Russian History

Assassination of Czar Alexander II

Mar 1, 1861

Czar Alxander II finally freed the serfs and over the next 20 years, he introduced a series of liberal reforms. Members of one radical group, the people's will, attempted to assassinate Czar several. In 1881 Czar was assassinated.

History

Period: Mar 21, 1861 to Mar 21, 1931

Marxists

Mar 21, 1898

A group named Marxists decided to form the socialist Democratic Labour Party (SDLP) but Czar Banned the political group. the SDLP were forced into exile in other countries. They were working on an newspaper called Iskra (Sparks). Some members were Vlasimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin.

First Russian Revolution

Mar 21, 1905

The people of Saint Petersburg marched to Czar Nicholas's Winter palace to demand for food and better living conditions. Czar's soldiers opened fire on the crowd, causing hunderds of people to die. This day is known as Bloodly Sunday. Later, under pressure of revolutionary forces, Czar Nicholas signs the October Manifesto, giving Russians rights of freedoms of speech, assembly, association, and religion.

Russia enters the First World War

Mar 21, 1914

The Russian army is unprepared for war and suffers devastating losses against the German forces. During the spring and summer of 1915 approximately 1 400 000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded. The war left the people feeling of hostility toward the Czar.

Second Russian Revolution

Mar 21, 1917

For most of 1917, a temporary government was put into place that was led by alexander Kerensky. In April, Vladimir lenin, founder and leader of the Bolsheviks (communist), called for the end of Russian participation in the war. Their slogan was "Peace! Land! Bread!", gained popularity because it reflected what the peasants and working class had been demanding for many years. In October, Lenin and the Bolshevik party had the strength and support to take power.

Second Russian Revolution continued

Mar 21, 1917

Leon Trotsky joined Lenin and together they successfully established a new Russian government. Lenin's government quickly transformed Russia on his interpretation of communism, which is commonlyreferred to as Leninism.

Russian Civil War

Mar 21, 1918

Lenin was shot during an assassination attempt. After this, Lenin attempted to eliminate his rivals through a campaign called the Red Terror, where many people were tortured and executed. This started a civil war between the Bolshevik (Red Army) and the Anti-Bolshevik (White Army) who were supported by other countries whose leaders feard and disappoved of Russian communis White army supporters include; United States, Canada, France and Britain.

Russian Civil War continued

Mar 22, 1918

Years later of brutal and bloody fighting, the Russian Civil War ended with the defeats of the White army, most of whom were then executed or exiled. Also in 1918, Czar Nicholas and his family were murdered by the Bolsheviks.

Creation of the Sovirt Union

Mar 22, 1922

Several republies joined to create the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR or Soviet Union), lead by Lenion. People of the Soviet Union saw many positive changes;
- Land was redistributed to the people.
- Factories were given to the workers so that they could make decisions about wages and working conditions.
- Men and women were considered equal and valuable contributors to society.

Creation of the Soviet Union continued

Mar 22, 1922

-Art and music flourished as there were no longer restrictions on what one create. Lenin's application of Marxist values gave many poor and working class people much more power over their lives than they had known under Czarist rule.

Death of Lenin

Mar 22, 1924

Lenin died from a stroke. His death and the struggle for power between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin results in Stalin's victory and Trotsky's exile ans assassination.

Stalin becomes the leader of the Soviet government

Mar 22, 1928

Stalin became the supreme leader of the country. Stalin and his supporters arranged for Trotsky's removal from the communist party and his exile and eventual assassination in Mexico. Stalin claimed to be Marxist-Leninist but his interpretation of communism was influenced by his desire to maintain absolute power and control. The desire for control caused his policies and the development of Soviet communism of means of oppression and fear rather than of revolution and freedoms.

Stalin becomes the leader of the Soviet government continued

Mar 22, 1928

He also rejected also all liberal values, believing that they could not help the USSR achieve its goals. Some examples include;
- Thw creation of the Gulag (prison camp) system to contain those who opposed his views.
- The use of secret police (the NKVD) to control people through terror and force.
- The rewriting of history by altering the Soviet archives and prescribing a state view of the history of the country.

Holodomor

Mar 22, 1932

The Ukraine experienced both drought as well as the effects of what some refer to as a planned famine by Stalin and plans for industrialization. This famine is known as the Holodomor. Stalin withhelld stockpiled Grain from many, starving between 7 and 10 million people to remove resistance to his plans for collectivization

Purges

Mar 22, 1936

From 1936 to 1939 Stalin eliminated his opponents within the communist party and the Soviet armed forces.