Revolutions and Civil War A.March Revolution B.The Bolshevik Revolution C.Civil War D.Vladimir Lenin

Revolutions and Civil War

A. March Revolution

B. The Bolshevik Revolution

C. Civil War

D. Vladimir Lenin

A. The March Revolution

• Support for a revolution is growing

• It begins in March 1917

• Czar Nicholas II forced to abdicate (step down as czar)

• New provisional government formed

Alexander Kerensky

• New government not liked because they continued fighting in WWI

B. The Bolshevik Revolution• Bolsheviks – Russian communists led by Lenin

• They overthrew the provisional government in November 1917

• Lenin pulled Russia out of WWI & signed Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

C. Civil War• Citizens angry about the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • Civil war between the Bolsheviks (Red Army) and

the Mensheviks (White Army)

• Czar Nicholas and his family are killed in 1918 by the Bolsheviks

• Civil war lasts from 1918-1920

• 8 million Russians died during the civil war

• 7 million died in the famine that followed

• Bolsheviks win the Civil War

D. Vladimir (V.I.) Lenin• First Premier (leader) of

the Soviet Union & the Communist Party

• The Communist Party controlled the government

• Begins to transform Russia into a Communist state

• Began the New Economic Policy

• The government controlled major industries to increase production

• In 1922 Lenin transformed Russia into the Union of Soviet Socialists Republics (U.S.S.R.)