Objective: To examine the Russian Revolutions and the impact they had on World War I.

Vladimir Lenin, 1917

Bloody SundayBloody SundayJanuary 22, 1905January 22, 1905

The Czar’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg

Citizens seeking better working conditions, more personal freedom, and a national

legislature are met by general and police chiefs – 500-1,000 unarmed people are killed

The Opening of the The Opening of the DumaDuma::

Possible Reforms?Possible Reforms?

1906 After Bloody Sunday

Revolution, Czar Nicholas formed the Duma- Russia’s first parliament.

Hesitant to share power he dissolved it 10 weeks later

• Adaptation of Marxist ideas of overthrow of communisim

• Wanted elite group to keep much of power over Russia

• As Russia’s problems grew more serious, Bolsheviks gained more followers

• Czar Nicholas hoped entering WWI on the side of the Allied Powers would cause people to rally to his leadership

Bolshevik Plan

Russia and World War I

Czar Nicholas II took personal command of forces, 1915

• Move made little sense since he knew little of military matters• Czar’s fate became linked with fate of Russian armed forces• Bad situation grew worse under Czar’s command

Conditions in Russia worse than on battlefield

• Food, goods scarce; peasants grew desperate• Unpopular Czarina relied on Grigory Rasputin, viewed as corrupt, immoral• Shaky support for Russian monarchy dipped even lower

Russian army seemed doomed

• Central Powers were able to stop Russian offensive• Destroyed Russian soldiers’ faith in leadership• Army had little strength, even less confidence

Conditions Grow Worse

Russian Revolutions

February 1917 – Riots protesting the shortage of food forced Russia’s Czar Nicholas II from power

First Russian Revolution

October 1917 – The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, seized power in Russia and began the communist revolution.

Communist / Bolshevik Revolution

Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany and dropped out of the war.

Germany then sent their troops on the Eastern Front to the Western Front.

Russian Czar Nicholas II, left, and his son Prince Alexei are shown sawing wood to heat the dwelling in Siberia, where they were held during the Russian Revolution. The entire royal family was executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

Communism – a theory that supports the elimination of private property and the equal distribution of goods

-Government controls.

Created by the German philosopher Karl Marx.

Karl Marx (1818-1883).

In 1922- Russia became known as the U.S.S.R. For the Union of Soviet Socialists Republics.

Capital of U.S.S.R. was Moscow

Bolsheviks renamed their party Communist Party

Lenin controlled as a dictator until his death in 1924 Communist symbol located on the

flag of the former U.S.S. R.

Last of the Czars: Revolution