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Czar Nicholas Rule
Czar Nicholas followed the tradition of Russian autocracy. Unfortunately, this blinded him to the changing conditions of his times. -
Industrialization and the Problems it Caused in Russia
Between 1863 and 1900 factories more than doubled in Russia. To finance the build up of industry the Russian government sought foreign investors and raised taxes. As industrialization increased, problems arose such as grueling working conditions, miserably low wages, child labor, and the outlawing of trade unions. This sparked strikes and protests throughout Russia. -
Development of Revolutionary Groups
As a result of workers' discontent with their low standard of living and lack of political power, revolutionary movements sprung up around Russia. A group of Marxists revolutionaries was established in Europe. They desired to form a proletariat where the workers ruled the nation.The Marxists further diverged into two distinct groups: the Mensheviks, who wanted a broad base of popular support for the revolution, and Bolsheviks, whos extremist ideals were aimed at everything for change. -
Bloody Sunday
On this day in history approximately 200,000 workers and their families approached the czar's Winter Palace carrying a petition for better working conditions, more personal freedom, and an elected national legislature. Nicholas II's generals responded to these workers by ordering their soldiers to fire without mercy. More than 1,000 were wounded and several hundred were killed. Bloody Sunday sparked a wave of strikes throughout Russia that ultimately resulted in a promise of freedom for Russia. -
World War I
Russia entered World War I underprepared and poorly equipped. As a result, they were no match for strong, machine-gun equipped German troops. Russia experienced one defeat after another, resulting in high numbers of casualties. The Russian soldiers mutinied, deserted, or ignored orders. At home, Russians civilians yearned for the end of the war. -
The March Revolution
Women textile workers in Petrograd led a citywide strike. Over the next five days, riots sparked over the shortages in bread and fuel in Russia. About 200,000 workers crowded the streets protesting both the war and the government. Although the Russian soldiers obeyed the initial order to fire on these protesters, they later took their side. -
The Czar Steps Down
Due to the March Revolution uprising, Nicholas II abdicated the throne. A year later, revolutionary extremists executed him and his family. A provisional government was established, which was led by Alexander Kerensky. His decision to remain in World War I made him unpopular. Under his reign, a new group, called the Soviets, formed consisting of workers, peasants, and soldiers. -
The Bolshevik Revolution
In 1917, armed factory workers stormed the Winter Palace calling themselves the Bolshevik Red Guards. They seized government offices and arrested the leaders of the provisional government. Lenin ordered that all farmland be distributed among the peasnantry and control of factories be given to the workers. However, a humiliating defeat by Germany sparked anti-Bolshevik sentiment in Russia. The Red Guards now faced the anti-Bolshevik White Guards. The Red Guards emerged victorious from this war. -
Lenin in Power
Lenin temporarily set aside his plan for a state-controlled economy. Instead he resorted to the New Economic Policy, which was a small-scale version of capitalism. This boosted Russia's economy and, by 1928, Russia farms and factories were producing as much as they had before WWI. Because Lenin saw nationalism as a threat to unity and party loyalty, he organized his nation into several self-sufficient government republics. The Bolsheviks renamed their party the Communist Party. -
Stalin Becomes a Dictator
Stalin, a cold, hard, and impersonal man, began his climb to the head of the government between 1922 and 1927. However, it was not until 1928 that he was in total command of the Communist Party. His only competitor for the position, Leon Trotsky, was forced into exile in 1929. Stalin was able to wield absolute power as a dictator.
