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Marxists revolutionaries disagree over revolutionary tectics. The more radical Bolsheviks are ready to risk everything. The charismatic Vladimir Lenin becomes the leader.
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Russia and Japan signed a series of agreements over the territories of Korea and Manchuria, but Russia broke them. Japan retaliated by attacking the Russians at port.
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200,000 workers and families carried a petition asking for better working conditions, more personal freedom, and elected national legislature.
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Russia's first parliament. Leaders who wanted Russia to become a constitutional monarchy simliar to Britain.
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Unprepared to handle the military and economic costs
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Women textile workers in Petrograd led a citywide strike. Next few days, riots formed over shortages bread and fuel. 200,000 workers swarmed streets.
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Armed factory workers stormed to winter palace on Petrograd. Called themselves the Bolshevik Red Guards, they took over government offices and arrested leaders of the provisional government.
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Russia and Germany signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Russia surrendered a large part of its territory to Germany and its allies.
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Several western nations, including the United States, sent military aids forces to Russia to help the White Army. They were little help. Around 14 million Russians died in the 3 year struggle.
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Lenin temporarily put aside his plan for a state-controlled economy. He resorted to a small-scale version of capitalism called the New Economic Policy. Allowed peasants to sell surplus crops instead of turning them over to the government.
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Country was named the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Stalin became general secretary of the Communist Party, and he worked behind the scenes to move his supporters into position of power.
