DEPTH STUDY RUSSIA!!!

• TIMELINE RUSSIA EVENTS

  • 1905 - Tsar survives a attempted revolution
  • 1914 - Russia enters world war one
  • 1917 - Tsar abdicates + October Bolsheviks take over
  • 1920 - Bolsheviks win the civil war
  • 1924 - Lenin dies
  • 1928 - First five year plan launched by Stalin
  • 1934 - Stalins Purges begin
  • 1941 - The Great Patriotic War starts (Hitler Invades Russia)
• Tsar NIcholas II

  • Born 1868
  • Crowned in 1896
  • He was interested in the far east, resulting him in going to war with Japan in 1905
  • Wasn't a effective ruler
  • Believed in Autocracy
• Political Oposition to the tsar

  • Liberals
  • Social Revolutionaries
  • Social Depocratic Party
• Liberals - Comprised of educated people who wanted greater democracy in Russia and demanded reforms to create a "Duma", something like the British Parliament.
• Social Revolutionaries - Their main aim was to carve hudge estates of nobility and give it to peasants. They believed in violent struggle. They murdered people of the Okhrana and government
• Social Democratic Party - A Party that was small but disciplined, following ideas of Karl Marx. However in 1903 the part was split into two groups. Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. Bolsheviks believed it was job of the party to create revolution. The party was lead by Lenin. Mensheviks believed Russia was not ready for revolution.
• TSARIST STRUCTURE

  • Royal Family
  • The Church
  • THe Army
  • The Capitalists
  • The Workers
• 1905 Revolution (Unsucessful)

  • In the nineteenth century, Russias industry and cities have grown causing people to go to the cities. Hwoever, after the 1900 this growth stopped and sent Russia into economic depression causing mass unemployment. In 1901 there was a poor harvest leadeing to hunger and revolts
  • In 1904 the Tsar got himself into a war with Japan, he hoped that it would unite the Russian people however the Russians faced disasterous defeats both on land and sea loosing 50,000 men. The war ended with Russians giving port arthur to the Japanese causing loss of morale everywhere.
• 1905 Revolution (Unsucessful) Part 2

  • Both the economic depression and tensions came together on Sunday, 22nd January 1905 when 200,000 protesters lead by Father Gapon marched to the winter palace to give the Tsar a petition.
  • However, the tsar was not there as he left St petersburg as soon as trouble started.
  • Instead of the tsar, the protestors were met with Soldiers and Cossaks wich shot at the protestors.
  • This sparked more protests and strikes across Russia.
  • This event was known as Bloody Sunday.
• Bloody Sunday Effects

  • Sparked strikes across the whole country
  • Liberals, students and different nationalities jointed the protests however failed to form a united front
  • Soldiers in the army revolted against their superiors. For example the soldiers on the Potemkin battleship who took charge of their ship
  • Revolutionaries like Trotsky joined inand Lenin ordered Bolsheviks to encourage workers to take radical action
• 1905 Revolution Ends

  • The tsar put out the October Manifesto as he was persuaded to do so. The manifesto offered a elected parliament called the Duma, Right of free speech and the right to form political parties.
  • After the tsar made peace with Japan he brough his troops to help put down the revolution by paying them more and offering better conditions.
  • December 1905 the leaders of St Petersburg and Moscow soviets were arrested
  • In mid 1906 unrest in the countryside was finally put down by military executing or imprisoning them.
• Why did the tsar survive 1905 Revolution?

  • October Manifesto
  • Army
  • use of Brutal Force
  • Lack of united opposition
• Peter Stolypin

  • Appointed as prime minister of Russia in 1906
  • Had two approaches to solve Russias problems, the Carrot and Stick.
  • Stick: Included comming down hard on strikers, protestors and revolutionaries by hanging over 1000 and exiling 200,000. His supression killed off opposition untill 1914.
  • Carrot: Stolypin tried winning over the peasants by giving them rewards, such as Land. He introduced reforms allowing kulaks to buy land and create larger farms. He created the Peasants Land Bank taht lent 600 Million to kulaks.
  • Stolypin boosted Russias industries but it wasn't enough.
• Gregory Yefimovich (Rasputin)

  • Tsar supporters were alarmed by the influence of Rasputin whos hybnosis controlled the tsars sons haemophilia. He was concidered a miracle worker by the tsarina.
  • Not long after, Rasputin was giving the Tsarina and Tsar advice on how to run the country.
  • People in Russia didn't like that as it showed as a Tsars weakness and unfitness to rule Russia.
• World War One + Russia

  • In August of 1914 Russia entered the First World War and tensions in the country seamed to disappear as the tsar seamed to gain popularity because there was a display of patriotism. However, this was short lived as the tsar began to lose support.
  • The Army was made up of conscripts and was very poorly lead, poorly equiped and constantly short of food.
  • By late 1916 even the council of united nobility was calling for the tsar to step down. Many leading aristocrats were appaled by the influence of Rasputin.
  • A group of aristocrats killed Rasputin in December of 1916.
• 1917 Revolution (Sucessfull)

  • In January of 1917, strikes broke out in Russia and In February they spread further.
  • Soldiers were sent to put them down but many of them joined in.
  • In March, the number of strikers rose to 250,000 causing the industry to halt.
  • The Duma set up a provisional committee to take over the government, the tsar ordered them to disband but they refused
  • On the 15th of March, the tsar finally abdicted. There was a plan to impose another tsar but the tsars brother refused and tsarism fianlly ended.
• Dual Power Provisional Government: Petrograd Soviets

  • After tsar abducted, the Provisional Committee took charge to govern Russia. This government was made up of different political parties.
  • The Provisional Government wasn't very accepted in Russia as many people regarded the Petrograd Soviets as the body that truly represents them
  • BUt many Russians played it safe to see what both parties could dod and benefit them.
• Provisional Government

  • Provisional Government was dominated by middle class liberals.
  • The Provisional Government promised to stay in the war making it less popular
  • It restrained peasants
• Petrograd Soviet

  • Held power in Petrograd
  • In March of 1917 the Petrograd Soviet ordered order number one instructing all units in army and navy to elect representatives to the Soviet.
  • Soviets decided to work with the Provisional Government in the Spring and Summer of 1917 but this was not a open ended promise of support.
• Colapse of the Provisional Government

  • In the second half of 1917, the provisional government colapsed
  • This colapse was a result of the failure of the war effort as soldiers were consantly deserting and because of the massive failure of the June offensive.
• November Revolution

  • End of October 1917, Lenin was conviced that it was his time to sieze power as he had the support of many workers.
  • Trotsky organised the Red guard to sieze strategic locations in Petrograd.
  • During the night of 6 November Red Guard took control of post offices and banks
  • On the 7th of November the Bolsheviks were in control of most of Petrograd
  • During the day red guard continued to take over the city
  • On the 7th of november the winter palace was stormed and members of the provisional government arrested
• Why did Bolsheviks succeed

  • The Provisional Government was unpopular
  • Bolsheviks were a disciplined party
  • Bolsheviks had 800,000 members and their supporters were in the right place
  • Major industrial centers were pro bolshevik
  • Bolsheviks used their newspaper, "Pravda" to spread Bolshevik ideas
• Lenin in Power

  • Lenin and the Bolsheviks promised peace, land and bread. Lenin knew he had to deliver otherwise the Bolsheviks would be kicked out of power
  • Lenin promised free elections tot the CA wich he lost, but he used his Red Guard to put this assembly down.
  • Lenin and Trotsky were in charge to make peace by negotiating with Germany. The treaty was a massive loss to Russia as it lost a lot.
• Civil War Russia (1917-18)

  • By 1918 anti Bolshevik enemies united against Lenin. They were they whites.
  • By Spring of 1918 three white armies were marching on Bolshevik Controlled Russia towards the two cities Petrograd and Moscow.
  • The Bolsheviks responded by creating the red army, comprised of over 300,000 troops. They were lead by former Tsarist Officers. Trosky made sure soldiers were loyal by holding their families hostage
  • White Forces were approaching Ekaterinburg where the Tsar was being held. The Bolsheviks killed the Tsar and his family as Lenin didn't want the tsar to be rescued
• Civil War Russia (1917-18) PT2

  • Through harsh discipline and leadership, Trotskys army began to push back white forces forcing the foregin armies of intervention to withdraw
  • The Whites werent really strong as their armies were unable to work together.
• Why did Bolsheviks win?

  • Made sure that tows and armies were fed
  • Took over factories of Moscow and Petrograd to make sure they could supply their armies with ammunition and equipment
  • Used the Red Terror, imposing strict control.
  • Used propaganda to scare citizens that the Whites would reinstate the tsar.
• The White

  • Comprised of non united groups with different aims
  • Widley spread and unable to co-ordinate
  • Had limited support from the Russian population, especially from the peasants.
• War Comunisim

  • Harsh economic measures adopted by the Bolsheviks during the civil war to survive
  • Their aim was to put communist theories into pratice by sharing out wealth
  • All Large factories were taken over by the government
  • Production was planned and organised
  • Discipline for workers was strict
  • Peasants had to hand over surplus food
  • Food was rationed
• New Economic Policy

  • March 1921, Lenin announced the shift from war communsim to the NEP. The NEP brought back capitalisim to some sections to the Russian Society
  • Peasants could sell surplus grain for profit and would pay tax on what they produced.
  • Small Factories were handed back into private ownership
  • NEP was temorary as many Bolsheviks were horrified when the NEP was announced seeing it as betreyal of communism.
  • The NEP was sucessfull as production of food rose. However, increase in production did not improve situation of industrial workers.
• Death of Lenin

  • Lenin died in January of 1924 as he had many strokes in 1922 and 1923 leaving him paralysed
  • He did not live to see the recovery of the Russian economy
• Power struggle

  After Lenin's death, two leading communists could take his place: Trotsky or Stalin
• Lenin's testament

  • Indicated that Trotsky was more likely to win as he was considered distinguished and a great political leader
• Trotsky failed to take the opposition seriously, didn't build himself any support in the Party, and underestimated Stalin</b>
• Stalin kept in the shadows, not taking a clear position and seemed like an ally to different groups
• Trotsky frightened many people of the USSR as they were worried he would be a dictator because he had a great deal of support from the army
• Trotsky's policy

  Wanted permanent revolution, making people think he would make Russia join conflicts
• Stalin planned Lenin's funeral, although not confirmed by history he gave the wrong time and address to Trotsky making him seem like a very close friend of Lenin
• Stalin allied with Bukharin to defeat Zinoviev and Kamenev and expel them from the party, along with Trotsky
• Towards the end, Stalin turned against Bukharin and removed him from powerful positions
• Stalin's policies

  Were more favorable for the Soviet people as he offered "Socialism in one country" rather than spread the revolution worldwide