Russian Revolutions

Alexander Kerensky
Alexander Kerensky was the head of the provisional government before Lenin returned to Russia
with his Bolshevik supporters. When he made the decision to continue the fight in World War I,
it cost him the support of both soldiers and civilians.

November Revolution (aka-Bolshevik Revolution)
All Power to the Soviets/Bread, Land, and Peace
When Lenin and the Bolsheviks gained control of the Petrograd Soviet, as well as many other
major Russian cities, their two slogans to get everybody on board were All Power to the
Soviets, and Bread, Land, and Peace. It ended up gaining widespread appeal, and Lenin
decided to take action.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty that brought World War I to an end. It was
ordered by Lenin, so that there could be a quick, painless end to the war in all the madness that
Russia was going through at the time.

Trotsky
Leon Trotsky was a revolutionary leader, who expertly commanded the Bolshevik Red Army. As
the Soviet government developed, he engaged in a power struggle against Joseph Stalin, which
he lost, leading to his exile again and, eventually his murder.

Civil War
White Army
The White Armies were made up of soldiers from the French, British, Japanese, and US armies
and their Russian conscripts. These groups contained those who wanted the return of the czar,
some who preferred a democratic government, and even those who did not agree with Lenins
idea of socialism.
Red Army
The red army was created by the Communist government after the Bolshevik Revolution of
1917. The name Red Army was abandoned in 1946.
Problems
Because of the large variety of cultures present all at once in the white army, they barely
cooperated with one another. There was also a point in the war where there were three white
armies fighting against one, strong and stable army; Bolsheviks Red Army.
Results
Russias civil war was one of the deadliest compared to previous revolutions; fourteen million
Russians were killed in the three year struggle, and the deaths were soon followed by famine.
The fighting and the hunger just werent enough; a flu epidemic arose and left Russia in chaos.
New name Lenin gives to Russia
In 1992, Lenin renamed Russia the USSR: the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, in honor of
the councils that helped the launch the Bolshevik Revolution.


Nicholas II
Nicholas became Czar in 1894, he continued the tradition of Russian Autocracy. Nicholas
decided to drag the Russians into the World War.

Rasputin
Was a Holy Man that claimed that he had magical healing powers. He was hired to help
Alexandras son Alexis because he had Hemophilia. Rasputin seemed to make him better so
Alexandra allowed him to make some political decisions. In 1916 he died from a group of
Nobles.

Bolsheviks
The Bolshevik party was created from the split in the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party.
The Bolsheviks along the side of Lenin gained control over soviets in Russia, together they gave
the control of factories to the workers. Bolshevik government signed a treaty with Germany to
stop the fighting. The Bolshevik party led the Russian Revolution, and under the new name of
the Communist Party, would be the only ruling political party of the Soviet Union.

Mensheviks
The Minority party formed in 1903. Created from the slip in the Russian Social Democratic
Labor Party (RSDLP). After the October Revolution the Mensheviks opposed the Soviet
government.

Soviets
Soviets consist of workers, peasants, and soldiers. In many cities the soviets have more influence
than the provisional government.

Lenin
Lenin and the Bolsheviks took over soviets in Russian, then Lenin ordered farmland to be
distributed to the peasants. With the Bolsheviks they decided to give the control of the factories
to the workers. Lenin led the Bolshevik Revolution, helped create the Soviet Union and
launched the communist era in Russia.

Russo Japanese War- Russia and Japan both competed for the control of Korea and Manchuria.
They signed agreements for territories, until Russia broke it. Then Japan attacked the Russians at
Port Author in 1904. Russian loses led to revolt in the war.

Bloody Sunday
On January 22, 1905 about 200,000 workers and their families went to the Czars Winter Palace
in St. Petersburg. They came to petition on better working conditions, more personal freedom,
and an elected national legislature. Soldiers fired at the crowd 1000s were injured and hundreds
were killed. From then on Russians called the event Bloody Sunday.





WWI
In 1914, Nicholas decided to make Russia join the World War. Unfortunately Russia was
unprepared to handle the Military and the economic costs. Weak Generals and poorly equipped
Soldiers resulted in over 4 million soldiers died, injured, or taken prisoners.

March Revolution
In March 1917, woman textile workers went on a citywide strike, nearly 200,000 workers
swarmed the streets, and soon soldiers stopped fighting them then joined them. Czar Nicholas II
stepped down for the throne.

Provisional Government
After the Czar Nicholas stepped down from the throne. The Duma set up a Provisional
Government (a temporary Government). Alexander Kerensky was the one who led it. He then
decided to continue with the fighting of WWI.