Russian Revolution

Odessa

City in Ukraine

Siberia

Cold part of Russia

Russian Civil War

Lenin's troops (Reds) versus the White Army (pro-Czar). 15 million Russians die in fight and resulting flu epidemic

Red Army

Lenin's troops. Won the Civil War. Against the Tsar.

Alexander II

Grandfather of Tsar Nicholas II.

Bolsheviks

communists. Small group consisted of dedicated revolutionaries(people who were against the Tsar, wanted revolution) would lead. (Mensheviks wanted the same thing, just wanted a different way of ruling.)

Duma

elective legislative assembly, established in 1905 by Nicholas II, constituting the lower house of parliament. "Shared" power with Nicholas II.

Moscow

Capital of Russia. Closer to Europe. Lenin got shot three times (survived.) Red Terror had its head-quarters.

St. Petersburg

Name changed to Petrograd because the name sounded too german.

Stalin

command economy - no private property and nothing is produced or consumed without permission of the government "Man of steel" Killed more people than Hitler.

Hemophilia

A disease that prevents the blood to clot so bleeding to death is very easy. Alexis (Nicholas II fifth kid) had this and Rasputin was the only one able to help him.

Summary

Before the revolution, Russia was ruled by autocracy, a form of government in which the tsar had total power. Alexander III was a very harsh ruler and had strict censorship codes on written documents. He also had a secret police. Any person that questioned the authority of the Tsar, spoke a language other than Russian, or worshiped outside the orthodox church, was considered dangerous. Political prisoners were sent to siberia. It was forbidden to use polish in schools, and Alexander III didn't like the Jews very much. In 1894, Nicholas II became the Tsar. from the mid 1800's the number of factories increased. The government soon raised taxes and this boosted the growth of the industry, especially steel. Russia was home to the Trans-Siberian Railway which was the worlds longest continuous rail line. It pretty much went from one side of Russia, to the other. The industrialization came with many costs such as back working conditions, low wages, and child labour. People were unhappy and started going on strikes. A group that followed the views of karl marx, believer that the proletariat, the working class, would rule the country and over throw the Tsar. This group eventually split into two groups the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. Lenin was the leader of the Bolsheviks. During the late 1800's Russia and Japan were fighting for control over Korea and Manchuria. On January 22, 1905 200,000 workers went to the Winter Palace asking for better working conditions, more personal freedom, and an elected national legislature. The crowd got shot at, and some died, and many got wounded. Bloody sunday provoked strikes and violence all throughout the country. Soon Nicholas approved to have a Duma. In 1914, Nicholas decided to get involved in WWI (not such a smart thing to do in my opinion.) Just like the Russo-Japanese war, they got defeated. In 1915 Nicholas went to join the troops and left his wife to rule the country under the influence of Rasputin. Rasputin was a weird holy man that could help the royals' sun Alexis' Hemophilia. Since there were rumors that Alexandra and Rasputin were secretly germans and killing Russia from the inside, Rasputin got killed but getting poisoned, shot and then he finally died by drowning (I wonder where/how they found his body.) In March during 1917 there was a huge strike, since they were all hungry and wanted a change. The soldiers continued to follow orders and shot at the crowd, but eventually the soldiers stopped following orders. This strike forced Nicholas II to step down from his throne. A year after, revolutionaries killed the Royal family. The Duma made a provisional government, a government that was temporary. Kerensky was the head of this government, and decided to continue fighting in WWI. The Germans knew that sending Lenin back to Russia would hurt Russia, so they sent him back. "Peace, Land, and Bread" was Lenin's slogan. In November 1917, armed workers stormed into the Winter Palace and called themselves the Bolshevik Red Guards. They arrested the leaders of the provisional government. In March 1918, Lenin signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, that gave Russia peace but made her loose 26% of her people and a lot of her wealthy lands. Once that war was "done with" another one began, the civil war. The white army was for the Tsar, and against the bolsheviks, red army. The civil war went from 1918 till 1920. In these years very many people died, and in the end the Red army won. In March 1921 Lenin made a New Economic Policy. This policy allowed peasants to sell their surplus for profit. By 1928, Russia was producing the same amount of good it had before WWI. In 1922 Russia was called the USSR. The bolsheviks were re-named and called the Communist party, the name came from Karl Marx. Lenin had a stroke, and wasn't able to rule anymore. Stalin stepped in and became a dictator. Trotsky was forced to exile since he was another candidate to become the dictator. Trotsky was the head of the Red Army. Before Lenin's death he said something along the lines of I am not sure that he knows how to use his power with caution, and Lenin was probably right.

Communist Party

Bolsheviks (made the soviet union, also the reds) and Mensheviks.

March Revolution 1917

Conditions grew worse rapidly. in the capital, Petrograd, unhappiness turned into a full-scale revolution which overthrew the Tsar.

Lenin

Died of stroke. A Great leader. His body was embalmed and put on display in Moscow. Was Determined to overthrow the Russian government and to provide the Russian people with a new way of life. Leader of the Bolsheviks.

Czar Nicholas II

Emperor of Russia. Autocrat (a monarch who does not have to share power.) Wasn't ready to be a Tsar. Married to german Alexandra.

Alexander III

Father of Tsar Nicholas II. Brutal Tsar. Used secret spies.

Assassination of Alexander II

March 1881, a bomb exploded under his carriage. He stepped out and a snowball landed at his feet, then exploded. He bled to death. He got assassinated by the terrorist group the peoples will (Jews wrongfully got the blame.)

Autocratic rule

One person has all power (Tsar.)

Serfdom/Feudalism

Peasants (poor) slave-like (abolished) / system of the landlords and the serfs.

New Economic Policy

Peasants can sell their surplus for profit again. Peasants who increased their food production would pay less tex. Factories with fewer than twenty workers were given back to their owners. People could use money again.

Soviets

People who took over the government. Communist and Bolshevik.

Kerensky

Prime minister (leader) of the provisional Government (Twelve men who would govern Russia for a short time until elections could be held. They would then resign.) was exile in paris

Stolypin

Prime minister that believed in strict government. Gave the gallows a new name, stoypins necktie. Helped peasants become owners of their land. Got killed in a theater with czar

Trotsky

Russias Commissar, or minister of foreign affairs. Leader of the red army. exile in mexico

Bloody Sunday 1905

Sunday 22 January 1905. 200,000 workers marched through St. Peterburg. Wanted to present Nicholas with a petition asking for better working conditions. Lead by Father Gapon. Soldiers opened fire and 500 were killed, others were wounded.

Red Terror

The Cheka, was led by Felix Dzerzhinsky. Hurt people that helped the Whites and Bolsheviks.

Bolshevik Revolution 1917 (November)

The Germans happily shipped Lenin back into Russia because they knew he would cause trouble. Lenin said "Hunger does not wait. The peasant uprising does not wait. The war does not wait."

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

The country was now a union of four republics-Russia, Byelorussia, Ukraine, and Caucasus. Each had their own government.

Rasputin

The disreputable one. A holy man of god. The drunken sexual active freak dude that was able to cure and heal, and had a huge influence over the royal family.

Signing of Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

The treaty was very harsh to Russia. Russia owed Germany all her western lands, 26 percent of the population. Lenin signed this to get peace in Russia.

Provisional government

Twelve men who would govern Russia for a short time until elections could be held. They would then resign.

Vladivostok

Very east, near korea

Crimea

Very south of europe, almost island

Russo-Japanese War

War against Japan for control of Korea and Manchuria. He thought is would be a quick victory, but they suffered defeat. The war made working conditions worse for the Russians.

Proletariat

Working class. Peasants. People who work.

Peace, Land and Bread

battle cry of the 1917 october revolution. Bolsheviks slogan. Lenins slogan.

White Army

pro-Czar. Anybody that opposed the Bolsheviks.