Tsar Nicholas II - WordPress.com Nicholas II in World War 1. Opposition to Romanovs intensifies ... Provisional Government 1917

Tsar Nicholas II

● Nicholas II of Romanov family was Tsar at the start of the 1900s

● Was married to an Austrian, Tsarina Alexandra

● Had 4 daughters and 1 son Alexei

Tsar Nicholas II and his familly

Problems faced by people in Russia under the Tsars

● Poverty, social problems● Poor working and living conditions● Landowners system● Inequality in society (housing, education,

healthcare, work) ● Lack of democracy (Duma set up in 1905 but

had relatively little power)● Lack of freedom to express ideas or criticise the

Tsar

Russia in World War I

● Russia, Britain and France (main Allied Powers) faced Austria-Hungary, Germany and Turkey (main Central Powers)

● Russia did badly in the war

● Lots of suffering, death, injury, destruction of property and food shortages

● Tsar decided to go to lead troops, hoping to inspire them

Tsar Nicholas II in World War 1

Opposition to Romanovs intensifies

● Nicholas left Alexandra in charge

● She was advised and influenced by Rasputin

● Powerful people were unhappy with the situation and decided to stage a coup

Rasputin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Rasputin

February Revolution and the Provisional Government 1917

● In February 1917 a fairly bloodless revolution saw overthrow of Tsar

● Provisional Government set up until elections could be held

● Kerensky became leader of the Provisional Government

Unpopularity of Kerensky and the Provisional Government

● The Provisional Government continued the war with Germany and did not take land from landlords to distribute it to the peasant farmers

● Unpopularity of Provisional Government exploited by Bolsheviks

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin 1870-1924

● Lenin's brother executed for plot to kill Tsar

● Lenin thrown out of University for political activity

● Arrested in St. Petersburg in 1897 and sent to Siberia for 5 years

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

● After his release he left Russia

● Went to Europe (England and Switzerland)

● Continued revoltionary activity from there

October Revolution 1917

● The Provisional Government was overthrown in a revolution in October 1917

● Various groups competed for control but eventually the Bolsheviks (Communists) led by Lenin won out

The Bolsheviks● Social Revolutionaries

(Communists) were inspired by the ideas on revolution of Karl Marx

● SR split in 1903 into the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks

● Mensheviks believed in mass revolution

● Bolsheviks felt a small group was needed to secretly plan a revolution

Lenin returns to Russia 1917

● In 1917 the Germans helped Lenin to return to Russia by train

● The Germans hoped Lenin would promote unrest or revolution and this would weaken Russia in the war

Aims of the Bolsheviks

● Greater equality and social justice

● Redistribution of wealth

● Workers' Councils to run factories

● Slogans like 'Land, Peace, Liberty' proved very popular

Changes introduced by Bolsheviks● Bolsheviks announced that peace talks with

Germany to start● Bolsheviks said they would confiscate land from

the landlords ● All ranks were abolished: social, military, naval,

aristocratic All citizens to be known as 'comrade'

● Military officers were to be elected by soldiers● Better working hours and conditions introduced

for workers● Factories put under control of the workers

The Brest Litovsk Treaty

● In March 1918 Russia signed peace treaty with the Germans

● Russia agreed to give up lots of territory with natural resources

● Poland, Ukraine, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania l

● High price but Bolsheviks wanted an end to war to consolidate power at home and deal with opponents of 1917 October Revolution

The Cheka

● Cheka was a secret police set up by the Bolsheviks to deal with opponents

● Hundreds of thousands imprisoned or executed

● Led by Dzerzhinsky● Tsar and his family

executed at Ekaterinburg Felix Dzerzhinsky

Opposition: Reds versus Whites

● Many Russians were unhappy with Bolshevik rule

● Nobility, aristocracy, Liberals, Tsarists ● Other socialist and revolutionary groups who

had been marginalised or excluded ● Peasant Farmers (Kulaks) who hoped

Bolsheviks would redistribute land● Ordinary Russians who were still facing food

shortages and other problems

Russian Civil War

● Bolshevik Red Army (led by Trotsky) fight 'Whites' (opponents of Bolsheviks)

● Whites helped by USA, GB, France● Czech Legion (led by Kolchak) took control of

Siberia and Trans-Siberian Railway● Denikin attacks from S.E. Russia● Yudenith attack from Baltic● Poles from West● US/GB/French from North (White sea)

Trotsky and the Red Army

Anti-Bolshevik Poster 1918

The Russian Civil War

Why the Red Army won the Russian Civil War

● Whites did not win support of peasants (often looted from them etc...)

● Whites not very united (made up of very diverse groups with different politics and aims)

● Whites helped by France, GB etc.. made them seem unpatriotic to many Russians

● France and GB and USA did not send enough troops to make a significant difference (more interested in sorting out own problems by 1919)

● Red Army had a very effective leader● Reds more unified geographically

The Red Terror

● The Red Terror was used to describe the period where harsh treament was given to anyone seen as opposing the Bolsheviks

● Millions imprisoned or killed during this period

War Communism

● WW1 and Civil War caused major disruption to agricultural and industrial production

● Lenin introduced a policy of 'war communism' where the 'means of production' (farms, factories, transport system, etc..) all came under control of the communist government

War Communism

● All private trading banned● Strikes banned● Food rationed● Forced labour introduced● Food to feed workers and soldiers requisitioned

by the communist government● Food taken by force from farmers (kulaks) if

necessary

Problems caused by War Communism● Lenin's policy of War Communism helped the

'Reds' win the civil war● But caused hardship and food shortages for

many Russians● Revolts by peasant farmers (Kulaks)● Food production fell in many areas because: ● Peasants had no incentive to produce surplus

food● Bad weather in 1920 & 1921 affected crops● This contribute to famine in Russia in 1921-

1922 in which over 4m people died

The Kronstadt Revolt

● In March 1921 sailors at naval base on Kronstadt Island near Petrograd revolted against the Communist Party

● Sailors disappointed by changes since revolution and angry at hardship caused by War Communism

● Sailors demanded reforms and an end to War Communism

● Kronstadt revolt was violently suppressed by Trotsky and the Red Army

New Economic Policy (NEP)● Lenin and communist government were worried

about falling food production caused by war communism

● New Ecomonic Policy introduced by Lenin in March 1920

● Peasants had to provide a quota of food but could keep surplus which they could sell on if they wished

● Private trading was reintroduced ● Some small private business allowed to operate● Major industries remained in state conrol● Foreign trade and investment allowed

Lenin's Death

● Lenin died in 1924● In his 'Political Will' he

made it clear that Stalin should not become dominant leader after his death

● Various leaders vied for control of the Communist Party's Central Committee after Lenin's death

● Early life

● Involvement in politics

● Imprisoned: Siberia

● Lives in exile

● Revolutionary plotting/writing

● 1917 Feb. Rev. Returns to Russia

● 1917 October Rev. Bolsheviks

● Changes introduced: ranks, nationalise industries, confiscate land

●

● Peace: Brest-Litovsk Treaty

● Dealing with opponents/Red Terror/Cheka

● Civil War: Reds vs. Whites

● War Communism

● Kronstadt Revolt

● Problems: food shortages etc..

● NEP (New Economic Policy

● Political will/legacy/ death

●

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Lenin

● About the Communist Party's General Secretary (since 1922), Joseph Stalin, Lenin reported that the "unlimited authority" concentrated in him was unacceptable, and suggested that "comrades think about a way of removing Stalin from that post." His phrasing, "Сталин слишком груб", implies "personal rudeness, unnecessary roughness, lack of finesse", flaws "intolerable in a Secretary-General".

● Early life● October Revolution● Communist

government● Brest Litovsk Treaty● Dealing with

opposition● Civil War● War Communism● New Economic Policy

● Lenin's Testament●