The Russian Revolution - Background

·        Karl Marx - German Philosopher

·        Man’s economic need and the methods by which man meets those needs determine the course of history

·        Economic changes cause social changes - not enlightened political leaders or reformers

·        Means of production must be publicly owned

·        Violent revolution is the only way to bring about social change

·        Capitalism will fail because ownership will end up in the hands of a few casing the masses to revolt

Fundamental causes of the 1917 Revolutions

·        Frustration with early reform attempts

·        Serfdom ended in 1861, but the peasants did not know what to do with the land

·        The Tsar used brutality whenever the peasants organized

·        19^th century industrialization caused the creation of the Proletariat (working class) who were dissatisfied with working conditions placed upon them by the Bourgeoisie (rich owners)

·        Two parties were created: Bolsheviks (Lenin) and the Mensheviks (Kerensky)

Problems in 1905

1.      Russo-Japanese War - 1905 - Japanese imperialism in the east, surprise Japanese naval attack destroyed Russian fleet - Treaty of Portsmouth Russia looses its eastern bases. Morale and confidence in the Tsar declined - total humiliation

2.     Bloody Sunday - 1905 - Workers who were dissatisfied with conditions petitioned the Tsar by marching on the palace for a peaceful demonstration - the Tsar responded with a senseless massacre of the crowd. More humiliation for the Tsar, but he kept control

3.     Creation of the Dumas - 1905 - The Tsar’s advisors told him to create the Duma, a parliament to appease the people who were very angry. The first 2 failed because they wanted radical changes so the Tsar dismissed them. The next 2 failures because only landowners could vote, therefore they would only support the Tsar.

World War I

·        Initial public support, patriotic support

·        Revolutionary movement goes underground

·        Inept leadership at the front leads to many defeats, low morale and desertions

·        At home, there was strikes and violence

·        In 1915 the Tsar himself goes to the front and takes command

·        His absence led to a governmental crisis - his wife Tsarina Alexandria had to take control of the Imperial Government, and she was influenced by Rasputin, a drug addicted holy man who claimed he could cure her son of hemophilia. Rasputin was eventually murdered but had caused damage to the credibility of the government

·        1917 continued economic crisis, food shortages as the peasant had to leave the farms to work in the factories

·        A huge angry working class now existed in Moscow and Petrograd.

Generally: the 1917 revolutions are the result of a long period of frustration with oppressive and ineffective government

The Russian Revolution of 1917 - Feb/March   Oct/Nov

February Revolution

·        Steadily worsening conditions - inflation, desertion

·        Violent put down of Petrograd strike, but some of the Tsar’s troops join in the strikes

·        Tsar Nicholas fails to head warning signs

·        Tsar Nicholas abdicates, tries to give throne to his brother who refuses

·        A provisional government is created out of the Dumas and moderate revolutionaries

·        Kerensky as leader (Menshevik/Moderate) but makes a suicidal mistake: he continues the war.

Lenin’s Return:

·        Lenin had been in exile in Switzerland, planning his return

·        He returns in April 1917 and speaks to the All Russian Congress of Soviets - delivers April Thesis - to return the land to the peasants and to end the war

·        Lenin was not yet organized enough to take over, and he has to flee to Finland

·        Kerensky keeps control but continues the war

The Kornilov Movement

• An attempt by the army by General Kornilov to oust the Provisional Government
• It fails when Kerensky arms many of the Bolshevik workers to fight off the army
• The Bolsheviks now had the weapons they needed
• Leon Trotsky was then elected chairman of the Soviet (Lenin’s right hand man)

The October/November Revolution

• Internal conditions virtually hopeless
• Lenin returns with the help of the Germans, secretly by train- the Germans did this to get Russia out of the war
• Lenin controlled 20,000 armed Bolsheviks, they took over key possessions (telephone exchange, gov’t buildings, etc…) – There was little resistance and within a week the Bolsheviks controlled Moscow and Petrograd.
• Lenin delivers his decree: “Peace, bread and land”
• Reasons for success – well organized – Germans returned Lenin - Kerensky failed to get out of the war – workers supported the Bolsheviks

Lenin Changes Things:

• Shut down the Sovnarkom
• All titles and ranks were abolished
• People were to call each other comrades
• Sent Trotsky to make peace with Germany
• Trotsky returns saying the terms were to harsh to accept
• Lenin policy was, “Peace at any Price”
• Trotsky signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk to end Russian involvement in WWI
• Russia gave up all her western territories, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Ukraine and Georgia
• These were Russia’s richest territories, 62 million people, and they were supposed to pay Germany 300 million rubles
• She would not have to as a result of the Treaty of Versailles

Lenin only really controlled the industrial areas of Russia, Moscow, and Petrograd. The rest of the vast country was not under Bolshevik control yet. However, in controlling these areas, Lenin really controlled Russia because the arrest of the country was basically feudal peasants.