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Russia in the 20th Century
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The Bolshevik Revolution
The Bolsheviks gained control of Petrograd. Following, on October 23, they were able to take over Moscow. Lenin returned to Russia on the same day. Then on November 7, with Trotsky and the Soviets, the Bolsheviks arrested the provisional government and seized power.
The provisional government fell easily and without resistance. -
New Government
Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin had two main initiatives: to end the war immediately and that the peasants should seize the land.
Russia tried to make with Germany through treaties. They tried to restore democracy but failed and eventually began to introduce Communism. -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Lenin wanted to create peace so he opened peace negotiations with Germany.
Russia had to give up huge parcels of land in exchange for peace. This would give Russia the freedom to try and fix itself. -
War Communsim
Industry in Russia was nationalized, complusory labour was introduced, private trade was surpressed, and a food levy was decreed.
Because of this, the private trade industry disappeared and replaced with rationing and government distribution. Also, all land became state property. -
Civil War (1918-1922)
While the Bolsheviks (known as the "Reds") took power, opposed groups (known as the "Whites") rallied together to continue the war against Germany and challenged the Red control.
The Whites were overpowered by the Reds, showing the efficiency of Trotsky's power. -
New Economic Policy
Now that Lenin had control, he created a new economic policy for Russia. Some private trade was now permitted and peasants were allowed to sell their surplus. The workers in small factories were permitted to "purchase" the factory, returning to a form of private ownership.
This gave some improvement to production and although some Marxist ideas were forgotten, it helped Russia's recovery. -
Treaty of Rapallo
The Treaty of Rapallo is an agreement between the U.S.S.R. and Germany. The U.S.S.R. would manufacture illegal war material for Germany (forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles) in return for steel manufacturing technology.
There was no real benefit from this agreement as the peasants were still in turmoil from the civil war. -
Five Years Plan (1928, 1933, 1934)
With Stalin now in power, a new plan for Russia was created. It included a command economy that had the forces of a free market eliminated, collectivization which meant that peasants has to give up their land and become workers on farms, and heavy industry.
All individual economic initiatives were surpressed and replaced by a party or state control. The peasants were also oppressed. -
Kellogg-Briand Pact
The Kellogg-Briand Pact denounced war as a method of solving disputes. The U.S.S.R. joined to be more involved in affairs in the West and to encourage collective security. -
Normalization/Rapprochement (1932-1935)
The U.S.S.R. participated in many affairs of the West to encourage collective security. They signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, numerous treaties wth European countries, and joined the League of Nations. -
The Purges (1934-1941)
Fearing he would loose his power, Stalin took charge and began what is known as The Purges. Old Heroes of the revolution were charged with treason, "tried", then executed for "plotting to overthrow the government".
This became Stalin's biggest mistake as these trials would be used against him in a new war. -
League of Nations
The U.S.S.R. officially joined the League of Nations, involving them in more Western nations affairs. -
Nazi-Soviet Pact
Stalin and Hitler came to agree on a strict neutrality between the U.S.S.R. and Germany.
With this, Hitler got a one-front war with the West and Stalin had time to prepare.
