Russia

Russia to the Soviet Union

By EricStene

  • Czar Alexander II Introduces Liberal refroms

    In 1861, Czar Alexander II finally freed the serfs, and , over the next 20 years, he introduced a series of liberal reforms. He abolished capital punishment and created local governments that included representatives that made decisions on such things like, taxation and education. The reforms, however did not go far enough for a number of small revolutionarys.
  • Period: to

    Russia to the Soviet Union

  • Czar Alexander II Assassinated

    In 1881, Czar Alexander II is finally assassinated. A radical Russian socialist group is responsible In response to his death, Czar Alexander III revokes many of the liberal reforms granted by Alexander II

  • New Political group is formed

    In 1898, a grou of Marxists decided to form the Socialist Democratic Labour Party (SDLP), but the Russian czar banned the political group. The members of the SDLP were forced into exile in other European countries, but the kept up their revolutionary spirit by working on an illegal newspaper called Iskra.

  • Bloody Sunday

    Workers march on the royal Winter Palace to Deliver a petion calling for improved working conditions. As soon as they arrived they were faced with the czar's soldiers waiting at the gates. To there surprise the czar soldiers opened fire and killered neraly 90 civilians. The events of Bloody Sunday inspired mass strikes across the country

  • Russia enters WWI

    The Russian army was very large in numbers but would soon come to realize a devastating loss to the german forces.During the spring and summer of 1915 alone, approximately 1400000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded. the war was not like by the citizens of Russia, fueling feelings of hostility toward the czar.

  • Second Russian Revolution

    As a result of the revolution and forced abdication of Czar Nicholas II, Russia was without a formal leader during the last years of WWI. A temporary government was put into place, which was led by Alexander Kerensky. This temporary government is then overthrown by the Bolsheviks, led by revolutionary Vladimir Lenin.

  • Civil War in Russia

    A war between the Bolshevik Red Army and the Anti Bolshevik White Army. Approximately 15 000 000 soldiers and civilians die during the war. The Red Army defeats the White Army.

  • Creation of the Soviet Union

    Several republics joined to create the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) which was led by Lenin. Many positive changes:
    -Land was redistributed to people
    -Factories were given to the workers
    - Men and Women were equal
    - No longer restrictions on Art, allowing it to flourish.

  • Death of Lenin

    Vladimir Ilich Lenin, the first leader of a communist country dies of a stroke. his death and the struggle for power between Trotsky and Stalin results in Stalin victory and Trotskys exile and assination.

  • Stalin gains power

    between 1928 and 1940, Staln uses violence and fear to force the rapid industrialization of the country and he consolidation of private land into collective farms. Making the succesful farmer equal with everyone else.

  • Stalininism

    By 1939, Stalin had great power. He had the Gulag (prison camp) system to contain those who opposed his views. He used the secret police (NKVD) to control people through terror and force. He eliminated all other opponents with the communist party and the Soviet armed forces. he controls the farmers possesion and land making all land collective. All of Stalins actions were doe by great terror and force.