Russian Revolution vocabulary and reading

“The Russian Revolution and The Rise of the Dictators”

1

Czar Nicholas

Pogram

Russification

Bloody Sunday (Russian Rev. of 1905)

Russo-Japanesse War

WWI

Duma

Absolute Monarchy

Autocracy

Vladimir Lenin

New Economic Policy

Communist Party/Communism

Joseph Stalin

Collectivization

5 year plan

Great Depression

Totalitarianism

Russian Revolution of 1917

Bolshevik

Soviet

SETTING THE STAGE The Russian Revolution was like a firecracker with a very long

fuse. The explosion came in 1917. Yet the fuse had been burning for nearly a century.

The cruel, oppressive rule of most 19th-century czars caused widespread social unrest

for decades. Anger over social inequalities and the ruthless treatment of peasants

grew. The czars’ unfair governing sparked many violent reactions. Army officers

revolted in 1825. Hundreds of peasants rioted. Secret revolutionary groups formed

and plotted to overthrow the government. In 1881, student revolutionaries were angry

over the slow pace of political change. They assassinated the reform-minded czar,

Alexander II. Russia was heading toward a full-scale revolution.

Alexander III Upholds the Autocracy

In 1881, Alexander III succeeded his father, Alexander II, to the throne and

halted all reforms in Russia. Like his grandfather, Nicholas I, Alexander III

clung to the principles of autocracy, a government in which he had total

power. Alexander III was determined to strengthen “autocracy, orthodoxy,

and nationality.” Anyone who questioned the absolute authority of the

czar, worshiped outside the Russian Orthodox Church, or spoke a language

other than Russian was tagged as dangerous.

To wipe out revolutionaries, Alexander III used harsh measures.

He imposed strict censorship codes on published materials and written

documents, including private letters. His secret police carefully

watched both secondary schools and universities. Teachers had to

send detailed reports on every student. Political prisoners were exiled

to Siberia, a region of eastern and central Russia.

To establish a uniform Russian culture, Alexander III oppressed

other national groups within Russia. He made Russian the official language

of the empire and forbade the use of minority languages, such as

Polish, in schools. Alexander made Jews the target of persecution. He subjected

them to new laws that encouraged prejudice. Jews could not buy land

or live among other Russians. Universities set strict quotas for Jewish students.

A wave of pogroms—organized violence against Jews—broke out in many parts of

Russia. Police and soldiers stood by and watched Russian citizens loot and destroy

Jewish homes, stores, and synagogues.

Nicholas II Resists Change

When Nicholas II became czar in 1894, he announced, “The principle of autocracy

will be maintained by me as firmly and unswervingly as by my lamented father

[Alexander III].” Nicholas stubbornly refused to surrender any of his power. His trust

in the tradition of Russian autocracy blinded him to the changing conditions of his

times. Yet the sweeping forces of change would override his pledge to preserve the

czarist rule of Russia’s past.

Economic Growth and Its Impact The number of factories

more than doubled between 1863 and 1900. In spite of this, at the

beginning of Nicholas II’s reign, Russia lagged behind the industrial

nations of western Europe. In the 1890s, Sergey Witte

(VYEET•tyih), the czar’s most capable minister, launched a program

to move the country forward. Through higher taxes and foreign

investments, Witte helped finance the buildup of Russian

industries. Witte’s steps also boosted the growth of heavy industry,

particularly steel. By around 1900, Russia had become the world’s

fourth-ranking producer of steel. Only the United States,

Germany, and Great Britain produced more steel.

Witte also pushed for the building of the great Trans-Siberian

Railway—the world’s longest continuous rail line. With the help

of British and French investors, work began in 1891. The Trans-

Siberian Railway was completed in 1904. It connected European

Russia in the west with Russian ports on the Pacific Ocean in the east.

The Revolutionary Movement Grows Rapid industrialization

also stirred discontent among the people of Russia. The growth of

factories brought new problems. Among these problems were grueling

working conditions, miserably low wages, and child labor. Trade

unions were outlawed. Still, exploited laborers who worked in factories

and built the railway lines organized strikes. Workers were

unhappy with their low standard of living and lack of political power.

The gap between rich and poor was enormous.

Amid the widespread unrest of workers and other members of

Russian society, various revolutionary movements began to grow. They

also competed for power. The group that would eventually succeed in

establishing a new government in Russia followed the views of Karl

Marx. These revolutionaries believed that the industrial class of workers

would overthrow the czar. The industrial class would then form “a dictatorship of the

proletariat.” In such a state, the workers would rule.

In 1903, Russian Marxists split into two groups over revolutionary tactics. The

Mensheviks (MEHN•shuh•vihks) wanted a broad base of popular support for the revolution.

The Bolsheviks (BOHL•shuh•vihks) supported a small number of committed revolutionaries

willing to sacrifice everything for radical change.

The major leader of the Bolsheviks was Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (ool•YAH•nuhf). He

adopted the name of Lenin. He had an engaging personality and was an excellent

organizer. He was also ruthless. These traits would ultimately help him

gain command of the Bolsheviks. In the early 1900s, Lenin fled to western

Europe to avoid arrest by the czarist regime. He maintained contact with

other Bolsheviks. Lenin then waited until he could safely return to Russia.

Crises at Home and Abroad

The revolutionaries would not have to wait long to realize their visions. Between 1904

and 1917, Russia faced a series of crises. These events showed the czar’s weakness and

paved the way for revolution.

The Russo-Japanese War In the late 1800s, Russia and Japan were imperialist

powers. They both competed for control of Korea and Manchuria. The two nations

signed a series of agreements over the territories, but Russia broke them. In retaliation,

Japan attacked the Russians at Port Arthur, Manchuria, in February 1904.

Though Russian soldiers and sailors went confidently to war, the Japanese defeated

them. News of repeated losses sparked unrest at home and led to revolt in the midst

of the war.

Bloody Sunday: The Revolution of 1905 On January 22, 1905, about 200,000

workers and their families approached the czar’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg.

They carried a petition asking for better working conditions, more personal freedom,

and an elected national legislature. Nicholas II was not at the palace. His generals and

police chiefs were. They ordered the soldiers to fire on the crowd. Between 500 and

1,000 unarmed people were killed. Russians quickly named the event “Bloody

Sunday.” Lenin called the incident a “dress rehearsal” for the later revolution that

would usher in a Communist regime.

Bloody Sunday provoked a wave of strikes and violence that

spread across the country. Though Nicholas still opposed reform, in

October 1905 he reluctantly promised more freedom. He approved

the creation of the Duma (DOO•muh)—Russia’s first parliament.

The first Duma met in May 1906. Its leaders were moderates who

wanted Russia to become a constitutional monarchy similar to

Britain. Hesitant to share his power, the czar dissolved the Duma

after ten weeks. Other Dumas would meet later. Yet none would

have real power to make sweeping reforms.

World War I: The Final Blow In 1914, Nicholas II made the fateful

decision to drag Russia into World War I. Russia, though, was

unprepared to handle the military and economic costs. Russia’s

weak generals and poorly equipped troops were no match for the

German army. Before a year had passed, more than 4 million

Russian soldiers had been killed, wounded, or taken prisoner.

German machine guns mowed down advancing Russians by the

thousands. Defeat followed defeat. As in the Russo-Japanese War,

Russia’s involvement in World War I revealed the weaknesses of

czarist rule and military leadership.

In 1915, Nicholas moved his headquarters to the war front. From

there, he hoped to rally his discouraged troops to victory. His wife,

Czarina Alexandra, ran the government while he was away. She

ignored the czar’s chief advisers. Instead, she continued to fall under

the influence of the mysterious Rasputin (ras•PYOO•tihn)—a selfdescribed

“holy man.” He claimed to have magical healing powers.

Alexis, Nicholas and Alexandra’s son, suffered from hemophilia, a

life-threatening disease. Rasputin seemed to ease the boy’s symptoms.

To show her gratitude, Alexandra allowed Rasputin to make

key political decisions. He opposed reform measures and obtained

powerful positions for his friends. He spread corruption throughout

the royal court. In 1916, a group of nobles murdered Rasputin. They

feared his increasing role in government affairs.

Meanwhile, the war was destroying the morale of Russian troops.

Soldiers mutinied, deserted, or ignored orders. On the homefront,

food and fuel supplies were dwindling. Prices were wildly inflated.

People from all classes were clamoring for change and an end to the

war. Neither Nicholas nor Alexandra proved capable of tackling

these enormous problems.

The March Revolution

In March 1917, women textile workers in Petrograd led a citywide strike. Soon afterward,

riots flared up over shortages of bread and fuel. Nearly 200,000 workers swarmed

the streets. At first the soldiers obeyed orders to shoot the rioters but later sided with

them. The soldiers fired at their commanding officers and joined the rebellion. Large

crowds gathered, shouting “Down with the autocracy!” and “Down with the war!”

The Czar Steps Down The local protest exploded into a general

uprising—the March Revolution. It forced Czar Nicholas II to abdicate

his throne. A year later revolutionaries executed Nicholas and

his family. The czarist rule of the Romanovs, which spanned over

three centuries, had finally collapsed. The March Revolution succeeded

in bringing down the czar. Yet it failed to set up a strong

government to replace his regime.

Leaders of the Duma established a provisional government, or

temporary government. It was eventually headed by Alexander

Kerensky. His decision to continue fighting the war cost him the support

of both soldiers and civilians. As the war dragged on, conditions

inside Russia worsened. Angry peasants demanded land. City workers

grew more radical. Social revolutionaries, competing for power,

formed soviets. Soviets were local councils consisting of workers,

peasants, and soldiers. In many cities, especially Petrograd, the soviets

had more influence than the provisional government.

Lenin Returns to Russia The Germans launched their own

“secret weapon” that would erode the provisional government’s

authority. They arranged Lenin’s return to Russia after many years of

exile. The Germans believed that Lenin and his Bolshevik supporters

would stir unrest in Russia and hurt the Russian war effort. Traveling

in a sealed railway boxcar, Lenin reached Petrograd in April 1917.

The Bolshevik Revolution

Lenin and the Bolsheviks recognized their opportunity to seize

power. They soon gained control of the Petrograd soviet, as well as

the soviets in other major Russian cities. By the fall of 1917, people

in the cities were rallying to the call, “All power to the soviets.”

Lenin’s slogan—“Peace, Land, and Bread”—was gaining widespread

appeal. Lenin decided to take action.

The Provisional Government Topples In November 1917, without

warning, Bolshevik Red Guards made up of armed factory workers

stormed the Winter Palace in Petrograd. They took over government offices and arrested

the leaders of the provisional government. The Bolshevik Revolution was over in a matter

of hours. Kerensky and his colleagues disappeared almost as quickly as the czarist

regime they had replaced.

Bolsheviks in Power Lenin’s next step was tackling the problems he inherited from czarist rule. Within days after the Bolshevik takeover, Lenin ordered that all farmland be distributed among the peasants.  Lenin and the Bolsheviks gave control of factories to

the workers. The Bolshevik government also signed a truce with Germany to stop all fighting on the eastern war front and began peace talks.

In March 1918, Russia and Germany signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The price

of peace was costly. Russia surrendered a large chunk of its territory to Germany and

its allies. The humiliating terms of this treaty triggered widespread anger among many

Russians. They objected to the Bolsheviks and their policies.

Civil War Rages in Russia Still recovering from their painful losses of land to

Germany, the Bolsheviks now faced a new challenge—stamping out their enemies at

home. Their opponents formed the White Army. The revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky,

who helped negotiate the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, expertly commanded the Bolshevik

Red Army. From 1918 to 1920, civil war raged in Russia. Several Western nations, including

the United States, sent military aid and forces to Russia to help the White Army.

Russia’s civil war proved far more deadly than the earlier revolutions. Around 15

million Russians died in the three-year struggle and in the famine that followed. The

destruction and loss of life from fighting, hunger, and a worldwide flu epidemic left

Russia in chaos.  In the end the Red Army triumphed and finally crushed all opposition to Bolshevik rule. The victory showed that the Bolsheviks were able both to seize power and to

maintain it. Yet in the aftermath of the civil war, Lenin and the Bolsheviks faced overwhelming problems.