Transcript The Russian Revolution

The Russian Revolution
The Romanovs
• From 1613 to 1917
– Romanov Dynasty in Russia
• Czar Nicholas II ruled Russia during
World War I
– He failed to solve Russia’s political, social
and economic problems after the Revolution
of 1905
• Two revolutions would topple the
Romanov Dynasty
Czar Nicholas II and his Family
Revolution of 1905
•Bloody Sunday (1/22)
–Demonstration that
resulted in over 1,000
people killed
–Provoked massive
demonstrations
–People called for more
democratic reforms
–Czar created the Duma
•Dissolved it after ten weeks
The March Revolution
Why did the Russians want Revolution?
• Peasant population was in stark poverty
• Czars reforms did little to ease the
nation’s crisis
• Effects of World War I
– 2 million casualties in 1915 alone
• Nicholas’s Reaction
– Nicholas took charge of military
– Left his wife Alexandra in charge of
domestic affairs
• Both decisions were a disaster
The March Revolution
•March 1917 – food, fuel and
battlefield disasters
–People in the street chanted
“Bread, Bread”
•Czar steps down
–Replaced by a temporary
government
–Local governments set up
soviets - Councils of workers and
soldiers ran by socialists
•Bolsheviks were radical
socialists
–Leader was Lenin
Lenin and the Bolsheviks
•Vladimir Ulyanov took
the name “Lenin”
–Student of Karl Marx
•Exiled to Siberia for
plotting against the
government in 1895
–Able to return in March
1917
•He felt only revolution
could bring about
changes
The November Revolution
• Lenin and Leon Trotsky promised “Peace,
land and Bread” for the people
• November 1917 – Bolsheviks overthrew
the Russian government
– Ended private ownership
– Distributed land to peasants
– Workers were given control of factories and
mines
• Eventually came to be called Communism
Russian Civil War (1918-1921)
•“Red” communists vs. “White” czar loyalists
–Communists organized the Cheka or secret police
–Executed Nicholas II his wife and 5 children
–“War communism” policy – took over banks, mines,
factories and railroads (government control)
•1921 communists defeat the czar loyalists
–14 million Russians died as a result of the war
The New Soviet Union
The Creation of the Soviet Union
• The Soviet Union was a “multinational” state
ruled by Russia the most powerful state
– Numerous nations now under the control of Russia
• In Theory (Marx) – Political power and the
means of production would belong to the
workers and peasants
• In Reality – Political power and the means of
production belonged to The Communist Party
– Used the army and secret police to achieve and
keep power
The Soviet Union
• Also known as the USSR
• USSR – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
• The flag symbolized the union between
the workers (hammer) & the peasants
(sickle)
From Lenin to Stalin
• Lenin died suddenly in 1924
• Power struggle within the Communist
Party
– Leon Trotsky vs. Joseph Stalin
– Both Communist officials under Lenin
– Stalin ultimately gains control of the Party
• Has Trotsky assassinated
• “Comrade Stalin …. Has concentrated an
enormous power in his hands: and I am
not sure that he always knows how to
use that power with sufficient caution”
- Lenin
Stalin’s Five Year Plans
• Aimed to make USSR an industrial power
• Command Economy
– Government officials made all basic
economic decisions – owned all businesses
• Government pushed workers and
managers to meet goals
– Received bonuses and punishments
• Economy improved but standard of living
for peasants remained poor
Revolution in Agriculture
•Agriculture under
government control
–Forced peasants to
give up their private
plots and live on
collectives –
•Large farms owned and
operated by peasants as a
group
•Peasants resisted
collectivism – killed
animals, destroyed
tools and burned crops
Threats to Collectivization and Holodomor
• Ukrainian land-owning farmers did not
want to give up land to the government
– Known as “kulaks”
• Thousands were arrested and forced to
labor camps
– Often to the concentration camps in Siberia
– Subject to firing squad executions
Threats to Collectivization and Holodomor
• 1931- Stalin imposed an unrealistic
grain quota
– Allowed him to penalize the kulaks for their
failure to meet the quota
– Began artificially imposed Famine in
Ukraine
Threats to Collectivization and Holodomor
• 1932- Stalin ordered Ukraine’s borders
to be sealed to outside world
– He exported grain and agricultural products
to be out of Ukraine
– Used to feed the rest of the Soviet Union
and for foreign export
– This left little food in Ukraine to feed the
people
Threats to Collectivization and Holodomor
• Anyone found to have foodstuffs…
– Subject to execution or imprisonment for 10+
years in a concentration camp
– Even for one potato or a handful of wheat
kernels
• Results
– Estimated deaths: 3-6 million people
– Current population: 40 million people
Holodomor Images
Soviet Foreign Policy
• Communist International – Comintern
– Aided revolution groups around the world
and urged colonies to rebel
– Propaganda against capitalism made the
west worried
• Caused the “Red Scare” in the US during the 1920s
• Britain broke off relations with the Soviets
Stalin Builds a Totalitarian State
An Age of Totalitarian Control
• Totalitarian Government – what is it?
– One party rule
• No political choice
– Dictatorship
• Has absolute authority
– Regulates every aspect of citizens’ lives
• Public and private life
An Age of Totalitarian Control
• Totalitarian government – how is it
achieved?
– The government uses
• Censorship
– Control of the media
• Terror
– Secret police and violent purges
• Propaganda
– Radios, movies and theaters
– Billboards and posters
– Schools
Soviet Propaganda – Stalin
“We will achieve prosperity”
“Our Great Stalin is the banner of
friendship of the peoples of USSR”
Soviet Propaganda – Stalin
“We will defeat the drought, too!”
“Let the indestructible
friendship and cooperation of
Chinese and Soviet live and prosper!”
Soviet Propaganda – Anti-US and Capitalism
In capitalist countries: / the way of talent...
In our socialist country: / give way to talent!
"European community": The worth of this
community is clear for everyone: smile on their
lips, balm in their speeches, lies in their
thoughts, a knife behind their back!
Soviet Propaganda – Anti-US and Capitalism
The dreams of our people have become true!
Two Worlds, Two Plans: We Sow Life
on the sack: "seed acorns“
on the map: "plan of forest shelterbelts"
They Sow Death
on the map: "map of military bases“
Soviet Propaganda – Anti-United States
"American Freedom".
Upper Right – "personal freedom"
Lower Right – "freedom of gatherings & meetings"
Lower Left – "freedom of opinions"
Upper Left – "freedom of press"
Soviet Propaganda – Unity
“Be vigilant on your working post!”
“Forever together (Russians & Ukrainians)”
Soviet Propaganda – Unity
“With every day, our life is getting happier”
1917-1955:
“From the first decrees of the Great October
to the bloom of the socialist agriculture”
War on Religion
• Soviet Government forced atheism on
population
– Atheism – belief in no god
• Targeted Russian Orthodox Churches
– Turned churches into offices and museums
– Killed priests and religious leaders
– Writings of Marx and Lenin replaced the Bible
Education and Indoctrination
• Government controlled all education
from nursery school to college
– Required all children to attend
• State sponsored youth groups stressed
– The Communist Party
– Sacrifice
– Hard work
A Government of Total Control
• Indoctrination
– Instruction in the government beliefs
– Mold people’s minds
• Propaganda and Censorship
– Government control of all mass media
• Religious or Ethnic Persecution
– Created “enemies of the state” to blame for
things going wrong
The New Soviet Society
• Members of the Communist Party
– Were the elite
– Received the best benefits and homes
• The people
– Received free education and medical care
– Luxury goods were scarce
• Women’s Rights
– Gained some equality
– Motherhood was still the primary duty of
women
The Arts of the State
• Stalin forced artists and writers to
conform to socialist realism
– Showing soviet life in a positive light
– Popular themes were: peasants, workers,
heroes of the revolution and Stalin
• Gov’t censored books, music and art
– Punishments were issued
– Artists were imprisoned, tortured and/or
exiled
Socialist Realism
“Steel Workers”
Socialist Realism
“Young Steel Workers”
Socialist Realism
“Lenin with Villagers”
Socialist Realism
“Roses for Stalin”
Total Control Achieved
• By mid 1930s:
– Soviet Union was a totalitarian regime
• It was industrial, economic, and political power
– Stalin stood as the unopposed dictator
• Maintained authority over the Communist Party
• Total control and rule by terror
THE END