The World Before WWII:

Nationalism & Revolution!

1900-1939

Chapter 14

What is a Revolution?

• Think back: French Revolution

• Rise up against ______________• revolt• People want _______________• Extreme measures…. ______________

Background: Russia

• Absolute power of rulers• Remember : Russification?• One “uniform Russian culture” • Everyone has to speak Russian• Orthodox Church= very strict religious beliefs• Government censored speech to stop any type

of revolt against authority

The Russian Revolution• Russia was an Allied Power in WWI• Russia did not have enough factories or railroads for

the war effort• Many soldiers died and civilians suffered from lack of

food and fuel• March 1917 Russian people revolted demanding

“bread and peace”. • The Czar gave up his throne after 300 years of

Romanov rule

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Early 20c:

Russian Social

Hierarchy

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I. Revolutions in Russia1. Cruel & oppressive rule of most Czars caused

widespread social unrest2. Army officers revolted in 18253. Secret revolutionary groups plotted to overthrow

the government4. Czar Alexander III wanted to strengthen

"autocracy, orthodoxy, & nationality" in Russia.a) Pogroms —organized violence against Jews1) citizens loot & destroy Jewish homes, stores, &

synagogues

The Romanovs

• From 1613 to 1917– Romanov Dynasty in Russia

• Czar Nicholas II ruled Russia during World War I– He failed to solve Russia’s political, social and

economic problems after the Revolution of 1905• Two revolutions would topple the Romanov

Dynasty

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2. Nicholas II resisted all efforts for reform.a) the last Romanov Czar of Russia.

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C. Russia Industrializes1. The Revolutionary Movement Growsa) “Proletariat” working class1) growing population class of factory & railroad

workers, miners, urban wage earners2) The growth of factories brought new problems3) grueling working conditions, miserably low wages,

and child labor4) The government outlawed trade unions5) Lower class= workers= unhappy!6) Wanted a dictatorship ruled by the working class!

Why did the Russians want Revolution?

• Peasant population was in stark poverty• Czars reforms did little to ease the nation’s crisis• Effects of Russo-Japanese War and World War I– 2 million casualties in 1915 alone

• Nicholas’s Reaction– Nicholas took charge of military– Left his wife Alexandra in charge of domestic

affairs• Both decisions were a disaster

Defeat in WarsMakes Russia WEAK-susceptible to revolution!

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Russo-Japanese War [1904-1905]

The “Yellow Peril”•Russians wanted warm water port for trade•Dispute over areas around Japan, Korea, Yellow Sea

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Russia Is Humiliated

•Japan succeeds in controlling Korea•Russia loses

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WWI Russia Cant Get SuppliesLosing on the Eastern Front!

Nicholas moved his headquarters to the war front

-hoped to rally his discouraged troops to victory

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c) His wife, Czarina Alexandra, ran the government while he was away.

1) She ignored the czar’s chief advisers.2) Fell under the influence of Rasputin(a) Self-described “holy man”(b) Claimed he had magical healing powers(c) Alexandra let him make political

decisions because she trusted him(d) A group of Russian nobles murdered him

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Out of Defeat Comes Chaos!

• Radical revolutionary leaders are going to take charge• Uprisings are going to increase

Who is Vladimir Lenin?–Student of Karl Marx

•Exiled to Siberia for plotting against the government in 1895–Able to return in March 1917

•He felt only revolution could bring about changes• Promised to get the Russians out of the war and give the

government to the Soviet Union (communism)• an engaging personality and was an excellent organizer• Ruthless• In the early 1900s, Lenin fled to western Europe to avoid

arrest by the czarist regime. • Leader of the Bolsheviks after the Russo-Japanese War

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1903 Revolutionaries Split!Mensheviks – wanted popular support for the RevolutionBolsheviks - radical Russian Marxist revolutionaries

Remember Karl Marx… he supported __________________

The Bolsheviks Begin to Seize Power• 10 Bolshevik uprisings took place

between 1905 &1917a) After many uprisings the Bolshevik /

Red Guards (armed factory workers) took over government offices

b) arrested the leaders of the provisional government.

Revolution of 1905•Bloody Sunday (1/22)•200,000 workers revolt•Went to Czar’s Winter Palace in St. Petersberg •Wanted more right, freedoms, better conditions–Police/Soldiers fire into crowd!–Demonstration that resulted in over 1,000 people killed–Provoked massive demonstrations–People called for more democratic reforms

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Bloody Sunday continues–Czar created the Duma [Russia’s First Parliament] - a constitutional monarchy that would offer workers more freedom and take away some of the czar’s power•Dissolved it after ten weeks

The March Revolution•March 1917 – food, fuel and battlefield disasters–People in the street chanted “Bread, Bread”

•Czar steps down–Replaced by a temporary government–Local governments set up Soviets - Councils of workers and soldiers ran by socialists

•Bolsheviks were radical socialists(aka communists)–Leader was Lenin

The November Revolution• Lenin and Leon Trotsky promised “Peace, land and

Bread” for the people• November 1917 – Bolsheviks overthrew the Russian

government – Ended private ownership– Distributed land to peasants– Workers were given control of factories and mines

• Eventually came to be called Communism

The Creation of the Soviet Union

• The Soviet Union was a “multinational” state ruled by Russia the most powerful state– Numerous nations now under the control of Russia

• In Theory (Marx) – The Soviet Union was suppose to give political power and the means of production would belong to the workers and peasants

• In Reality – It gave political power and the means of production belonged to The Communist Party– Used the army and secret police to achieve and keep

power

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a) Nationalism was a threat to unity & party loyalty

1) Lenin organized Russia into several self-governing republics under the central government.

2) In 1922, the country was named the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

The Soviet Union• Also known as the USSR• USSR – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics• The flag symbolized the union between the workers

(hammer) & the peasants (sickle)(1) Factory control returned to the workers(2) Farmland was distributed among the peasants

Russian Civil War (1918-1921)

•“Red” communists vs. “White” czar loyalists–Communists organized the Cheka or secret police–Executed Nicholas II his wife and 5 children–“War communism” policy – took over banks, mines, factories and railroads (government control)

•1921 communists defeat the czar loyalists–14 million Russians died as a result of the war

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The New Soviet Union

From Lenin to Stalin• Lenin died suddenly in 1924• Power struggle within the Communist Party– Leon Trotsky vs. Joseph Stalin– Both Communist officials under Lenin– Stalin ultimately gains control of the Party• Has Trotsky assassinated

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H. Stalin Becomes Dictator

1. Stalin – “Man of Steel”

a) After Lenin’s death, Stalin transforms the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state. [total centralized control of entire state!]

b) Revolutionizes the economy & uses terror, propaganda, & censorship to maintain power.

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c) Stalin worked to establish total control of all aspects of life

d) “Command Economy”= government makes all ECONOMIC decisions

1) the government2) the economy3) many aspects of citizens’ private lives.

Stalin’s Five Year Plans

• Aimed to make USSR an industrial power• Command Economy – Government officials made all basic economic

decisions – owned all businesses• Government pushed workers and managers to

meet goals – Received bonuses and punishments

• Economy improved but standard of living for peasants remained poor

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2. Police Terror

a) the police serve to enforce the central government’s policies.

b) may do this by spying on the citizens or by intimidating them.

c) Sometimes they used brutal force & even murder

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3. Indoctrination

a) Instruction in the government’s beliefs—to mold people’s minds.

b) Control of education is essential 1) To glorify the leader & policies

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4. Propaganda & Censorship

a) Biased or incomplete information used to sway people to accept certain beliefs or actions

b) Control of all mass mediac) Individuals who dissent must retract

their work or they are imprisoned or killed

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“We will achieve prosperity”

“Our Great Stalin is the banner of friendship of the peoples of USSR”

Soviet Propaganda – Stalin

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Soviet Propaganda – Stalin

“Let the indestructible friendship and cooperation of

Chinese and Soviet live and prosper!”

“We will defeat the drought, too!”

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Soviet Propaganda – Anti-US and CapitalismIn capitalist countries: / the way of talent... In our socialist country: / give way to talent!

"European community": The worth of this community is clear for everyone: smile

on their lips, balm in their speeches, lies in their thoughts, a knife behind their

back!

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Soviet Propaganda – Anti-US and Capitalism

Two Worlds, Two Plans: We Sow Life on the sack: "seed acorns“ on the map: "plan of forest

shelterbelts"

They Sow Death on the map: "map of military bases“

The dreams of our people have become true! 

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"American Freedom". Upper Right – "personal freedom" / Lower Right – "freedom of gatherings & meetings"

Lower Left – "freedom of opinions" / Upper Left – "freedom of press"

Soviet Propaganda – Anti-United States

46“Forever together (Russians & Ukrainians)”

Soviet Propaganda – Unity“Be vigilant on your working post!”

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“With every day, our life is getting happier”

Soviet Propaganda – Unity

1917-1955: “From the first decrees of the Great October

to the bloom of the socialist agriculture”

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5. Religious or Ethnic Persecution

a) enemies are members of religious or ethnic groups

b) subjected to campaigns of terror and violence

c) forced to live in certain areas or are subjected to rules that apply only to them.

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C. Totalitarianism

1. Stalin Builds a Totalitarian Statea) Police State1) secret police used tanks & armored

cars to stop riots.

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2) monitored telephone lines, read mail, & planted informers everywhere

3) children told authorities about disloyal remarks they heard at home

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The Great Purge

• At least four million people were purged during the Stalin years.

• The purges increased Stalin’s power.

• The victims of the purges included most of the nation’s military leadership. This loss of military leadership would weigh heavily on Stalin in 1941, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union.

(a) a campaign of terror directed at eliminating anyone who threatened Stalin’s power

Stalin harbored obsessive fears that rival party leaders were plotting against him. In 1934, he launched the Great Purge.

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Revolution in Agriculture•Agriculture under government control–Forced peasants to give up their private plots and live on collectives – •Large farms owned and operated by peasants as a group

•Peasants resisted collectivism – killed animals, destroyed tools and burned crops

Threats to Collectivization• Ukrainian land-owning farmers did not want to give

up land to the government– Known as “kulaks”

• Thousands were arrested and forced to labor camps – Often to the concentration camps in Siberia – Subject to firing squad executions

• 1931- Stalin imposed an unrealistic grain quota– Allowed him to penalize the kulaks for their failure to

meet the quota – Began artificially imposed Famine in Ukraine

• 1932- Stalin ordered Ukraine’s borders to be sealed to outside world – He exported grain and agricultural products to be

out of Ukraine – Used to feed the rest of the Soviet Union and for

foreign export– This left little food in Ukraine to feed the people

• Results– Estimated deaths: 3-6 million people– Current population: 40 million people– Known as Holodomor (crime against humanity)

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Holodomor Images (Ukraine)