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Russian Industrialization
The rapid changes in factories changed the Russian economy. Factort numbers doubled, but Russia was stilled behind so a program was launched to move Russia forward. the government got foreign investors and raised taxes to finance the buildup of industies, mostly the steel industy, whiched made Russia the 4th highest steel producer by the 1900s. There was also the wold's longest continous rail line that was being created at the time as well. -
Czar Nicholas comes to rule
He continued the tradition of autocracy, not realizing the changing conditions of his time. -
Development of Revolutionary Groups
Russia was already spilt into Marxist and Anti-Marxist grops, but the Marxist soon split into 2 groups based on tactics. There was the radical Bolsheviks who would sacrifice everything for change and was supported by a small number of people, and the moderate Mensheviks who wabted a broad base of popular support. -
Bloody Sunday
About 200,000 workers and families went to the czar's palace carrying a petition that called for better working conditions, more personal freedom, and an elected national legistature. Generals ordered soldiers to attack and more than 1,000 were wounded and mnay were killed. -
World War I
The czar decided to bring Russia into the war. Russia wasn't ready to handle the military ana economic caosts. it had weak generals and poorly equipped troops. before a year had passed over 4 million russian soldiers were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. Their fail during the Russo-Japanese War proved their weakness of czarist rule and military leadership as well. -
Rasputin
Nicholas II went to the war front with the hopes of rallying his discouraged troops to victory. While he was away his wife, Czarina Alexandra, ran the government and ingnored his cheif advisors. She fell under the influence of a "holy man" who claimed to have magcal healing powers, Rasputin cured her son and to show her gratitude, she gave him political powers. He opposed reform measures and got powerful positions for his friends. In 1916, some nobles murdered him for fear of his role in the gov -
The March Revolution
Women textile workers led a citywide strike. riots were occuring everywhere because of the shorteges of bread and fuel. About 200,000 workers swarmed the streets shouting things. Soldiers were ordered to shoot them, but sided with them later. -
The Czar Steps Down
The March Revolution forced Czar Nicholas II to abdicate his throne. a year later he was executed with his family The 3 century rule of the Romanovs collapsed and the revolutionaries had succeeded in bringin down the czar, but they didn't have a strong government to replace him. a temporary government was made. The leader decided to stay in the war. Everyone protested to that. Soviets, loocal concels of workers, peasants, and sodiers were created and had more effect than the gov. in many cities. -
The Bolshevik Revolution
Lenin returned to Russia, and he and the Bolsheviks gained control of the soviets in the major Russian cities. In Petrograd, armed factory workers took over government offices and arrested leaders of the provisional government. Lenin gave peasants and workers control and made a truce with Germany to stop fighting in exchange for a large amount of Russian land to go to the Germans. This Treay of Brest-Litovsk angered many Russians and a Civil War broke out in Russia, and the Bolsheviks won. -
Lenin in Power
Russian economy was ruined with the wars and revolutions. Trade and industrial production stopped. Lenin decided to revive the economy and remake the government. There was a new econonmy policy where a light version of capitalism was used to get the money flowing again. Political Reforms were made. Nationalism was a threat and to keep it in control, there were self-governing republics under a central one. -
Russia becomes the USSR
Russia was renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics after the Political reforms in 1921 in honor of the soviet groups that caused the Bolshevik Revolution. The Bolshevik Party was renamed the Communist Party in honor of Karl Marx. Lenin survived from a stroke later on in the year, and this set up competition for heading up the Communist Party. -
Lenin Dies and Stalin Gains Power
In 1924 the Communists wouls create a constitution, a sign that they held all of the power. Lenin had made a dictatorship. Lenin thought that Joseph Stalin was dangerous and has so much power that he doesn't know how to use it well. He died shortly after he wrote about Stalin. -
Stalin Becomes Dictator
Stalin had total control over the Communist Party, and had the ability to have absolute power as a dictator. He had a totalitarian rule and changed the Soviet Union's government greatly. He felt that the USSR should have the most political and economic strenght over all other nations in the world. With his totalitarian rule, he could control the governemnt, economy, and many things in a citizens private life that helped him achieve his goal.
