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Stalin total control
Stalin was in total command of the Communist Party. Trotsky, forced into exile in 1929, was no longer a threat. Stalin now stood poised to wield absolute power as a dictator. -
Alezander III
In 1881, Alexander III succeeded his father, Alexander II, and halted all reforms in Russia -
Nicholas II became czar
Nicholas II continued the tradition of Russian autocracy. Unfortunately, it blinded him to the changing conditions of his times. -
Russian Marxists split
Russian Marxists split into two groups over revolutionary tactics. The more moderate Mensheviks wanted a broad base of popular support for the revolution. The more radical Bolsheviks supported a small number of committed revolutionaries willing to sacrifice everything for change. -
Bloody Sunday
bout200,000 workers and their familiesapproached the czar’s Winter Palacein St. Petersburg. They carried apetition asking for better workingconditions, more personal freedom,and an elected national legislature.Nicholas II’s generals ordered soldiers to fire on the crowd. More than 1,000 were wounded and several hundred were killed. Russians quickly named the event “Bloody Sunday.” -
The first Duma met
The first Duma met ts leaders were moderates who wanted Russia to become a constitutional monarchy similar to Britain. -
Nicolas promised more freedom
Bloody Sunday provoked a wave of strikes and violence that spread across the country. In October 1905, Nicholas reluctantly promised more freedom. He approved the creation of the Duma Russia’s first parliament. -
the fateful decision
Nicholas II made the fateful decision to drag Russia into World War I. Russia was unprepared to handle the military and economic costs -
Death of Rasputin
In 1916, a group of nobles murdered Rasputin. They feared his increasing role in government affairs. -
The March Revolution
women textile workers in Petrograd led a citywide strike. In the next five days, riots flared up over shortages of bread and fuel. Nearly 200,000 workers swarmed the streets shouting, “Down with the autocracy!” and “Down with the war!” At first the soldiers obeyed orders to shoot the rioters but later sided with them. -
The Provisional Government Topples
without warning, armed factory workers stormed the Winter Palace in Petrograd. Calling themselves the Bolshevik Red Guards, they took over government offices and arrested the leaders of the provisional government. -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Russia surrendered a large part of its territory to Germany and its allies. The humiliating terms of this treaty triggered widespread anger among many Russians. They objected to the Bolsheviks and their policies and to the murder of the royal family. -
Period: to
Civil war
civil war raged in Russia. Several Western nations, in- cluding the United States, sent military aid and forces to Russia to help the White Army. However, they were of little help. -
New Economic Policy
Lenin temporarily put aside his plan for a state-controlled economy. Instead, he resorted to a small-scale version of capital- ism called the New Economic Policy -
Lenin stroke and Stalin gains power
Lenin suffered a stroke in 1922. He survived, but the incident set in motion com- petition for heading up the Communist Party. Two of the most notable men were Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin.
