • The Allies did not give the Arabs their independence as promised. • Palestine, Trans Jordan, and Iraq became English Mandates • Syria and Lebanon became French Mandates • This would lead to future problems and ill feeling between the Arabs and Western Countries Bitter Fruits • The seeds of the Second World War were sown in the treatment of Germany at the end of WWI. • The harsh punishments dealt on Germany caused starvation and hardships which created fertile ground for Hitler and the Nazi’s