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Imperialism and the Great War III The Russian Revolution By 1917, the impact of the Great War had been cruel to the Russian Empire. Russia was faced with food and fuel shortages, war casualties were high and kept occurring, and inflation was mounting. In Russia, strikes increased among low-paid factory workers, and the peasants, who wanted land reforms, were restless and ready for change; ready for a revolution THE LAST CZAR OF RUSSIA Nicholas II (1894-1917) – the czar (emperor) of the Russia Empire who ruled Russia for a quarter of a century under his leadership, Russia suffered a humiliating defeat against the Japanese in the Russo-Japanese War unlike most of Europe’s powerful nations, Russia had remained resistant in adopting many of the Enlightened ideals of freedom and voting rights leading to unrest among the people of Russia while beloved at the beginning of his reign, the addition of Rasputin and World War I severely damaged his credibility and competence to rule the empire Rasputin – a self-proclaimed holy man, he befriended and greatly influenced the royal family when he was found to help heal the royal’s hemophilic son from his bleeding condition with supposed mystic powers he’s eventually killed by government officials REVOLUTION: COMMUNISM TAKES HOLD February Revolution (1917) – the first stage in the Russian Revolution centered around Petrograd (St. Petersburg) revolution breaks out when women begin to riot due to food shortages, but were supported by workers and soldiers these rioters demanded a new provisional government and an end to the monarchy Nicholas II attempted to suppress the riots by ordering his royal soldiers (Cossacks) to end the riots however, the soldiers do not put down the riots but joined in support of the new revolution with the rioters by March 2nd, the revolution had grown and Nicolas II abdicates his throne, the royal family is placed under house arrest, and a provisional government is created provisional government – government created during the Russian Revolution by the Russian legislature that attempts the formation of a democratic republic like many other European nations the provisional government wanted to continue the war for Russia’s honor and maintained the fighting against the Germans on the Eastern Front soviets “council” – first appeared in Petrograd consisting of workers and solders against the monarchy very radical and represented the interest of the lower working class Vladimir Lenin - was a Russian revolutionary and strong believer in socialism (a Marxist) who had been exiled to Germany like Karl Marx, Lenin believed capitalism could be destroyed only by violent socialist revolution which was possible under the right conditions with the help of the Germans, Lenin returns to Russia to help led a socialist revolution against the provincial government with little success at first For the next eight months the revolution splinters into two factions who attempted to led the revolution in their favor: Bolsheviks – (the majority) followed Lenin’s idea of a socialist/communist government like the one mention by Karl Marx in 1848 Mensheviks – (the minority) wanted to await the evolution of capitalism and the workers who sought a more democratic government like the one proposed by the provisional government Imperialism and the Great War III 2 THE BOLSHEVIK REVOLUTION October Revolution (Oct 6th, 1917) – Bolsheviks forces led by Lenin’s military leader, Leon Trotsky and his “Red Army”, seizes the royal’s Winter Palace and overthrow and arrest the provisional government leaders Russia was now at the mercy of the revolutionaries on Nov 7th., Lenin announces the establishment of a new government regime with himself in charge Communism requires a strong dictator to get the ball rolling Lenin places Trotsky in charge of the army and takes Russia out of the war to help deal with Russia’s economic problems in the end the Bolsheviks change their name to Communists, yet not everyone is happy with the new change as there were two factions attempting to change Russia and the other side isn’t happy and willing to fight for their cause Russian Civil War – war breaks out between Communist supporters of the new government and those who oppose it wanting a more democratic government the civil war drags on for a couple of years between the two armies of the opposing sides Red Army – a well-organized army led by Leon Trotsky and the Bolsheviks who supported the new government White Army – an unorganized, leaderless army who opposed the new government still under house arrest, the royal family is moved to a small town controlled by the Red Army to await a trial most of the world still saw the royal family as the legitimate rulers of Russia and if they could be captured, could rally more support for the White Army July 16th, 1918 – fearful that the White Army may recapture the royal family the royal family are assassinated there was no going back, the revolution WOULD continue to change Russia The Russian civil war continued for another five years ending with a victory for the Bolsheviks and the Red Army. Soon the Bolsheviks expanded their communist revolution to neighboring countries surrounding itself with other communists governments that came together in 1922 to form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R. or Soviet Union).