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Period: to
Uprisings End
The government stops uprisings in Moscow, killing hundreds -
Bloody Sunday
Striking workings march to the Winter Palace to deliver a petition to the tsar on January 22 (January 9 O.S.). Troops open fire and killed between 96 and 200 people. The events of Bloody Sunday sparked strikes, peasant uprisings, mutinies in the navy, and assassinations of royalty and officials. -
Universities Closed
The tsarist government closes all universities until the following academic year, believing them to be a source of revolutionary ideas -
Bolshevik Meeting
The Bolshevik Party meets in London and turns down a proposal to reunite with the Mensheviks -
Period: to
Political Summit
The tsarist government holds a political summit and devises a new system based on class qualifications -
Bulygin Constitution
The tsarist government announces the Bulygin Constitution which means a Duma will be elected. The idea is rejected by most political groups -
The Soviet of Soldiers’ and Workers’ Deputies
The Soviet of Soldiers’ and Workers’ Deputies is formed in St Petersburg with Leon Trotsky as vice-chairman. The council comprises primarily of Mensheviks -
Lenin Returns
Amid strikes and political unrest, Lenin returns to St Petersburg -
Relaxation
A relaxation in press censorship is announced leading to a flood of anti-tsarist literature and propaganda -
Period: to
Arrests and Strikes
About 250 members of the St Petersburg Soviet are arrested and Moscow is paralysed by a strike -
Kerensky Arrested
Young radical Alexander Kerensky is arrested and imprisoned for possessing anti-tsarist literature -
Fundamental Laws
Tsar Nicholas II issues the Fundamental Laws, a constitution which reasserts his and retracting promises made in the October Manifest -
First Duma Meets
The first Duma meets in St Petersburg, boycotted by the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks -
Anti-Semitic Violence
Over 800 Jews are killed in a spate of anti-Semitic violence in Bialystok, ending on June 3rd -
Stolypin as Prime Minister
Stolypin replaces Goremykin as prime minister and the SR later make an attempt on his life -
St Petersburg Soviet Trial
Members of the St Petersburg Soviet go on trial. Most are exied t Siberia, including Trotsky -
Second Duma
The second Duma opens comprising of many socialist representatives, including SRs, Mensheviks and 18 Bolsheviks. It is dissolved by the tsar in June -
Third Duma
The third Duma opens and is comprised primarily of land-owners and conservatives. -
Lenin Flees
Lenin flees Russia and returns to exile in Switzerland -
Rasputin Banished
Rasputin is temporarily banished by the tsar due to reports of his drinking and womanising. -
Stolypin Assassination
Stolypin is shot at the theatre, dies of his injuries, and is replaced by Vladimir Kokovstoff -
Lena River
Troops arrest strike leaders in Lena River and fire on the marchers, killing more than 200. This triggers more strikes in other parts of Russia -
Fourth Duma
The fourth Duma opens -
Franz Ferdinand
The Austrian archduke, Franz Ferdinand is assassinated in Sarajevo -
Germany Declares War
Germany declares war on Russia. This leads to a boost in patriotism and a decrease in support for socialist groups. -
Petrograd
St Petersburg is renamed Petrograd -
Dissolution of Duma
Tsar Nicholas II temporarily dissolves the Duma on advice from Rasputin and the tsarina -
Bloody Sunday Strike
Over 140,000 Russian workers strike in commemoration of the 12th anniversary of Bloody Sunday -
February Revolution
The February Revolution begins. Food rationing is announced, leading to panic buying in cities, where food availability is already low -
Abdication
The Duma’s Provisional Government committee meets Tsar Nicholas II and demands his abdication. He abdicates in favour of his brother Michael who refuses to take the throne, ending 300 years of Romanov rule -
Lenin Returns
Lenin returns to Russia with the help of the German government and delivers a speech which forms the basis of the April Theses -
July Days
Workers and soldiers in Petrograd revolt, demanding the Soviets or the Bolsheviks take power but they refuse and the rebellion is crushed by government troops -
Prime Minister Kerensky
After the Petrograd uprising, the liberal coalition of the Provisional Government collapses and Kerensky becomes prime minister. The cabinet is then filled with socialists. -
Lenin Shot
An attempt is made on Lenin's life by a member of the SR -
The Kornilov Affair
New commander-in-chief of the Russian army, General Kornilov, declares his intention to march on Petrograd and free the country from radical socialists. -
Chairman Trotsky
Bolsheviks have majority in the Petrograd Soviet and Trotsky elected as chairman -
October Revolution Begins
The Bolshevik Central Committee declares that “an armed uprising is inevitable” and the Petrograd Soviet creates Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) -
Period: to
Motions
The Petrograd Soviet and Bolsheviks pass motions for the seizure of power and discuss how this should be achieved. -
Bolsheviks Seize Power
It is announced by Lenin that the Bolsheviks have seized power. He calls for preparations for a Soviet government causing the Menshevik and moderate SR delegates to walk out of the Congress of Soviets. -
Decree on Land and Decree on Peace
Having seized power, Lenin issues the Decree on Land, which calls for the abolition of private ownership, and the Decree on Peace, which requests an immediate ceasefire and treaty. -
Bolshevik Red Guard
After a week of fighting, the Bolshevik Red Guards successfully take control of Moscow -
Abolition of Tsarist Ways
The Bolshevik government abolishes all tsarist ranks, titles and privileges -
Elections
44 million people wote in the elections for the Constituent Assembly -
Gregorian Calendar
The Bolsheviks adopt the Gregorian, or New Style, calendar which was already in use in the rest of Europe. -
Religion
The church and the state are separated, making the practice of religion a matter of choice. -
War
The Red Army is offically formed and Trotsky is appointed war commissar. Germany invades Russia -
End of War Involvement
Russia ends its involvement in World War I and surrenders large amounts of land, people and resources to the Germans. -
Russian Communist Party
The Bolshevik party changes its name to the Russian Communist Party -
Foreign Intervention
British and French forces land in Russia, the first instances of foreign intervention in the Russian Civil War -
Left SRs
Thounsand of Left SRs attempt an October-style rebellion in Moscow but are defeated and arrested -
Romanov Execution
The Romanov family and tare shot by a local CHEKA detachment -
Grain Requisitioning
The beginning of prodrazvyorstka, compulsory grain requisitioning, is announced -
Comintern
The third Communist International, or Comintern,meets in Moscow and disucsses how to aid and advance the cause of world revolution. -
Menshevik Suppression
The CHEKA closes down the Menshevik newspaper when it publishes criticism of Bolshevik policies -
Hungary
Socialist revolutionaries declare a workers’ soviet republic in Hungary which is finally dispersed in August -
White Army
White Army general is arrested and executed after leading an assault on Petrograd that almost succeeds in capturing the city -
Peace Offer
The Bolshevik government makes an offer of peace to the US but it is rejected -
Fighting Ends
Most fighting in the Civil War ends though there are some localised skirmishes and peasant uprisings -
Blocakdes Lifted
Britain signs a bilateral trading agreement with Russia and other nations lift their trading blockades -
NEP
At the tenth Party Congress of the Communist Party, Lenin announces the New Economic Policy (NEP) -
Rebellion Suppressed
Rebellions in the Tambov are finally suppressed, after Red Army troops are sent into the region -
American Relief
A USA based famine relief group distributes millions of tons of grain in Russia -
OGPU
The CHEKA is replaced with a new security agency, the OGPU -
General Secretary Stalin
Joseph Stalin is appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union -
Lenin's Strokes
Lenin has the first of several strokes. -
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Lenin announces the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a federation of all soviet states -
Lenin and Stalin
Stalin and Lenin's relationship deteriorates -
Lenin Paralysed
Lenin has another stroke which paralyses him and leaves himbarely able to speak. -
End of Charity
American charities stope sending famine relief to Russia when they discover the government is exporting grain abroad -
Lenin's Death
Lenin dies and is embalmed in a mausoleum. The city of Petrograd is renamed Leningrad in his honour. -
USSR
The USSR is formally recognised by Commonwealth nations.