-
Return of Lenin From Exile
Lenin had returned from his jailing,
where he started to diverge from original Marxist ideals. Upon return, he worked with the bolshevik party against the provisional government.
This image is of his return to Petrograd, in which people surrounded him in support and hope for his beliefs to better Russia. -
Trotsky organizes Red Guard to defend Petrograd
The Red Guard was a volunteer militia, that had several rising, majority made up of low-class workers and peasants, in opposition to communism and the bolshevik party. But specifically in March 1918, Trotsky took control of the red guard in Petrograd.
The image is a red flag. What had been used to symbolize the red guard with some modifications depending on which red guard. But was a general sort of symbol. -
April Thesis Published
A book written by Lenin. In which he expressed how the provisional government was a representation of the class power struggle. Thus urging the Bolshevik party to gather in opposition to it.
The image is of Lenin giving a public speech in April 1917, the topic of the speech is unknown, however, the image does represent the strong support and influence Lenin had over the Russian people. -
Brusilov Offense
This was a Russian attack during WW1. It took place on the eastern front, around modern west Ukraine. It is one of the most successful and deadly offenses in history. An estimated 500,000-1,000,000 dead. It lasted until September of that year.
The image is of Aleksei Brusilov, the commander of the offense. And the one whom it is named after. -
First All Russian Congress of Soviets Meets
This was a meeting of socialist groups that were originally a democratic organization. Bolsheviks had not been a party majority, and in general, the congress had support for the provisional government.
This image is of the second meeting of this congress, however, it shows the expanse of delegates as this is around half the number that were present at the first meeting. -
July Days
A series of demonstrations by workers, sailors, soldiers, etc, specifically in Petrograd. These were more violent than those previously. They had been done as an act against the provisional government. This lasted 4 days until July 20th, 1917.
This image is from July 18, 1917, of people protesting. Holding banners with bolshevik sayings such as "All Power to the people" and "down with the minister-capitalists" -
Kornilov Affair
This was a three-day attempted coup of the provisional government in Petrograd. It lasted from August 27-30, 1917. Specific motivations are unclear due to confusion between the involved parties.
The image is of Kornilov being appointed as the military commander in chelf. He led the coup with large support of violence. -
Bolsheviks overthrow the Provisional Government and Take Control
The bolshevik party led by Lenin had entered the winter palace and arrested several members of the provisional government and ended up taking control. Despite Lenin's claims that taking control was not the intention of that day.
The image is an artistic representation of the storming of the winter palace. -
Red Terror
Red terror was a red army campaign against the white army and their supporters. In this campaign executions were very common. This campaign was carried out by the Bolshevik secret police. It is estimated that 1 million people were killed by red terror. Red terror began in December 1917 and ended in February of 1922 -
Cheka Formed
The Cheka were a secret police force tasked with spying on and destroying opposition to the bolshevik party.
This image is a depiction of one of the badges that the Cheka had worn to identify themselves. -
Constituent Assembly meets and is disbanded
The Russian Constituent Assembly was the congress of Russia after the October revolution. They were disbanded on January 6th, 1918, after the CEC after a decision that took a 12-hour meeting to come to. The photo is painting of the Russian Constituent Assembly as it was during a normal meeting -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The treaty of Brest-Litovsk (or the treaty of Brest) was a treaty that was signed on March 3rd, 1918. The terms of the treaty included Russia ceding their ruling of Latavia, Lithuania, and Estonia to Germany. The ruling over the province of Kars was also to be ceded over to the Ottoman Empire by Russia. The treaty was signed to prevent Russian surrender from becoming inevitable. It was signed in Belarus. The photo is of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk being signed in Belarus. -
Wartime Communism created
Wartime communism was the economic plan in Russia from 1918-1921 in which the Russian government had full control over all production in the country. Wartime communism was created because of the Russian civil war. Lenin also believed that the Bolsheviks did not have the economic means to implement socialism after the 1917 October revolution. War communism began in June 1918 and ended in March of 1921. The photo is a painting depicting what working under war communism was like. -
Kolchak begins serious attacks against Reds from Siberia
Kolchak established an anti-communist government in Siberia and was the leader of the white army. In March 1919 the white army began advances from Siberia against the red army. The photo is a painting depicting the red army fighting the white army -
Poles move toward Kiev
Also known as the Kiev Offence, a part of the Polish-Soviet war. It was an attempt to seize parts of Ukraine that recently fell under Soviet control after the October revolution. This was a joint offence between Poland and Ukraine. The offence began on April 25th, 1920. The photo is a picture of tanks rolling into Ukraine. -
Soviets attempt to take Warsaw
The soviets attempt to take Warsaw, or the Battle of Warsaw was a part of the Polish-Soviet war. This was a counterattack from the Soviets in retaliation to the Kiev Offence back in April. The Polish forces did not stand a chance and were defeated after 2 weeks. This occurred from August 12th, 1920, to August 25th, 1920. The photo is a picture of soldiers in the Battle of Warsaw -
Tambov Rebellion
Russian peasants revolted against the forced confiscation of their grain under war communism. The Red Army, Cheka, and Soviet authorities eventually managed to put down the guerilla fights after 100,000 arrests and 15,000 deaths. The picture is of Alexander Antonov, who the Soviets named the event after as he was against their party. Ended in June, 1921 -
Kronstadt Rebellion
With the Soviets giving their soldiers more food and supplies than other Russian citizens during the Russian Civil War, many Russians were going hungry. This included the sailors at the Naval Base in Kronstadt. It was the first major revolt against the Bolshevik regime and sparked several reforms after the bloodshed. The image is of some of the Krondstadt sailors protesting against Bolshevik rule. Ended on March 18th, 2021 -
Ending of Wartime Communism
The Kronstadt Rebellion revealed the weaknesses of wartime communism. This system was replaced with the NEP system, which allowed Russian peasants to sell their excess grain in a limited form of capitalism. This was far more popular amongst the Russian people. The image chosen is of Lenin, who enacted the policy. -
Treaty of Rapallo
An agreement between Russia and Germany where the two countries released all land and financial claims the two powers had against each other. It was seen as a major victory for these two powers and a loss for the former Entente powers. Germany and Russia promised friendly diplomatic relations with each other. The picture is of Georgi Chicherin, the Russian foreign minister who signed the document. -
Ukraine brought under Soviet control
Bolsheviks in Ukraine had been trying to overthrow the national government in Ukraine for months. Eventually they reached Kyiv and overthrew the national government on December 30th, 1922. After this the Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic was formed. The photo is - a painting of Lenin in Soviet Ukraine -
Formation of Soviet Union
After the counter-revolutionary White Army had been defeated, which the war with them gave the Bolsheviks the Russian territories of Transcaucasian, Ukrainian, and Byelorussian republics, the Bolshevik "Reds" established the Soviet Union. The image is of the flag of the USSR that was adopted after the country was officially established. -
Lenin is Aliven't
After several assassination attempts, the stress of fighting off the White Army, and the stress of establishing the Soviet Union; Lenin suffered several strokes that ended in a brain hemorrhage killing him at age 54. The image is of Lenin in 1923 after having suffered three strokes by then, leaving him mute and partially paralyzed.