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Russian Revolution Part Two InNo Ho Yun Cheon Oct. 22. 2010

7. Russia At War 1914-17

· Early Defeats o Germany was attacked by Russia. o Even though Germany was outnumbered, Germans were better equipped and trained, therefore the Russians were easily beaten. · The collapse of the economy o Russian economy was beginning to collapse fast. o Over 600 factories closed down. (lack of employment) o There were other problems, such as the transport. (railways failed as power failed) · ‘Dark forces destroying the throne’ o Tsar thought that it would be best for him to take over command the entire army. o He went to live with his own army. o He indirectly left Rasputin in charge. o Rasputin and Alexandra had controlled the government, discharging ministers that they disliked. o Since they frequently replaced ministers, the government works stopped. o There were shortage of food by 1916. o There were rumors that Alexandra and Rasputin was on the German team. o The ‘dark forces’ who were loyal to the Tsar murdered Rasputin.

8. The Revolution of March 1917

· Wednesday 7 March o 20,000 workers were locked out of their factory. o More people joined in. · Thursday 8 March o About 50 factories shut down. o Now it was up to 90,000 workers. · Friday 9 March o Went up to 200,000. · Saturday 10 March o It went up to 250,000 workers. o All public transport were shut down, and no newspapers. o Food shortages was a dire problem. · Sunday 11 March o Tsar is notified of the situation. · Monday 12 March o There were mayhem in the army, as one of the soldiers shot his superior. o The Duma set up a committee, named the Provisional Committee to take over the government. o In the same evening, the Revolutionaries set up the Soviet government. · Tuesday 13 March o The Duma told the Tsar that it was too late to take back the power. · Wednesday 14 March o After receiving letters that the army was not following orders, the Tsar returned to Petrograd to take control. · Thursday 15 March o Nicholas had to give up his throne. o He couldn’t give the throne to Alexis, so instead gave to his brother. o He also abdicated. o Russia became a republic.

9. The Provisional Government

· Two new governments o Russia was split into two, Duma and the Soviets. § Provisional Government (Set up by duma) was in charge at the time. § The Petrograd Soviet (of the working people) wanted a country that bettered the lives of their working men and soldiers. § Petrograd Soviet decided to issue an order called Order No. 1, for the army, so that they can take control of the army’s weapons and such. § It was obeyed by the army and the navy, proving that the Soviet was more in charge. · Lenin and the April Theses o Lenin who was in Switzerland, returned to Russia for a second revolution. o He wanted to help the Soviet get rid of the Provisional Government. o Lenin announced that the Bolsheviks should be “communists”. o He didn’t want anyone to support the Provisional Government. o April Thesis was an idea that all power should be given to the Soviet. o April Theses shocked many Bolsheviks. o Meanwhile, the Russian army was getting defeated I battles. o July Days (three days of riot) happened when Bolsheviks demanded an end to the Provisional Government. o This caused mayhem, and the Bolsheviks were rightly blamed, and Lenin had to flee again. · The Kornilov Revolt o Alexander Kerensky was now the P.M of the Provisional Government. o He thought that the Soviets were nothing but trouble and planned to get rid of them. o Kornilove grew an army, the best of the best. Kornilov marched the troops to Petrograd to get control of the Provisional Government. o Kerensky collected 25,000 workers to march in Petrograd, and Kornilov’s army refused to fight their own kind. o Kornilov was arrested. o Bolsheviks were more in control.

10. The Bolshevik Revolution of November 1917

· The state of Russia in September 1917. o The peasants were waiting for the Provisional Government to give them land, however it never happened. o Tired of waiting, many killed their landlord and took the land for themselves. o Kerensky tried to get control of the peasants by sending soldiers to punish them. o Kerensky could not find enough soldiers, though. o This kind of mayhem stopped the harvest. o Food shortage worsened. o The army was also about to break lose. · The November Revolution o Lenin was finally out of hiding, and returned to Petrograd. o He wanted to start a revolution, because there were so many people suffering. o The Bolsheviks agreed this time. o At the Smolny Institute, a no longer used school, they set up plans for the revolution. o They had full support of the army, therefore did not have to conceal any plans from the Provisional Government. o The Red Guards, under the order of Bolsheviks, began taking over the Petrograd. o The Provisional Government was left defenseless. o They were attacked by guns in the Winter Palace, and the Bolsheviks controlled Petrograd. o Lenin announced a new government.

Summary From 1914 to 1917, there were great changes in Russia. The Bolsheviks were fighting with the Provisional Government, set up by the Dumas. Meanwhile, the monarchs had to give up their power, and abdicate throne. Riots broke out, and Lenin was brought back in to bring peace into Russia, however failed and had to flee Petrograd. Soon enough, he was brought back again, and he announced a new type of government.

Question * Why did Lenin have to flee? * Why was St. Petersburg renamed Petrograd? * How did the November Revolution affect the general population of Petrograd? * Why do you think the people followed the Soviets instead of the Provisional Government? * Why did Lenin want the revolution to start so early?

Awesomeness

Self-made This was a cartoon that I made (for kids). This is basically summarizing the situation when Lenin went to Petrograd only to have fled back. I made this cartoon, so that it could be easily understood by people, it does not have much depth, but its not a political cartoon, it’s a kids’ version of Russian Revolution.

Found Source: Russianreport, Red Army. Wordpress, n.d., Oct. 22nd, 2010.

I chose this picture, because this was a propaganda poster to join the red army, and give allegiance to the communist Soviets. This was a time of mayhem, and the thought of someone looking over Petrograd, and Russia was reassuring to many people.