The Russian The Russian RevolutionRevolution

The story of Russia to USSR The story of Russia to USSR

Readings: Spodek, pp. 658-661Readings: Spodek, pp. 658-661

Nicholas I (1825-1855)

Hated Industrial Revolution and French Revolution

Wanted to make world safe for autocracy

Fought against progress in Russia and Europe

Alexander II (1855-1881)

Son of Nicholas I.

He came to the throne during the Crimean War

Emancipated the serfs in 1861

Alexander III (1881-1894)

Increased the repressive powers of the police

Limited the power of the local assemblies

Pograms against anyone who was not Russian

Nicholas II (1894-1917)

Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)

Imperialistic Conflict over Korea and Imperialistic Conflict over Korea and ManchuriaManchuria

Russia trying to ward off rebellionRussia trying to ward off rebellion

Bloody Sunday-January 22, 1905

Began in St PetersburgDisaster of Russo-Japanese War

revealed corruption and incompetence of czar

Created Duma, limited economic reform

World War I/ Rasputin

Had control over the Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarina

Was murdered in December 1916

World War I was a disaster.

The Revolutions of 1917

February Revolution (March 8, 1917) Czar Nicholas Abdicates

How Do Bolsheviks Get Power?

Lenin arrives in Petrograd (St. Petersburg)—April 16. 1917

Lenin calls for armed insurrection—Oct. 16, 1917 (Russian Calendar) October Revolution begins, October 24,

1917 (Russian Calendar), November 6, 1917 (Western European Calendar)

Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin

Treaty of Brest Litovsk—March 3, 1918

Lost 32% of the land

Lost Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Much of the Ukraine

Much of Belarussia

Civil War and Lenin’s Rule

From 1918-1921

RedsWhites

Creation of USSR Nationalization of

all land and banks New Economic

Plan Lenin dies of a

stroke

Power Struggle after Lenin’s Death and Stalin’s Rule

Forced collectivization

“The Great Famine” “The Great Terror” Purges Gulag

Contemporary Problems

Cold War with US from 1945-1991

Mikhail Gorbachev’s Glasnost allowed Democracy to Emerge

Perestroika—socialism not possible in capitalist world

Resigns December 25, 1991

End of Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War

Boris Yeltsin

Problems: – Economy was a

mess– Workers not paid– National Debt– IMF and World

Bank Money to Cronies

– Politics a Mess

Today in Russia and the Former Soviet Union

A weak Boris Yeltsin names Vladimir Putin, former KGB agent, Premier then President

Communists Still Have Some Power: Many want stability of Old System back

Today’s Russia (continued)

Ethnic groups want autonomy or Independence

Putin has destroyed Chechnya

Reports of rapes and pillage

Nationalists want powerful Soviet Union

Questions still needing answers

Winners and Losers

Winners– Communist Party– Some Workers– Massive Literacy Project—

all those who learn to read and write

– Vastly improved health care—all those who lived longer and healthier

– Women

Losers– Poorest peasants– Traditional Russian upper

classes– Many of those in

traditional Russian middle classes

– Those killed or imprisoned because of oppressive regime

– Jews, Muslims, other ethnic minorities