Russia Timeline

Revolution of 1905 and the October Manifesto

Oct 30, 1905

This photo depicts Sergei Witte forcing Tsar Nicholas II to sign the October Manifesto. This both shows how much influence Witte had over the tsar at the time and the true nature of the Manifesto-- a compromise the tsar was very reluctant to make.

Beginning of WWI

Jun 28, 1914

This photo represents the beginning of World War I because it illustrates the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which began the series of official declarations of war.

Czar Nicholas II take sole control of military operations

Aug 30, 1915

This image demonstrates Tsar Nicholas II's intent to inspire his men by depicting him on horseback amongst them, both signifying his leadership and attempt at camaraderie. It is important to understand the intent behind his decision to take over the army because, despite its ultimate failure, the move proves that Russian leadership knew something had to be done to help their soldiers (and explains why, later, the Bolsheviks took advantage of this).

Brusilov Offensive

Jun 4, 1916

The image of the Russian commander, General Aleksey Brusilov, was chosen as he was the one who created the largest Russian assault by launching the Brusilov Offensive and inflicted the Austro-Hungarian soldiers a defeat from which their empire never fully recovered.

Assassination of Rasputin

Dec 30, 1916

The picture captures Grigori Rasputin, a figure of great influence to Tsar Nicholas II and his family. The slightly maddened look that this image gives him is the reason it was chosen, since Rasputin was assassinated by Russian conservatives out of protest that he, a former peasant, had so much power over the tsardom.

International Women’s Day March in Petrograd

Mar 8, 1917

This image was chosen because it accurately captures the spirit of the March; an overwhelming number of Russian women taking to the streets to protest in unison.

Provisional Government formed

Mar 15, 1917

This image captures the original 12 ministers of the Provisional Government, presumably meeting in a formal setting. It is particularly important since the relatively small size of the council indicates how it was thrown together quickly after Tsar Nicholas II's abdication.

Nicholas II Abdicates

Mar 15, 1917

This photo depicts Nicholas II after his abdication. It as chosen because, even though he is the center of the picture, his casual stance and the backdrop of the woods somewhat diminishes his perceived importance and contrasts the formal images of him in uniform as the tsar. The presence of what seem to be guards in the background may also imply that he needs to be protected on his journey out of Petrograd.

April Theses Published

Apr 7, 1917

The image of the newspaper was chosen since it contributed to the July Days rebellion and the Bolshevik Coup d'etat in 1917 after the April theses were published.

Return of Lenin from exile

Apr 16, 1917

This picture was chosen due to the way it captures the influence that Lenin's return had on a faction of the Russian populace. As a Bolshevik leader, his return represented a rise in strength for the political party. The fact that he deemed it safe enough to come back somewhat foreshadowed the changes Russia's government would undergo following this.

First All-Russian Congress of Soviets meets

Jun 16, 1917

This picture represents the assembly and gather of the First All-Russian Congress of Soviets that was held from June 16 through July 7, 1917, in Petrograd. It developed into the supreme governing body of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

July Days

Jul 16, 1917

This image was chosen because it depicts the coordinated demonstrations against the Provisional Government by soldiers and workers in Petrograd.

Kornilov Affair

Sep 10, 1917

The image of General Lavr Kornilov was chosen as he was the one who launched the military coup d'état against the Petrograd Soviet of Soldiers' and Workers' Deputies and the Russian Provisional Government. He was a significant figure in the Kornilov affair.

Trotsky organizes Red Guard to defend Petrograd

Oct 25, 1917

The image of Leon Trotsky was chosen because the Red Guard was assembled and organized by Trotsky who was a Soviet Commissar for military affairs. He headed the Red Guard and played a vital role in the Bolshevik victory.

Bolsheviks overthrow the Provisional Government and take control

Oct 26, 1917

This image symbolizes the armed rebellion of workers and soldiers in Petrograd during the October Revolution, commanded by the Bolsheviks (October 25, 1917). Armed workers and soldiers are marching in the direction of the provisional direction, and the Provisional Government was overthrown (October 26).

Cheka formed

Dec 20, 1917

This badge represents the Cheka, sometimes referred to as the "secret police". The sword and shield in the badge represents how they were formed to be the "sword and shield of the revolution" defending the new regime against the enemies.

Constituent Assembly meets and is disbanded

Jan 5, 1918

This photograph symbolizes the importance of the Constituent Assembly as it displays an abundance of people involved with making decisions for Russia.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Mar 3, 1918

This map was chosen as it represents the Treaty as a whole and displays the land Russia lost to the terms of the treaty. While this lost of land may look insignificant, this land contained important farmland that was important for Russia's agriculture.

Wartime Communism created

Jun 1, 1918

This drawing symbolizes the grain requisitioning that was happening as a part of the War Communism Policy in order to support the Civil War effort.

Red Terror

Aug 30, 1918

This photo was chosen as it displays the use of violence in Russia. The Cheka (shown in the picture) were heavily engaged in perpetuating this terror onto Russians.

Kolchak (one of the White leaders) begins serious attacks against Reds from Siberia

Mar 4, 1919

This image displays Kolchak with British officers on the Eastern front which symbolizes the war situation in the beginning for the Whites. However, as they were met with a counterattack, the Bolsheviks/Reds were now having the upper hand.

Ukraine brought under Soviet control

Mar 10, 1919

This photo of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic's flag was chosen as it shows the changes of Ukraine becoming under the Soviet's rule. The Golden hammer crossed with a gold sickle placed underneath the golden-bordered red star symbolizes the ideologies of communism and socialism (hammer - industrial workers, sickle - agricultural workers/peasants)

Poles move toward Kiev

Apr 25, 1920

This image symbolizes the Poles signing an alliance, which was known to be the Treaty of Warsaw (Antoni Listowski & Symon Petliura forming an alliance with the Poles).

Soviets Attempt to Take Warsaw

Aug 12, 1920

This image was chosen because the flag with the hammer and sickle shows how the soviets advanced into poland for ideological reasons: to spread communism.

Tambov Rebellion

Aug 19, 1920

This image was chosen because shows the magnitude of the rebellion. The rebellion was large, not only in the area it covered but in the amount of people who partook.

Kronstadt Rebellion

Mar 1, 1921

This image was chosen because it shows how Kronstadt was pretty isolated from the rest of Russia and how it was strategically valuable to Russia because of its location.

Ending of Wartime Communism

Mar 30, 1921

Treaty of Rapallo

Apr 16, 1922

This image was chosen because it shows how the treaty of rapallo was intended to open diplomatic relations and end animosity between the Russia and Germany

Formation of Soviet Union

Dec 30, 1922

This photo was chosen because the flag is the most recognizable symbol of the USSR

Lenin Dies

Jan 21, 1924

This photo was chosen because the huge crowd helps visualize that many people were affected by Lenin and his policies during his life