-
Russia Industrialization
Russia’s government launched a program that sought foreign investors and raised taxes. This boosted the growth of industry and made Russia the fourth ranking producer of steel. After this, they worked on the world’s longest continuous rail line to connect different areas for transportation. -
Russo-Japanese War
Russia and Japan were competing for control of Korea and Manchuria, the two nations agreed to sign some agreements about the territories, but Russia broke them. Japan reacted by attacking Russia, with all these loses some unrest in Russia led to a revolt in the midst of war. This showed how much Russia was struggling and that the people there were unhappy with all of the wars and loses. -
Bloody Sunday
Russian workers attempted to petition Czar Nicholas II for better working conditions, freedoms, and a representative government. The czar’s troops fire on the petitioners and kill several hundred. This event demonstrated the socioeconomic problems suffered by average Russians and the unwillingness of the monarchy to reform. -
World War 1
Russia was dragged into World War 1 which meant they were not ready to handle the military and economic costs, also there poorly supplied troops and weak generals were no match for the German army. Before a year passed, more than 4 million Russian soldiers were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. World War 1 revealed Russia’s weaknesses of czarist rule and military leadership. -
March Revolution
Women textile workers led a big citywide strike and in the next couple days, riots occurred over shortages of bread and fuel. Many rioters were shot, but later on the soldiers stopped the shootings and sided with them. This revolution succeeded in bringing down the czar, but failed to set up a strong government, so they established a temporary government or a provisional government. -
Bolshevik Revolution
During this time, Lenin wanted a Soviet government that would be ruled directly by councils of soldiers, peasants, and workers. The Bolshevik and their allies occupied government buildings and other strategic locations in Petrograd, and soon formed a new government with Lenin as its leader. People in the cities were rallying to the call “All power to the soviets” and “Peace, Land, and Bread”, Lenin then decided to take action. -
Government Topples
In this time, without warning, armed factory workers stormed the Winter Palace in Petrograd, they took power over government offices and arrested the leaders of the provisional government. Within days after the takeover, Lenin ordered that all farmland be distributed among the peasants and then gave control of factories to the workers. This ended in the Bolshevik government stopping all war and fighting with Germany and began peace talks by signing a truce with each other. -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Russia and Germany now decided to sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, this meant Russia surrendered a big part of its territory to Germany and its allies. The terms of this treaty triggered anger among a ton of Russians. The people objected to the Bolsheviks and their policies and to the murder of the royal family. -
Russia Civil War
At home, the Bolsheviks faced the White Army which was many people made up of very different groups and beliefs. Russia’s civil war proved far more deadly than earlier revolutions, 14 million Russians died from fighting, hunger, and a worldwide flu. In the end, the victories showed that Bolsheviks could be able to both seize power and have it. -
New Economic Policy
At this time, Lenin put his plan aside for a little bit and resorted to the New Economic Policy (NEP). The NEP allowed peasants to sell their surplus crops instead of giving them to the government, the government encouraged foreign investment and kept control of major industries, but let small businesses continue to operate under private ownership. The new policies and peace that followed the civil war really helped the country recover and get back to where they were before.
