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persecution of Jews - continued long after his reign
systematic Russification of minorities
*son Nicholas II ill-prepared for rule; russians did not like father so they were not going to favor the son -
autocracy w/no democratic opinion
openly opposed public government participation
did not give citizens what they needed
no attention paid to the negative public views of him
ignored ideas from advisors, family members, royal companions, public
took control of an army ill-prepared for war
*failed to industrialize a majorly agricultural-based economy; failed to satisfy the needs of the people of Russia, hostility begins to rise between the people and the czar/autocracy government -
Russia against Japan for territory of Northern China (Manchuria)
supplies only gained from the Trans-Siberian Railway across 5,500 miles - portions incomplete
poor performance against Japan -> civil unrest in Russia -> Czar back out of the war
Forced to surrender Manchuria to Japan (with other territories)
Duma promised freedoms/rights
political system viewed insufficient by russian population
*set up Russian Revolution in 1917 -
200,000 russians marched on Winter Palace -> sought relief from the working/living conditions - list of grievances carried with them to represent all their problems
Czar never present in Winter Palace at the time
100 citizens dead, 2,000 wounded after soldiers were ordered to opened fire on the crowd
*those who still believed in czarist government rose up against it; showed how czar reacted to peaceful protest - reason why russians overthrew czar; created Duma -
elected legislature called the DUMA -> Nicholas II attempted to undermine it -> upper/lower class doubt ruling capability *set up Russian Revolution in 1917
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Czar Nicholas moved to front lines of the army -> blamed for the military failures of the russian army against the germans as they were unprepared for war
famines, bad way of life for the russian people, and the many casualties
*loss of faith in Czar Nicholas II as he refuses to end Russia's involvement in WW1 -
"holy man" - healing powers, eased Alexis' illness -> placed in position of power in gratitude of Czarina, key political decisions/opposed reforms
friends of Rasputin given powerful positions
nobles feared government affairs Rasputin involved in -> multiple attempts to murder Rasputin by a group of nobles
- first two attempts poison, second attempt by shooting, finally drowning him
*foretold that if killed by nobles, the Romanov family would not live past two years -
local protest/general uprising (March Revolution)-czar abdicated throne-revolutionaries killed Romanov family
no strong government after regime-Provisional "temporary" Government, head Alexander Kerensky
continued WW1 cost soldiers/civilian support-peasants wanted land, city workers increasingly radical, socialist revolutionaries formed soviets -soviets had greater influence in some cities compared to the Provisional government
*Lenin's return to Russia with german help-Bolshevik Revolution -
Karl Marx ideas, proletariat overthrow bourgeoisie = bourgeoisie overthrew aristocracy
history = class conflicts, classless society w/o government = aligned interests, no need for government, no classes to conflict
secret newspaper sent through Russia abroad -> support for communist party (Bolsheviks) gained/czar's government fell apart
*the support gained->Lenin to create his own revolution in October 1917-civil war tear down the Provisional Government and take government control to form USSR -
between Red Army (Bolsheviks) + White Army (anti-Bolsheviks, conservatives, foreign troops
take control of the government
*Red Army wins, led by Leon Trotsky - allowing Russia to be officially under communist control, becoming the Union of Soviet Social Republics (USSR) in 1922, led by Lenin -
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"man of steel" cold, hard, impersonal
1922 - general secretary of the Communist Party, behind scenes to move supporters into positions of power
dangerous man in Lenin's eye
1928 - Stalin = complete power over the Communist Party
*Stalin able to wield absolute power as a dictator over the USSR without fear of repercussions -
suffered a stroke in 1922
died in 1924 from stroke
*1922- set up the competition between Stalin and Trotsky to replace him as leader of the USSR -
viewed as threat since he led Red Army to victory against the White Army, someone the people could rally behind if they did not like the way Stalin ruled
*exile allowed Stalin to wield his absolute power to his own benefit because any threats (Trotsky) of rebellion were eliminated with his exile