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Peter the Great
Peter the Great takes the Russian throne and becomes King. He looks to make the country a modern power, beginning an era of industrialization through westernization. He also looked to expand Russia's borders and worked to strengthen military power. Eventually creating the largest standing army in the world. -
The Great Northern War
Peter the Great put his military to use against the Swedes, who dominated the Baltic region at the time. Russia wanted a warm-water seaport because Russia's ports were located along the Arctic Ocean and were frozen most of the year, limiting trade with the west. In 1709, he defeated the Swedes and gained his warm water port along the Baltic Sea as Russia expanded westward. -
Russo-Turkish War
Catherine the Great waged war against the Ottoman empire in search of the highly desired Black Sea with the warm water port. With victory in 1774 she gained many territories, adding to Russia's size. -
Partitions of Poland
Prussia and Austria-Hungary both eyed the lands of Poland along with Russia. In order to avoid fighting, they all agreed to partition, or divide up, Poland. Catherine the Great continued to expand Russia's borders and create the largest country in the world. -
Crimean War
The Russian empire faced the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain, France, and Sardinia as both sides fought over land in Turkey. In 1856 the war concluded with the Treat of Paris. It guaranteed the independence of Turkey (Ottoman Empire) and forced Russia to give up many territories, including the valuable Black Sea that would now be open to all. -
Russo-Japanese War
Japan is on a similar quest for expansion as Russia. They both set their sights on Korea and Manchuria, coming into conflict with eachother. Japan easily defeats the Russians, the first time in history an Asian power took down a European nation. -
Russian Revolution
Worker strikes, agricultural struggles, terrorism, and army mutinies led to an uprising, in which the people are calling for a change in government. Anxious troops began the revolution as they opened fire on peaceful marches in St. Petersburg. This day became know as "Bloody Sunday." -
World War I
Tensions and mistrust between the European countries leads to a world war. Nationalistic pride united Russians as they entered the war with excitement. WIthin the year, however, many soldiers had no ammunition nor rifles. WIth Russian armies badly equipped and poorly led, they were forced into a disastrous defeat in 1917. -
March Revolution
With disasters on the battlefield, in addition to food and fuel shortages, the monarchy collapsed. Economic and social problems grew and political conflicts arose as the tsar abdicated from the Russian throne. And Vladimir took over. -
November Revolution
Vladimir Lenin took power following the abdication of the tsar. He and his Bolsheviks, in other words the Communists, take over. Without struggle they were able to defeat the provisional government and seize power in cities. -
Civil War
Lenin sought peace with Germany in the Treaty of Brest Litovsk in March 1918, because he wanted to focus on the enemies at home. The Civil War started between the "Reds" as the communists and the "Whites" as the counterrevolutionaries. The Allies intervened hoping the "Whites" would overthrow the "Reds". The Communists did in fact gain victory, however. -
Communist Soviet Union
The Communists were now in control, so began the building of the Communist Soviet Union. The Communist government united the old Russian empire into the Soviet Union. All political power, resources, means of government belonged to the people. But realistically, any form of power belonged to the Communist party. -
Five-Year Plans
When Lenin dies, Stalin takes over and implements some of his five-year plans. The first was to develop a command economy where government officials made all basic economic decisions. Then he set high production goals in industry and transportation. Also, forced collectivization agriculture, in which large farms were owned and operated by a group of peasants. The government would take the grain to meet industrial goals. -
The Great Purge
A terror famine from agricultural methods resulted in 5-8 million deaths. Some of Stalin's other terror tactics to control his people included secret police, torture, and purges. In 1934 he feared rival parties were plotting agaist him, thus, he began the Great Purge. The number of deaths are thought to have reached 10 million and these purges increased Stalin's power as citizens understood the consequences of disloyalty. -
Foregin Policy
Between 1917 and 1939, the Soviet Union, as communists, wanted to bring about a world-wide revolution, but simultaneously gurantee a victory by gaining the support of other countries. Lenin in 1919 had forned the Comintern which was to envourage this world-wide revolution. This made Western powers very suspicious, leading to the events that occurred in 1939 and afterwards...
