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Japan Retaliates on Russia
Russia and Japan competed over control of Korea and Manchuria. They signed agreements over the territories but Russia broke them. Japan attacked the Russians at Port Arthur, Manchuria. -
Bloody Sunday in St. Petersburg
20,000 workers and their families went to the Czar's winter palace. They carried a petition asking for better working conditions, more personal freedoms, and an elected national legislature. Nicholas II's generals ordered soldiers to fire on the crowd, wounding more than 1,000 and killing several hundred. -
First Duma Meeting
Nicholas II approved the creation of Russia's first parliament. Its leaders were moderates who wanted Russia to become a constitutional monarchy. But Nicholas II was hesitant to share power, he dissolved the Duma after 10 weeks. -
World War 1: A Big Mistake for Russia
Russia entered into World War 1 and was unprepared to handle the military and economic costs. They were no match for the German army and more than 4 million Russians had been killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. It revealed the weaknesses of Czarist rule and military leadership. -
Citywide Strike
Women textile workers in Petrograd led a citywide strike. In the next 5 days, riots flared up over shortages of bread and fuel. Nearly 200,000 workers swarmed the streets and shouted, "Down with the autocracy and War!" -
The End of a Provisional Government
Armed factory workers stormed the winter palace in Petrograd. They called themselves the Bolshevik Red Guards and look over government offices. They also arrested leaders of the provisional government. -
Treaty causes Widespread Anger
Russia and Germany signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Russia surrendered a large part of its territory to Germany and its allies. The Russians objected to the Bolsheviks and their policies and the murder of the royal family. -
Civil War in Russia
From 1918 to 1920, Civil War raged in Russia. Several western nations sent military aid and forces to help the White Army, but it didn't help. The Red Army wo and the victory showed that the Bolsheviks were able to seize and maintain power. -
Lenin's New Economic Policy
Lenin temporarily put aside his plan for a state-controlled economy. Instead, he made a small-scaled version of capitalism. Allowed peasants to sell their surplus crops and the government kept control of major industries, banks, and means of communication. It let some small factories, businesses, and farms operate under private owned -
The Birth of USSR
Russia was named the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, in honor of the councils that launched the revolution. The Bolsheviks renamed their party the communist party after writings of Karl Marx. He used communism to describe the classless society that would exist after workers seized power
