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Nicholas II becomes Czar/Tsar of Russia
The following year, Nicholas II was officially crowned as the tsar of Russia. During a mobbed public celebration of the coronation near Moscow, thousands of people were stampeded to death. Unaware of the event, Nicholas II and Alexandra were all smiles as they went on to celebrate the coronation at a ball. -
Revolutionary movements begin and compete for power
Bolsheviks believed in a radical —and elitist— revolution, whereas Mensheviks supported a more progressive change in collaboration with the middle class and the bourgeoisie. The central figures were Julius Martov, at the head of the Mensheviks, who opposed Vladimir Lenin, leader of the bolcheviks. -
Revolution of 1905 - Bloody Sunday
a group of workers led by the radical priest Georgy Apollonovich Gapon marched to the czar's Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to make their demands. Imperial forces opened fire on the demonstrators, killing and wounding hundreds. -
russia loses war with japan
In the resulting Treaty of Portsmouth, Japan gained control of the Liaodong Peninsula (and Port Arthur) and the South Manchurian Railway (which led to Port Arthur) as well as half of Sakhalin Island. Russia agreed to evacuate southern Manchuria, which was restored to China, and Japan's control of Korea was recognized.F -
Russia enters World War I
Russia reluctantly entered the Great War to preserve its status as a great power. However, once the fighting began, it was the first amongst the Allies to state its territorial desiderata, which were to annex lands along the borders of Germany and Austria-Hungary. -
Czar Nicholas abdicates the throne
. This brought to an end the Romanov dynasty that had ruled Russia for over three hundred years. -
Lenin Returns to RussiaMarch Revolution
In October, Lenin secretly returned to Petrograd, and on November 7, the Bolshevik-led Red Guards deposed the Provisional Government and proclaimed soviet rule. -
Civil War between Red and White Armies
The two largest combatants were the Red Army, fighting for the Bolshevik form of socialism led by Vladimir Lenin, and the loosely allied forces known as the White Army -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ends Russia’s involvement in WWI
he treaty marked Russia's final withdrawal from World War I and resulted in Russia losing major territorial holdings. In the treaty, Bolshevik Russia ceded the Baltic States to Germany; they were meant to become German vassal states under German princelings. -
Lenin establishes New Economic Policy
Introduced by Vladimir Lenin in 1921, the New Economic Policy was a radical shift in Bolshevik economic strategy. It eased the harsh restrictions of war communism, the Bolshevik economic policy during the Civil War, and allowed the return of markets and petty trade -
stalin becomes dictator
To eradicate accused "enemies of the working class", Stalin instituted the Great Purge, in which over a million were imprisoned, largely in the Gulag system of forced labour camps, and at least 700,000 executed between 1934 and 1939. By 1937, he had absolute control over the party and government. -
Bolshevik Revolution defeats Tsar Nicholas' monarchy government
Abdication of the Tsar and the end of nearly 500 years of autocratic rule in Russia. Provisional Government established and reforms introduced.