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Marxists revolutionaries disagree over revolutionary tactics. The more radical Bolsheviks are ready to risk everything. The charismatic Vladimir Lenin becomes the leader.
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In the late 1800s, Russia and Japan both wanted control of Korea and Manchuria. The two nations signed a few agreements over certain territories, but Russia broke them. Japan came back by attacking the Russians at Port Arthur, Manchuria, in February 1904.
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On January 22, 1905, about 200,000 workers and their families approached the czar’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, and they were protesting. They wanted better working conditions, more personal freedom, and an elected national legislature. Soldiers began firing into the crowds and killed 1,000 people under the order of Nicholas II’s generals. Eventually the people were given more rights, but this day was ruled “Bloody Sunday”.
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In May, 1906, the first Duma met. All of the leaders were moderates and they wanted Russia to become a constitutional monarchy, similar to Britain. The czar didn’t want to share his power so it was shut down.
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In 1914, Nicholas II made the decision to bring Russia into World War 1. Since Russia was unprepared to handle the military and economic costs, it was no match for Germany. This revealed the weaknesses of czarist rule, etc.
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Women textile workers in Petrograd started a strike throughout the city. Riots became extensive over shortages of bread and fuel. Almost 200,000 workers were in the streets screaming “Down with the autocracy!” and “Down with the war!” Soldiers were first told to shoot but they later decided to be on their side.
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There was no warning when armed factory workers decided to storm the Winter Palace in Petrograd. They called themselves the Bolshevik Red Guards. They took over offices and arrested leaders of the government. They disappeared quickly.
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Russia and Germany signed the the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Russia had to give up a big part of its territory to Germany and its allies. This humiliated them and and triggered widespread anger with the Russians.
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Leon Trotsky expertly commanded the Bolshevik Red Army in the civil war from 1918 until 1920. Many western nations sent military aid and forces to Russia to help the White Army, but they didn’t help much.
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Lenin put aside his plan for state-controlled government. He went to a smaller version of capitalism called the New Economic Plan. The reforms under it allowed people to sell their crops instead of the government having control. The government kept control of the major industries.
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This is when Russia was changed to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. This was in honor of the councils that helped launch the Bolshevik Revolution.
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Although it was extremely difficult for the opposition parties to campaign properly, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party still failed to win an overall victory in the election on 5th March, 1933. The NSDAP received 43.9% of the vote and only 288 seats out of the available 647. The increase in the Nazi vote had mainly come from the Catholic rural areas who feared the possibility of an atheistic Communist government.
