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Collapse of the Monarchy
There was disaster on the battleflield causing food and fuel shortages. People went out into the streets shouting "Bread!"
Leaving the government helpless, the czar then abdicated. They then set of a provisional governement for the Russian Empire but socialist/ Bolsheviks started soviets and were preparing for a revolution. -
The Bolsheviks Take over
Red Guards and mutinous sailors from the Russian fleet attack the provisional government. The Bolsheviks storm the Winter Palace in Petrograd. One of the politicians had told them to give up and have no bloodshed. So the provisional government had fallen without even defending itself against the Bolsheviks. -
Signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Lenin wanted peace with Germany after the Bolshevik Revolution. Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which cost them alot. It made them give up a bunch of its territory and population. -
Pursue of Goals
The Soviets had different ideas about how they wanted their foreign policy. Some wanted to have the world wide revolution, that Marx had said would occur. Russians wanted to gain support of other countries. Having both was hard though because they were opposite things, so it was a failed plan. So they formed the Communist International, were groups were encouraged to rise up against imperial powers. -
The Red Scare
The United States was scared of what the Bolsheviks were planning so it lead to the Red Scare. Once the Soviet Union's plans were revealed the British ended their ties with them. It didn't matter much to them though because they gained ties with other powers which increased trade as well as joined the Leage of Nations. -
Communist have a small but costly victory
Communist start to succeed against their enemies, but millions had died from the war. Others had died from the famine and disease that was all over. This cause for Lenin to have to rebuild his nation that was now in ruins. -
Lenin Adopts the NEP
Lenin adopted the New Economic Policy, also know as the NEP. The state had control over the banks, foreign trade, and large industries but small business were allowed for private profit. There was also the posative thing for the peasants who were now no longer strainging for grain and were allowed some land. -
Communist New Constitution
The communists made a new constitution that was a mix of democratic and socialist government that was later called Supreme Soviet. This allowed peasants and workers more political power now, resources and all citizens that were over 18 the ability to vote. Because of this new constitition the Russian Empire came back together for ming the Soviet union, also know as the USSR. -
Lenin's Death
Due to Lenin's death there was alot of conflict between the communist leaders who wanted to take his place. Joseph Stalin and Trotsky were the men that would mostl likely take his place. Stalin had good ideas but his way of doing things had Lenin frowning apon him and not favorable. -
Stalin Comes to Power
Stalin and Trotsky both wanted to take Stalin's place after he had died. They competed back and forth to be the next one in line and both had different ideas. Stalin was a political leader and used more brutal force, while Trosky was a thinker, speaker and architect when it came to building a Revolution. Stalin had put alot of thought into this though and eventual eleminated his competition. Trotsky was taken of his party membership and left the country, then later murdered in Mexico. -
Five Year Plan
Stalin's main goal was to make a industrial power, so he made 5 year plans. He formed a command economy, where the government made economic decisions and owned all businesses. This brought almost all of the stuff that went on the the economy udner the governments control, who made all the decisions. -
Rise of Heavy Industry
Because of the 5 year plan Stalin was also getting workers and managers to step it up and meet goals. They rewarded hard workers and punished others. Factories and stations were all across the Soviet Union, making it a success. The workers though didn't get much for their hard work and their living conditions still weren't great. There were many shortages and the stuff that was made was low quality. The heavy industry did do well though. -
Collectives
Another part of the 5 year plan was agriculture. Since things weren't working out with peasant having their own land Stalin took it away. They either had to go to farms or collectives, which were large farms that they would work on with other peasants. They could have houses and belongings, but everything else belonged to the collective. The government provided these farms with what they needed. -
Little Food Production
Due to the changes and hard work of the peasant workers there was a very small change in production of food. Many things were still short in supply and it made it hard to feed the Soviet Nation. Stalin had been hitting them hard, by sending them to labor camps were they usually died. He was gaining more control but it wasn't getting them very far. -
Propoganda
To get the public to agree with the communist ways, like Stalin and think of him as a hero they started using propoganda. They used radio's, theaters, newsreeds, newspapers, billboards and posters to get the message out. Which also helped to bring out some nationalism. -
Women of the Soviet Union
The communist women worked long and hard to earn rights just like women did all over the world. Once they did they gained education and jobs. Main jobs they went into were medicine, engineering, and science, which helped the economy alot. It also helped their families since men didn't get paid much as it is. -
The Great Purge
Stalin launched the Great Purge, also known as his reign of terror, due to the fear of other leaders plotting against him. He sent out his own secret police to get the job done for him, probably because his military could all be trusted. He had first started targetting Old Bolsheviks and party activists, then soon army heroes, industrial managers, writers, and citizens who were each charged with a certain crime. -
Show Trials
In Moscow Stalin started doing Show Trials. This was were Communists Leaders confessed to crimes. They were usually tortured or had people close to them threatened to get them to confess. Not everyone had to go to show trials though, so they were instead sent to labor camps or executed. Due the purge 4 million people were killed and this only made Stalin more powerful than before. -
Stalin pays the price
Due to the Purge, citizens now knew what the price was for not following Stalin's rules. Though he was gaining power, he made a big mistake. Because of his harsh ways many had died. Making his military smaller and leadership fewer. It cost him alot when Germany had attacked them. -
Stalin's Death
In 1953 Stalin had died, leaving behind his success in making a Military Superpower and leading industrial Soviet Union. It also started other countries to start following in their foot steps, such as Italy and Germany. They didnt have perfect lives though, they were meager compared to others.
