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Birth
Vladimir Lenin was born in Simbirsk, Russia, now known as Ulyanovsk as tribute to the leader in 1901, as Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov. He was the third out of six children, well-educated, and very close to his parents and siblings. In Lenin's early life, school was an important part of his childhood. Both his parents were educated and highly cultured, invoking Lenin to learn. Lenin was a voracious reader, and showed a particular gift for latin and greek.
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Expelled from Kazan
Vladimir Lenin was enrolled at Kazan University, during the same year of his brother's, Aleksandr's execution. In his first term of law, Lenin was expelled for taking part in a student demonstration, or, to be exact, an illegal student protest. Afterwards, Lenin was exiled to his grandfather's estate in the village, Kokushkino, with his sister Anna, who was suspected for illegal activities too.
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Aleksandr's Death
When Vladimir Lenin was 17-years-old, his older brother, Aleksandr Ilyich Ulyanov, was arrested at his university for contributing to a group who planned to assassinate Emperor Alexander III. Aleksandr was then put on trial, pleaded guilty, and shortly after was executed, making Lenin the man of the family. Aleksandr's death would greatly affect Lenin's life, politically radicalizing him, leading to his expulsion from Kazan University in 1887.
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Declared Himself a Marxist
During Vladimir Lenin's exile to his grandfather's estate in the village, Kokushkino, he submersed himself into many books. Lenin had read much of radical literature, including What Is To Be Done?, by Nikolai Chernyshevsky, and many writings by Karl Marx. Das Kapital, was the famous book impact Lenin's thinking, and ultimately lead to Vladimir Lenin declaring himself a Marxist in January of 1889.
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Adolf Hitler Born
In April 20th, 1889, Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria. Hitler was fourth of six children, and showed an interest in German Nationalism in his early years. This interest lead him to become the fascist leader of both the Nazi party and Germany. Hitler lead the genocide of many groups, like jews, gypsies, and homosexuals in World War II (1939-1945). Hitler's reign was stopped when he killed himself in his Berlin Bunker, six years after the 11 million deaths.
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End of First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese, was a conflict between China and Japan in 1894 to 1895. The war started from disputes between China and Japan about dominance in Korea. Japan's interest was sparked by the iron and coal held in Korea. Korea then opened to foreign trade, and later declaring itself independent, when Japan adopted western technology. The war ended with Japan's victory, demonstrating the weakness of the Chinese empire and emerged Japan as a major world power.
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End of Anglo-Ashanti War
The Anglo-Ashanti (or the Asante) was made up of four conflicts between the Asante Empire in what is now Ghana and the British. The first war (1823-1831) was seen as an anti-slavery campaign to the British who suffered a lost. The second war (1863-1864) ended in a tie between the British and the Asante. A peace treaty ended the third war in 1874, but the British at this point had claimed the rest of the Gold Coast. The final war (1894-1896) ended with a british victory.
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Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was a military conflict between Japan and Russia from 1904 to 1905. The war developed from rivalries between Russia and Japan after disputes over dominance in Korea and Manchurai. After many defeats for Russia, Japan came out victorious, becoming the first Asian power to win against an European power. Japan then forced Russia to abandon its expansionist policy and out of its territory in the Far East.
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St.Petersburg Workers' Petition or "Bloody Sunday"
During the Russo-Japanese War, Romanov Czar Nicholas II lead Russia into corruption, dealing with his son, Grigory Rasputin, and revolutionary leaders, like Vladimir Lenin. Then in 1905, workers led by a radical priest marched to the Czar's winter palace. Beforehand the workers had made a petition to the Czar, but while they stood out in the cold, the Imperial forces shot into the crowd. The Bloody Sunday greatly affected Russia, breaking out strikes.
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Period: to
World War I
World War I was a global war that lasted four years, starting with the assassination Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The war was made up of two sides, the Central powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire, up against the Allied Powers: Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan, and the United States. Due to technological and strategic advances in warfare, the war ended with the Allied powers claiming victory, after 16 million deaths.
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Switzerland
After Vladimir Lenin declared himself a Marxist, he was arrested for Marxist activity and exiled to Siberia. After Siberia, Lenin moved throughout Germany, and Switzerland. It was in Switzerland, that Vladimir had adopted the pseudonym Lenin and created the Bolshevik party. In 1917, Lenin had written Imperialism, and later gathered other Marxists in Stockholm, Switzerland, leading them all to Russia.
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Imperialism
After Vladimir Lenin was exiled to Siberia, he moved to Germany and, then onto Stockholm, Switzerland. While in Stockholm, Lenin had written a book, called Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism. The book was published to explain the Revolutionary war in Russia. To be specific, the book was supposed to explain the causes of the war, why socialists were justified for supporting the war, and how the war could bring a just democratic peace.
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The Russian Civil War
In late 1917 the Russian Civil War broke out right after the Bolshevik Revolution. Russia was split into two warring factions: the Red and White armies. The Red army supported the views of Vladimir Lenin and united the Bolsheviks. The White army was loosely put together, made up of monarchists, capitalists, and supporters of democratic socialism. In the end, Lenin's Red army was victorious and eventually established the Soviet Union.
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Bolshevik Revolution
In November 6-7, Vladimir Lenin launched a near bloodless coup d'état with many leftist revolutionaries. Lenin lead his Bolsheviks and revolutionaries to provisional buildings in Petrograd. The attack against the provisional government, an assembly of Russia's bourgeois capitalist class, was successful. Lenin's allies and Bolsheviks occupied most government buildings, forming a government with Lenin leading as dictator.
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Assassination Attempt
After the Bolshevik Revolution, Vladimir Lenin had created a secret police force called the Cheka. As Russia's economy deteriorated during the Russian Civil War, Lenin created the Cheka to control any sort of political opposition. Although in 1918, Fanya Kaplan had shot Lenin in the neck and shoulder while leaving a factory in Moscow. The attempt severely injured him, but his recovery reinforced his larger-than-life presence to countrymen.
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Death
In May of 1922, Lenin suffered a stroke, and another one in the December of that same year. Realizing his life was coming to an end, Lenin had begun to think about who would come to power after he was gone. Early 1923, Lenin had issued his Testament, in which he expressed remorse for the dictatorial power dominating the USSR. Lenin became disappointed in Joseph Stalin especially, who was amassing power from his position as the secretary of the Communist party. -
Death (continued)
He was dealt another stroke, on March 10th 1923, taking away his ability to speak, and ten months later he died in a small village named Gorski Leninskiye in his honor. He was later embalmed and placed in a mausoleum on Moscow's Red Square, where his preserved corpse still lays.
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