Russian+Revolution

By Magnus and Jack Russian Revolution
 * The Russian Revolution is a collection of revolutions in Russian in 1917, which destroyed a long-standing Tsarist autocracy and led to the beginning of a communist Russian. **

The Initial Revolt

Many Russians people were dissatisfied with the Tsar. They wanted nothing to do with the war. They had already lost 1.65 million men and felt it was a war in which they didn’t belong. As the Tsar suffered embarrassing defeats the unrest grew. There were increasing strikes and widespread food shortages. On 10 March 1917 action was finally taken in Petrograd, when 200,000 strikers joined women waiting in bread lines. The protestors called for the overthrow the Tsar Nicholas II. Troops of the Tsar (Cossacks) disobeyed the order to fire on the group. Instead, they shot their own commander and joined the protest. More and more soldiers began to join the protesters hunting down Tsarist police. By the end of the day revolutionaries controlled Petrograd. By 14 March Moscow had fallen and the Tsar had abdicat ed.



Provisional Government

On the 16 March 1917 a Provisional Government was set up by the Duma, consisting mostly of moderates with some radicals from the Soviets (A group of radical workers and increasing number of soldiers). The Provisional Government faced problems from the start. Liberals believed the revolution had gone far enough and wanted to end it, where as, Marxists thought it had not gone far enough and should be continued. This was not the only trouble the government faced. It failed to recognize the catastrophic condition of Russian. Famine was still common and land-hungry peasants were tired of seeing the arable land being controlled by the aristocracy. The very provisional nature of the government did not work in its favor. The mostly democratic leaders felt they were not right to make decisions, as they had not been elected. This made it nearly impossible for anything to get done. Possibly the biggest mistake of the Provisional Government was their misjudging of the Russian people with regard to the war. The government looked to history like, the French Revolution, which instilled its people to continue the war. This was not the case in Russia. People were tired and wanted out.

Lenin comes to Play Lenin who had been exiled for his revolutionary ideas was smuggled back into the country by Germany who believed he would cause havoc (she was right). He arrived back into Russia on 16 April 1917. He soon after published his famous April Thesis. In his thesis he argued that revolution must go on ward to ensure: immediate peace, seizure of all gentry land, all power to the Soviets, and seizure of factories. This was all behind his famous slogan “Peace, Bread, and Land.” Between 16 and 18 July the Bolsheviks along with soldiers and mobs tried to seize the government. They failed, as they did no t have the backing of the Soviets. This showed the true importance the Soviets now held. Lenin was forced to flee to Finland where he continued to lead the Bolshevik party.



Kornilov Affair

A lose alliance between two groups had began to run Russia. The Socialists led by Kerensky and the Constitutional Democrats led by General Kornilov. A disturbance in Petrograd forced the men to send troops. In a misunderstanding Kerensky came under the impression that Kornilov was attempting a take over of the government. In response Kerensky appealed to the masses to save the revolution. The majority of these people were Bolshevik factory workers (Red Guard). This left the Bolsheviks in an improved situation and left the Provisional Government with even less support from the army.

The Bolshevik Revolution

The Bolsheviks had learned from their past failures and were not going to fail yet again. They made sure to have the backing of the most important group, the Soviets. On 13 March 1917 the Bolsheviks gained control of Petrograd in a well-planned affair. Lenin returned from Finland on the 23rd and together with Trotsky and the Soviets seized control of the government on 7 November. The Provisional Government was defeated with little resistance.



Establishing a New Government

With Lenin establishing a new government he set forth on fulfilling his slogan “Peace, Bread, and Land.” He began to negotiate with Germany, against the opposition of many. Lenin was willing to give up much for peace and eventually signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. In this treaty Russia lost large parcels of land, but it was considered to be worth it in Lenin’s eyes. In January of 1918, the old assembly tried desperately meet in a last ditch effort to overthrow Lenin, but were dispersed by the Red troops. The government now began the steps to introduce communism, allowing the peasants to seize the lands and factories to become under the control of the workers’ committees. As well, all banks were nationalized, private accounts were confiscated, and foreign trade became a state monopoly.

War Communism

In the summer of 1918 a policy known later as, War Communism, began to take shape. It included, the nationalization of industry, compulsory trade, and private trade was suppressed. The nationalization of industry began soon after the revolution and became law on 28 June 1918. The state owned mining, metallurgical, textile, electrical, timber, tobacco, resin, glass and pottery, leather and cement industries, all steam-driven mills, local utilities and private railways. In the future private industry would disappear all together. Along with private industries, private trade was also destroyed and replaced with rationing and government distribution of food and other necessities. On 19 February 1918, the nationalization of land was proclaimed. This was all in preparation for a civil war that was on the brink of beginning

Sources: History Twelve Workbook, Wiki