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Revolution of 1905 and the October Manifesto
The Revolution of 1905 consisted of marches protesting working and living conditions in Russia. This is also known as "Bloody Sunday", as protestors were fired upon by the military. The following October Manifesto promised an elected Duma (representative government) and more civil liberties, like the freedom of speech. This image is important because it presents a copy of the October Manifesto declaring the formation of the Duma. -
Beginning of WWI
World War I started due to blank checks and secret alliances of the countries in Europe. Tensions boiled over when Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated by a Serbian. As a result, Europe divided into the Allies (Russia, Britain, France, and eventually the U.S.) and the Central Powers (Austria-Hungary, Germany, and more). This image is important because it represents the "trigger" of WWI, the Archduke. -
Tsar Nicholas II Takes Sole Control of Military Operations
In 1915, the Tsar took control of the military, replacing generals, and traveled to the war fronts. This left his wife, Tsarina Alexandra, left to rule the country. The public was very against the Tsarina and criticized the Tsar's "out-of-touch" leadership. This image is important because it depicts Tsar Nicholas II on the war front of Russia during WWI. -
Brusilov Offensive
The Brusilov Offensive was one of the largest, deadliest Russian assault during World War One and was primarily planned by General Alexei Brusilov. This occurred when Russia fought Austria Hungary on the war's eastern front and almost resulted in Austrian-Hungary's discontinuation of war efforts. German intervention prevented the Russian's from successfully forcing Austria- Hungary out of the war. The photo shown depicts the Russian soldiers prepared for fighting in the Brusilov offensive. -
Assassination of Rasputin
Grigori Rasputin was killed on December 30, 1916, by gunshot. The Russian nobles were responsible for the killing, citing that Rasputin's influence over the Tsar and Tsarina was too dangerous for the people of Russia, and needed to end. Rasputin was a self-proclaimed "holy man" with healing powers. This image is important because it shows Rasputin in a portrait of the family, showing his prominent place in the imperial family. -
Provisional Government Formed
The Provisional Government was formed after Tsar Nicholas II's abdication. It consisted of appointed ministers of different parties. The Winter Palace was divided between the Duma and Soviet in different wings. The contrasting ideas for the future of Russia between these two wings led to the Bolshevik overthrow of the government in October 1917. This image is important because it presents the main figures of the newly formed Provisional Government in Russia. -
Trotsky Organizes the Red Guard to Defend Petrograd
During the Kornilov affair, Trotsky organized the Red Guard in attempts to defend Petrograd. This was accomplished by infiltrating enemy troops and convincing them to desert, organizing rail way strikes to prevent travel, and arming guards in the city to prevent Kornilov's invasion. This proved to be successful and allowed the Bolsheviks to have majority control of the Petrograd Soviet by September. The picture shows the armed Red Guard prepared to defend Petrograd against Kornilov's troops. -
Kornilov Affair
The Kornilov Offensive was a coup d'état of the provisional government, headed by Aleksander Kerensky, and the Petrograd soviet. The leader of the Kornilov affair was Commander of the Russian army, General Lavr Kornilov, and was an attempt to take government control and continue the war. This failed after rail workers unified to prevent Kornilov's troops from utilizing the rail ways and the Bolsheviks militant defense of Petrograd. The photo depicts Lavr Kornilov, leader of the affair. -
International Women's Day March in Petrograd, Russia
The February 1917 march consisted of hundreds of thousands of women protesting poor working and living conditions. The military mutinied their posts to join the women. This led to the eventual abdication of the tsar and a new provisional government, the Duma. This image is important because it shows how significant the crowds were of the people marching in Petrograd. -
Nicholas II Abdicates
The tsar abdicated after the February Revolution in 1917. The heir, his brother, abdicated as well, wanting an end to the monarchy is Russia. This led to a provisional government, made up of the Duma and the Soviet. This image of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich, the heir after Nicholas II and his son, is important because he was the factor that allowed Russia to be freed from the Romanov Monarchy that has ruled them for years. -
Lenin's Return From Exile
With the help of the Germans, Lenin returned from a decade of exile on April 16th, 1917. Germany allowed Lenin to return to Russia in sealed rail way cars in the hopes that his prominent Bolshevik leadership would undermine Russia's war efforts. This worked in favor of the Germans as Bolshevism gained popularity and support and eventually ended Russia's war efforts. This picture fits the event considering it is a book called "Lenin on the Train" and describes his journey back into Russia. -
April Thesis Published
Ten issues Lenin presented by Lenin at the April Conference of Bolsheviks after his return from exile. His main goals were to influence the public to overthrow the the provisional government, provide "all power to soviets", limit class inequalities, end Russian war efforts, and redistribute land to the peasant classes. This photo represents the event considering it outlines Lenin's most notable claims from the thesis: peace, bread, and land. -
First-All Russian Congress of Soviets Meet
The Congress of Soviets met in June of 1917 and was composed of elected officials. They convened in Petrograd and shared dual power with the Provisional government following the abdication of the Tsar. Eventually, the Bolsheviks maintained primary influence in the congress which fought for the power distribution of "all power to Soviets". This is a picture from the conference, showing various Russian leaders and the conference room. -
July Days
The July days were an uprising of soldiers, sailors, and industrial workers that protested the leadership of the provisional government. This lasted for four days and was finally put down. After the failure of this revolt, the Bolsheviks, although not having planned the uprising, were blamed causing the imprisonment of Leon Trotsky and Vladimir Lenin fleeing to Finland. This is a photo used shows a scene from the July Days protest where various protestors are seen injured and or even killed. -
Bolsheviks overthrow the Provisional Government and take control
Post October 1917, competition for authority significantly reduced in Russia. With this, Bolsheviks routed ministers of the Provisional Government (“October Revolution”); placing power in the hands of the soviets and giving support to the Bolsheviks with Lenin’s guidance. This was important because the Bolsheviks increased power in Russia and would later found the RSFSR due to its expanding support. -
Cheka formed
The Cheka was a Bolshevik security measure and secret police. This was established by Vladimir Lenin in the wake of the October 1917 revolution as a set of actions to investigate threats made upon the new regime and dealing with potential counter- revolutionaries. This is important as the first of many Soviet government actions to control the people. Significantly, this image shows the implications of Lenin’s tyrannical regime. -
Wartime Communism created
Wartime Communism refers to political and economic policies, pursued during the Civil War by the Bolsheviks. The policy's chief features were the expropriation of private business, industrial nationalization within Soviet Russia and forced requisition of surplus grain and other food products from state peasantry. This was important in aiding the Red Army to halt expansion of the White Army; aiming to sway toward a natural economic system. -
Kolchak (one of the White leaders) begins serious attacks against Reds from Siberia
Although Whites were removed via its transition to Eastern Russian territory until 1922, it was able to locate the Provisional Government through succession within 1919. This was important as the image shows how there is a chronological order and organizational tactic for the Kolchak members to rigorously proceed the arrangement of accepting those opposed to the Bolsheviks. -
Constituent Assembly meets and is disbanded
The Constituent Assembly included members of a constitutional body assembled in Russia post the October Revolution of 1917 with a primary purpose of drafting and/or adopting a constitution. This was important as a democratically elected Constituent Assembly was one of the main demands of all Russian revolutionary parties prior to the Russian Revolution of 1905. The picture conveys the congregation as the people of Russia were given an opportunity to vote/express their beliefs. -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed between the Russian SFSR and the Central Powers, marking Russia's exit from World War I. The terms stated recognition for independent Ukraine, Georgia and Finland; thus, resulting in territorial loss for Russia from Poland and the Baltic. This was important, giving Russian holdings to Germany, establishing Russia as the USSR, and its WWI exit. The image portrays nations negotiating the terms of Russia’s separation from war. -
Red Terror
The Red Terror was a political campaign of repression and mass killings via the Bolsheviks (and representation of the Cheka). Its purposes were to do away with the Bolsheviks' enemies, and paint them as defenders of the working class. This was significant as the first variation of Communist terror campaigns to follow in Soviet Russia and other nations. The image portrays the Bolshevik class within this campaign revolting against its opposition with harsh measures. -
Soviets attempt to take Warsaw
This was also known as the Polish-Soviet war. This is when the Polish Republic expanded polish borders far east as possible, hence into Warsaw. However, the Soviets also saw this expansion as their bridge to help other communist movements and bring out more European revolutions. With the clashes between the states, this lead to the Polish having a victory in the Polish-Soviet war. This was also inspired by Poland's sense of nationalism after gaining independence after Germany's defeat in WWI. -
Poles move toward Kiev
This was also known as the Kiev Offensive. This is when about 65,000 polish and 15,000 Ukraine soldiers moved in the direction of Kiev to outflank the Soviet military in one battle rather than prolong it. After this victory, troops were moved to the northern front to prepare for the main battle with the Red army. -
Tambov rebellion
This rebellion is known as one of the largest and best organized peasant rebellion that challenged the Bolshevik regime. This started in August 1920 and ended in June 1921. This was all done because the peasants refused to give up their extra grain, which this war turned into a guerrilla war against the Red army, Chekas, and Soviet authorities which in the end the Bolsheviks won. -
Kronstadt uprising
This is also known as the Kronstadt rebellion which happened in March of 1921. This was a strike of Soviet sailors, soldiers, and civilians versus the Bolshevik government in the city of Kronstadt. This rebellion happened due to the agricultural and industrial production that had been drastically decreased and the transport structure was not organized. This was more for against the suffering they dealt with rather than a new government. -
Ending of Wartime Communism
War communism was enforced by Lenin himself to create a communist state. This was done by the nationalization of industries and banks. This also included the requisition of surplus food peasants had to be distributed equally. In March of 1921, Lenin stopped this to create a new policy called the New Economic Policy. This revived the country after years of economic depression. This now allowed peasants to gain back their surplus of food and sell it for a profit and gave Russia more independence. -
Ukraine brought under Soviet control
Ukraine shifted to one of the initial constituent republics of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) in 1922. Poland joined territorial aggressions of Ukraine in order to ally with negative intentions to dislike the Soviet Union until 1991. This is important as the Ukrainian Bolsheviks- prior to defeating the national government in Kiev- and established the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, later becoming one of the initial members of the United Nations. -
Treaty of Rapallo
This treaty was signed between Russia and Germany, which stated they renounced territorial and financial claims from the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. This meant they agreed mutually on how to resolve the differences between them. This treaty also helped strengthen their economic and military connections with each other. -
Formation of Soviet Union
A treaty signed between Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Transcaucasia, Belovezha Accords, to form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. This was led by Vladimir Lenin, a Marxist revolutionary. -
Lenin Dies
This is the day Vladimir Lenin died. He died at age 53 from falling into a coma. After his death Joseph Stalin, a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet politician, rose up to power and took over the state. .After time his power eventually lead Soviet Russia into a dictatorship.
