Russian Revolution

Coronation of Nicholas II

Romanov Dynasty Continued (close to 300 yrs of rule)

!Nicholas unlike his father (week and

not prepared for ruling) !

Hope for the people? Will they be heard? !

Russia in 1905

—Assembly of Russian Workingmen

…in a noble manner, under the leadership of educated, genuinely Russian people and

clergymen toward a philosophy of life and the status of the working man in a sound Christian

way

Bloody Sunday, 1905

Different Political Parties

Monarchist Party- pro monarchy, Czar to remain as focus of power.

KADETS-want the Duma to rep resemble the British parliament + monarchy

Social Revolutionaries—destroy Czarist Russia; clear away old system with violence.

Social Democrats—call for a proletariat uprising; overthrow of czarist regime

What does this cartoon imply?

Lover of the Russian Queen?

Timeline -Year of the Revolution

September, 1915- Czar Nicholas goes to the Front to assume personal command of the army.

Alexandra assumes control of the government and is greatly influenced by Rasputin (she looks to him in all matters)

staggering defeats in war and millions of Russian casualties.

There is a growing food shortage in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) and in other cities.

—police report, 1917

“Mothers  of  families,  exhausted  by  endless  standing  in  line  at  stores,  distraught  over  their  half-­‐starving  and  sick  children,  are  today  closer  to  revolution  …and  of  course  they  are  a  great  deal  more  dangerous  because  they  are  combustible  material  for  which  only  a  single  spark  is  needed  to  burst  into  >lame”.  

November 6, 1916-the Duma unanimously condemns the government of Alexandra and Rasputin.

December 31, 1916- Rasputin is murdered by a group of Russian Noblemen.

February 1917- Petrograd breaks out in riots. Petrograd troops begin to join the rioters.

Governor of Petrograd describes conditions to the Czar who is still at the front

–Rodzianko, Governor of Petrograd

“The capital is in a state of anarchy. The government is paralyzed; the transport service is broken down; the

food and fuel supplies are completely disorganized …There is wild shooting on the streets; troops are firing at each other. It is urgent that someone enjoying the

confidence of the country be entrusted with the formation of a new government. There must be no

delay. hesitation is fatal”

March Revolution

March 8, 1917- bread march of 10,000 women demanding ‘Peace and Bread’ and ‘Down with the Autocracy’

by March 10, the women were joined by other workers and together they called for a general strike and shut down all the factories in the city.

March 15, 1917- the Duma met and established the Provisional Government who urged the Czar to step down. Because he had no support, Nicholas agreed.

for the first time in 300 yrs of Russian history, a Romanov is not on the throne.

Royal Family

After Nicholas II abdicates

Princess Anastasia taking the first ‘selfie’

Soviets vs Provisional Govt

Alexander Kerensky

Member of both the Petrograd Soviet and the Provisional Government.

He will first be minister of Justice, later Minister of War and will finally become leader of the Provisional Government.

He will mediate between the two.

Kerensky Offensive

Kerensky assumed both roles of minister of Justice and War.

in June, Kerensky ordered the Russian army to undertake a renewed offensive along the Austrian front.

he personally toured the front before to boost morale of the troops

Brief progress at first, however, once the Germans arrived with reinforcements, Russian troops fled in panic

weakened Kerensky politically.

Winter is coming…

Events leading to November 1917

Vladimir Lenin “Peace,  land,  bread’  

!“Worker  control  of  production”  

!“All  power  to  the  soviets”  

–Lenin

“Dear comrades, soldiers, sailors, and workers, I am happy to greet in you the victorious Russian

Revolution, to greet you as the advance guard of the international proletarian army…The hour is not far…when the people will return their wagons against their capitalist exploiters…Long live the world-wide socialist

revolution”

October Revolution

November 6, 1917

Women Guarding the Winter Palace

Bolshevik Triumph

November 1917- with major desperation and unrest, Lenin decides

takes next step- Sieze the Winter Palace

–Lenin, address to the Second Congress of Soviets

“We shall now proceed to construct the Socialist order! The first thing is the adoption of practical measures to

realize peace…The Landlord’s right to the land is hereby abolished without compensation. The right of private ownership of land is abolished forever…All lands…become the property of the people, and are

turned over for the use of those who till them”

Bolsheviks now Communists

Treaty of Brest-LitovskSigned March 3, 1918