InNo+10+(15-23)+Byue+10.18.10

=__MY AWESOMENESS__= For my awesomeness, I have, again, created a comic strip. This is a rather tragic one indeed. It is about the rumors of Alexandra and Rasputin. The first box shows two men gossiping about the current leader of Petrograd, Alexandra, with the help of Rasputin. The first man was just trying to say how they were German and how they might like sausage, but the 2nd man immediately jumps to a conclusion that they are working for Germany and are trying to defeat Russia from the inside. The rumor spreads, and a mob can be seen in the second box, going mad. But instead of mob destroying the streets, 3 nobles are told to kill Rasputin by themselves. In the 3rd box, the nobles corner Rasputin to the side, where they finally kill him. (Alexandra can be seen hiding at the back.) This is awesome because it shows how Rasputin died, and can be clearly seen in 3 simple boxes. The sad thing is, even after Rasputin died, it did not help Russia at all.

__A Picture__ This is a picture of Rasputin's dead body horribly mutilated after being dragged out from River Neva. It suggests that he might not have been killed simply. He might have been dumped into a river after being shot. This can give clear picture of what Rasputin looked like when he died, and might help identify the ways he became dead.

Rasputin Picture

7. Russia At War, 1914 – 17 - went to war in August 1914, and was popular, many patriotic demonstrations in support of Tsar -St Petersburg renamed to Petrograd because it sounded too German, Russians hated Germans __ Early Defeats __ · 2 huge Russian armies attacked Germany, 1914, almost won, but because badly led and badly equipped, both lost o one million men without rifles, many without boots · battles **Tannesberg** and **Masurian Lakes** – LOST, over 250,000 soldiers died, and this was only after 6 weeks · end of 1914, over one million men died __ The Collapse of the economy __ · economy collapsed as war continued in 1915 · lack of workers, 15.5 million men taken for army, halving number of needed workers in factories and fields o 600 factories closed because of this, many farms weeds grew instead of corn · lack of trains to keep people supplied with food and materials · many foods like butter, meat and grain rotted away in railway sidings, while people starved to death just because there weren’t enough trains · coal suppliers + power stations halted while coal trains waited at coal mines for engines to pull them · inflation – Russian money “rubble” lost value in 1914 while food prices rose – wages buying less food · end of 1915 300,000 Russians killed and 3 million wounded or locked up in enemy prison __ ‘Dark forces destroying the throne’ __ · August 1915, Tsar decided to command armies himself · Left Petrograd to live at army headquarters, 500km away – fatal mistake because Alexandra was in charge of gov. in Petrograd and she was under complete influence of Rasputin · Next 16 months, Alex. sacked ministers she didn’t like and replaced them with men whom she and Rasputin favored o This period, Russia had 4 different Prime Ministers, 5 Ministers of Interior, 4 Ministers of Agriculture, 3 Ministers of War and 2 Ministers of Foreign Affairs · Because of this mess, food supplies were almost unobtainable now, and even when Russia won some major wars, soon death toll went above one million · Rumors about Alex. and Rasputin grew, saying how they were German agents and they working from inside of Russia to destroy it   · Even Tsar supporters worried, and reported to Duma that ‘dark forces destroying the throne’ – Dec. 1916, 3 nobles killed Rasputin · People were happy that he died, but it did not help Russia – blizzards at -35degrees Celsius: froze railways, burst boilers, food and supplies dwindled to nothing, people embracing each other in the houses for warmth time for revolution 8. The Revolution of March 1917 __ Wednesday 7 March __ · Managers of Giant Putilov steel works locked out 20,000 workers when pay talks broke down · Workers went on strike in support of steel workers, they were angry __ Thursday 8 March __ · 50 factories closed, 90,000 workers went on strike, and because it was International Women’s Day, socialist women demonstrated too · people wanted bread, and when a woman broke a window to steal bread, a general told her off · people surrounded the general, destroyed his motorcycle, and asked for bread __ Friday 9 March __ · 200,000 people on strike, going to factories to hold meetings, instead of working, then start to process towards the center __ Saturday 10 March __ · 250,000 workers on strike, no public transport or newspapers, food shortages continued · when Cossacks were ordered to attack procession strikers, they refused __ Sunday 11 March __ · President of Duma – Michael Rodzianko – sent a telegram to the Tsar, saying how the government is paralyzed, food supplies are down, and Russia is in a serious situation, and it is urgent that someone enjoying the confidence of the country should be entrusted with the formation of a new government o Tsar replied by ordering Duma to stop meeting __ Monday 12 March __ · 6 o’clock, mutiny broke out among troops, a sergeant shot his commanding officer dead, and all units to fight the mutiny are defecting one after another · Duma set up 12-man committee called **Provisional Committee** to take over government, even when Tsar ordered them not to meet · Revolutionaries set up **Soviet** – council – workers and soldiers, intended to take over government too, and organize food supplies for the city __ Tuesday 13 March __ · Tsar sent telegram to Duma saying he wants to share power, but Duma reply saying its too late, and turned him down __ Wednesday 14 March __ · Leading army generals sent telegrams to Nic. saying they don’t support him anymore · Nic. tried to return to Petrograd to take control of situation, he is 500km away, and is stopped in his train by revolutionaries __ Thursday 15 March __ · 250km away, Nic. is stopped by revolutionaries and he agreed to abdicate and give throne to Alexis o later he realized Alexis was too ill and gave throne to his brother, Grand Duke Michael · Grand Duke Michael was scared, however, and abdicated his throne in 24 hours – then Russia became Republic: country governed by elected leader · New question came up, should leader be Duma’s Provisional Committee or the Petrograd Soviet????? 9. The Provisional Government __ Two new Governments __ · New government was the 12-man committee Duma set up called **Provisional Government** – govern Russia for short while until elections are held · ** Petrograd Soviet ** was 2nd unofficial government, aim was to protect interests of working people and soldiers o Whatever they did was imitated by other soviets – great power · 1st action of P.S. – **Order No.1** – soldiers and sailors must set up committees to take control of all arms, ammunition and equipment o off-duty soldiers must call officers ‘Mister Colonel’ and ‘Mister General’ and so on instead of ‘Your Excellency” o obeyed all parts of army and navy showing P.S. controlled armed forces · deputies in P.S. co-operated with Provisional Government __ Lenin and the April Theses __ · March Revolution, leader of Bolsheviks – Lenin – in exile · Germans allowed Lenin to go home because trouble might make Germany win – thus providing him with food, money, and special train crossing Germany safely · Lenin returned and came up with **April These**, ideas that supported his Communism and all power to Soviets · 2nd revolution was too early for soviets, Russia failed to win Austria in a major attack, many died – many went to join Bolsheviks and shouted “All power to the Soviets!” · after **July Days**, 3 days of rioting, Alexander Kerensky, Minister of War sent troops to Petrograd, killing 400 of mobs o he claimed Bolsheviks paid by Germans to cause trouble, Lenin as leader o Lenin fled, while others got arrested __ The Kornilov Revolt __ · Alex Kerensky became PM of PG, but immediately challenged by General Kornilov, Command-in-Chief of armies – stating Russia needs strong man, and he is strong o Plan to rid Petrograd Soviet, arrest revolutionaries, and control PG, so he can fight Germany without interference o His rebel troops were super strong – Savage Division from Caucasus mountains + Cossacks --- sent to Petrograd to rid PG   · Kerensky set up defense force **Red Guards** from Bolsheviks – 25,000 armed with rifles and machine guns o Kornilov’s people refused to fight own men and soon Kornilov was arrested · Bolsheviks saved PG which meant they weren’t German agents, and showed they were disciplined fighting force, and after elections for PS, they strengthened their position · October 1917 Bols. were super strong and considered 2nd revolution 10. The Bolshevik Revolution of November 1917 · Kerensky + PG soon lost authority, peasants rebelling, soldiers not fighting Germans, and Bols. ready for 2nd rev. __ The state of Russia in September 1917 __ · More than 2000 farms, peasants killed landlords, divided land among themselves, and take control of their own land – other areas seized Church and the Tsar lands · Kerensky tried stopping peasants, but without enough amount of loyal troops, peasants vs. landlords continued o Caused delay of harvest, food shortage –people face winter with more threat of famine · Army discipline went down, Order No. 1 disobeyed, soldiers leaving army back to villages – Bols. encouraged them to give up fighting too, “mob of ill-fed angry men united by common thirst for peace” __ The November Revolution __ · October 1917 Lenin returned and wanted revolution immediately – Bols. leaders agreed to go againt PG   · HQ in **Smolny Institute** set up by Leon Trotsky in disused school (chairman) · Night of Nov 6, Red Guards were ready and started taking control of 6 bridges across River Neva, government buildings, power stations +railway stations · PG had HQ in **Winter Palace** guarded only by army cadets and Women’s Battalion · Night of Nov 7, **Aurora**, ship captures by Bols sailed up river Neva and fired blank shells at Winter Palace, later added on by Peter and Paul fortress – then Red Guards stormed in, with the guarded soldiers giving up without fighting o PG ministers surrendered and arrested · Bols. controlled Petrograd (capital), next day Lenin announced new government o Bols. were in power after 1 day of rebellion, 18 people arrested, 2 killed
 * __ PART TWO __**
 * __ War and Revolution __**

=Summary= Wars started happening in Russia against Germany, while many problems were rising, and people started rumors about Alexandra and Rasputin being German agents working inside of Russia to destroy it. More and more workers started to rebel, at first only 20,000, but later becoming 250,000, and none of them supported Nicholas II and soon he ran away, and Russia was left as a Republic. A Provisional Government was set up by the Duma, and revolutionaries set up a Soviet, and there were conflits between them, with Lenin, and Kornilov, and Kerensky as different leaders. The Bolshiveks soon had another revolution against the Petrograd Government, and within one day, they had control over Petrograd and Lenin announced a new government will be made.

Questions 1. After the Bolshiveks' 2nd revolution, how many people were arrested and how many were killed? 2. What happened when Nicholas II gave his throne to Alexis? 3. What were Alexandra and Rasputin accused of? Who was killed and what effect did it cause? 4. Why did Nicholas II get turned down by the Duma when he offered to share power? 5. What was wrong about Kerensky's claim about the Bolsheviks?