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Buildup and aftermath
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Description: Czar Alexander III was the conservative ruler of Russia from 1881 until his death in 1894. He was most known for his foremost action of persecuting the Jews and the systematic Russification (forced assimilation) of minorities.
Significance: His rule promoted the interest of the nobility over those of the peasant or working classes. His ideals of one-man rule, one religion, one race created hostility across the population of Russia. -
Description: The czar of Russia from 1894 to 1917, had many determinations to maintain the rule by a monarch in the country. He led the country into WW1 and had his dynasty violently overthrown by the Russian Revolution
Significance: He convinced many Russians that much-needed reforms could only come through a revolution when he publicly rejected the idea that the people should participate in government and ignored the increasing hardships faced by the Russian people (which led to Bloody Sunday) -
Description: War broke out because of competition over territory in northern China between Russia and Japan in the 1890s. Although many expected Russian victories, Japan had strategic advantages, strong ground troops, and security of the sea in battle.
Significance: Russia's defeat contributed to the spread of civil/political unrest over social conditions in Russia during the Russian Revolution of 1905, the results of which significantly weakened the absolute powers of the czar. -
Description: As a result of Bloody Sunday, Nicholas reluctantly promised more freedom, therefore approving the creation of Duma, Russia's first Parliament.
Significance: The first Duma met in May 1906; its leaders were moderates who wanted Russia to become a constitutional monarchy similar to Britain. But because he was hesitant to share his power, the czar dissolved the Duma after ten weeks, which only angered the Russian populations more leading to future conflicts/altercations. -
Description: Around 200,000 workers marched on Czar Nicholas's Winter Palace to present him with a list of grievances and to demand relief from their working and living conditions.
Significance: During the event around 100 people were killed, another 3,000 were injured and the leaders of the demonstration were arrested. The event resulted in uprisings across the country and many who had still believed in the czarist government rose up against it. Strikes and disorder continued throughout 1905. -
Description: When Nicholas II made the decision to bring Russia into WW1, Russia was unprepared to handle the military and economic costs/tolls. Its weak and poorly equipped troops were no match for the German army.
Significance: Russia faced huge defeats one after another, and around 4 million Russian soldiers had been killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. WW1 revealed weaknesses of czarist rule and military, resulting in lost hope in the Russian population (and an approaching revolution). -
Description: Rasputin was served poisoned tea cakes and wine by Russian nobles who were unsuccessful in the murder, leading them to shoot and drown Rasputin.
Significance: Before he was killed, he composed a prophecy that stated if he was killed by his fellow peasants then the royal family was safe, but if he was killed by nobles and people in the royal family inner circle, then they would be killed by the Russian people in hopes of a change (which proved to be true a year and a half later). -
Description: When the Russian Revolution erupted, the czar was compelled to abdicate his throne and the establishment of a Provisional Government took his place of power in Russia.
Significance: The Provisional Government proved unpopular with the Russian people because it refused to end Russia's involvement in WW1 or to promote cultivating land reforms, and refused to redistribute land to peasants. Therefore severe hardship continued to devastate Russia despite these changes. -
Description: Lenin was a leader of the Bolshevik Party and was the man behind Russian Communism who employed the Russians to overthrow the czar through a revolution.
Significance: After the revolution, the Bolsheviks gained power and created the Communist Party which promoted a classless society and a constitution based on socialist and democratic principles. -
Description: When Bolsheviks took over Russia, an opposing force called the White Army arose (made up of different groups that supported the return of a czar, democratic government, and socialists who opposed Lenin's socialist ideals). This united the groups, yet these groups barely cooperated with one another
Significance: Bolshevik leaders saw nationalism as a threat to unity and party loyalty, so Lenin organized Russia into several self-governing republics under the central government (USSR) -
Description: When Lenin suffered a stroke in 1922, a competition for heading up the Communist Party was set in motion. One competitor was Joseph Stalin - a cold, harsh, impersonal Bolshevik who made a ruthless climb to the head of the government.
Significance: He worked behind the scenes to move his supporters into positions of power and wanted total command of the Communist Party (which he was granted), which he used to execute much of the Russian population when his power was threatened. -
Description: The country was named the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in honor of the councils that helped launch the Bolshevik Revolution.
Significance: The USSR allowed the Communist Party to hold all the power (mainly when making a constitution based on socialist and democratic principles). Lenin had established a dictatorship of the Communist Party. -
Description: Before Lenin died in 1924, he wrote about his concern with the power that Stalin had gained. However, after his death, Stalin was hailed as his successor to the Communist Party.
Significance: In this position, Stalin was able to wield absolute power as a dictator. During his reign, Stalin ruled similar to that of an absolute monarch who executed all who opposed him and took every measure that would make himself stronger and more powerful. -
Description: After the death of Lenin, Stalin's power started to increase while Trotsky's decreased and he lost much of his governmental status which had once protected him from Stalin, but would no longer since Stalin thought Trotsky to be a threat to his power, therefore compelling him to expel his competition.
Significance: With Trotsky's exile, Stalin had no opposing threats in Russia (meaning no one had enough support or following to overthrow him in the near future).