Darren Mowrer

Period 3

March 9, 2000

Chapter 28 Outline

Two Revolutions in Russia

I. Revolutionary Rumblings

A. Background

1. Czar Nicholas not solve problems after Revolution of 1905

2. 1914, empire stretched from Eastern Europe to Pacific

3. Backward, dominated by landowning nobles, priests, czar

4. Mostly poor peasants, small middle class emerging

B. Unrest

1. Czars made some reforms, but people not satisfied

a. Duma had no real power to enforce changes

b. Nicholas II weak, tried to block Duma

2. Czar used secret police, had corrupt government

3. Revolutionaries tried to incite peasants, factory workers, avoid capture

C. World War I

1. Started with enthusiasm but strained resources=increased casualties

2. Nicholas II went to front, not improve situation

3. Left Czarina Alexandra in charge, not trusted since German

II. Death of the Mad Monk

A. Siberian peasant, Rasputin, not a true monk; but reputation as healer

1. Czarina believed in Rasputin

2. Helped with son's hemophilia, probably by hypnosis

B. A threat to Russia?

1. Rasputin used influence to appoint and fire public communication

2. Insisted sent from God

3. Some leaders planned to destroy him

C. A hard man to kill

1. Czar's nephew, Yussoupov, got to his palace and poisoned-not work

2. Then, shot and clubbed to death; put body in river

D. Rasputin's final warning

1. Predicted to Alexandra that if was killed by nobles, none of family be

alive within two years

2. In 1917, Romanov dynasty ended--enhanced Rasputin's legend

III. The March Revolution, 1917

A. Disasters in battle, workers on strike, food shortages, troops rebel--czar

abdicate

B. Provisional government set up by duma

1. Middle class liberals began preparing constitution

2. Still at war with Germany, but many soldiers deserting

3. Revolutionaries set up soviets-councils of workers, soldiers

a. Worked through government

b. Bolsheviks, radicals, took charge; led by Lenin

IV. Lenin and the Bolsheviks

A. Lenin's background

1. Real name-Vladimir Ilyick Ulyanov

2. Brother's execution for plotting to kill czar made him hate government

3. Read Marx, student demonstrations, arrested and sent to Siberia

4. Self-exile in Switzerland, spread revolutionary ideas

B. A new view of Marx

1. Marx thought working class rise to overthrow capitalism

2. Russia not have urban population--Lenin said elite group lead revolt

3. Europeans thought socialism be gradual-higher wages, social welfare

4. Lenin and Bolsheviks believed only in revolution for change

C. An exile returns in 1917

1. Germany helped Lenin return home in secret

2. Met at train by activists

V. The November Revolution

A. The Bolshevik takeover, November 1917

1. Red Guards-armed factory workers-attacked provisional government

2. Lenin's forces took over in just few days-gave up without fight

B. Bolsheviks in charge

1. Bolsheviks took over other cities--made Moscow capital

2. Ended private ownership of land, gave to peasants

3. Workers given control of factories

4. Bolsheviks--Communists--became new masters of people

VI. Under Siege

A. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, 1918

1. Ended war with Germany

2. Gave up a lot of land and people

B. Civil War

1. Red Army battled Whites-loyal to czar-for 3 years

2. Nationalists groups fought against Red Army

C. Allied invasion

1. Japan took land in East Asia

2. Allies sent troops to help Whites--failed, but roused nationalism; led to

distrust of West

D. A costly triumph

1. Communists organized Cheka, secret police

a. Citizens executed if suspected of being opposed

b. Czar and family shot so not be symbol for support

2. "War communism"

a. Took over mines, factories, banks, railroads

b. Peasants forced to give "surplus" food to hungry; forced to work

3. Trotsky made Red Army an effective fighting force

a. Shot every tenth man if not perform well

b. Lenin won, but land in chaos--death, famine, fear

From Lenin to Stalin

VII. Lenin Builds a Communist State

A. Government

1. 1922, constitution both democratic and socialist

a. Elected legislature, Supreme Soviet, and adults could vote

b. Political power, resources, capital belong to workers, peasants

2. But, Communists controlled everything

a. Used army and secret service

b. United Soviet Socialist Republic, but Russia dominated

B. The New Economic Policy (NEP), 1921

1. Economic policies not working--production fallen

2. State controlled banks, foreign trade, large industry

3. Small businesses could open, peasants could keep grain for profit

4. Capitalism-economy improved, ended armed resistance

VIII. Stalin Gains Power

A. Lenin's death in 1924 led to power struggle

1. Trotsky-Marxist thinker, skilled speaker, architect of Revolution

2. Stalin-not scholar or orator, shrewd political operator, organizer

B. "Man of Steel"--Joseph Stalin

1. Born Joseph Djugashvili, studied for priesthood

2. Organized robberies for money for party, time in prison, exile

3. 1920s. became secretary of party--built following

C. Stalin versus Trotsky

1. Lenin thought Stalin "too rude," and ambitious

2. Trotsky--worldwide revolt against communism

3. Stalin--build socialism at home first

4. Political maneuvering isolated Trotsky--went into exile and murdered

IX. The Five Year Plans

A. Goal to make Russia a modern industrialized power

1. All economic activity under government control

2. Command economy--government officials made basic decisions

B. Industrial growth

1. High production goals--bonuses for success, punish for failure

2. Large factories, hydroelectric power; railroads, coal & steel production

C. Mixed results

1. Workers had little to show for hard work--poor standard of living

2. Inefficient centralized control--led to low-quality goods

X. Revolution in Agriculture

A. Organization under NEP

1. Farms under government control, each with small plots of land

2. Formed collectives--large farms operated by groups of peasants

a. Keep personal belongings, but all machinery owned by state

b. State set prices and controlled access to farm supplies

B. A ruthless policy

1. Peasants resisted by killing animals, burning crops, destroying tools

2. Government responded with force

a. Killed peasants or sent to labor camps

b. Mission to destroy kulaks, the wealthy peasants

C. Effects

1. Angry peasants grew just enough for selves, government took, starved

2. Terrible famine--5 to 8 million died

3. Collective increased Stalin's control, decreased farm output

XI. The Great Purge, 1934

A. Stalin attacked Old Bolsheviks, army heroes, writers, then all citizens

1. Arrested by secret police and charged with range of crimes

2. "Show trials"-forced confessions and then purged, sent to Siberia

B. New generation of revolutionaries who totally loyal to Stalin

1. Increased his power, showed people results of disloyalty

2. Most military leaders purged--weak military problem in WWII

XII. Foreign Policy

A. Lenin had tried to get support from other countries

1. Formed Communist International, or Comintern to support

revolutionary groups, encourage colonial peoples to rise up

2. Tried to join League of Nations

B. Comintern made other countries suspicious

1. In US, led to Red Scare

2. Britain broke off diplomatic relations

C. Slowly won recognition, increased trade with West, joined League

XIII. Impact of Three Revolutions

A. Differences of revolutions

1. American least radical-no mass executions or seize property

2. French executed thousands, nationalized lands of church and rich

3. Russia seized lands of the peasants, killed or purged millions

B. All three had worldwide impact

1. American government became models of democratic government

2. French inspired revolts across Europe

3. Russia became model for socialist and communist governments

Life in a Totalitarian State

XIV. An "Iron Age" of Totalitarian Control

A. Forming of totalitarian state-one government, one-party dictatorship

1. Opposite of what Marx predicted-state wither away

2. State controlled every aspect of life

a. Secret police, censorship, terror

b. All print controlled, rebels arrested

B. Propaganda

1. Constantly heard successes of communism, evils of capitalism

2. Revived extreme nationalism

a. Linked enemies at home to foreign agents

b. Glorified as heroes whoever agreed with Stalin

C. War on Religion

1. Atheism became official policy

2. Destroyed Russian Orthodox Church-took land, killed priests

3. Attacked Catholics, Jews, Muslims by same tactics

D. Communist theology

1. Replaced religion with its own "sacred texts" by Marx and Lenin

2. Portraits of Stalin, shrines of political figures

XV. Changes in Soviet Society

A. A new elite

1. Head of society-members of Communist party-only few allowed to join

2. Included industrial managers, military leaders, scientists, some artists

3. Benefits-best apartments, vacation homes, good shoes, scarce goods

B. Social benefits and drawbacks

1. Free education, medical care, daycare, inexpensive housing, public

transportation

2. Standard of living low-scarce, crowded housing; food shortages

C. Education

1. All children required to attend school-taught skills, communist values

2. State supported technical schools, universities

3. Youth organization, Komsomol, sports and cultural activities

D. Women

1. Some worked for socialist ideals, urged to pay attention to their needs

2. Kollontai became high-ranking woman to serve in government

3. Woman gained equality-education, range of jobs-often with higher pay

than men-daycare provided but housework required

XVI. The Arts and the State

A. Socialist realism

1. Lenin said, "Art must serve politics," but not interfere with artists

2. Stalin forced artists to conform to socialist realism

a. Must show socialism in positive light-very little criticism allowed

b. Themes-peasants, workers, heroes of revolution

B. Censorship

1. Government controlled what books were published, music heard

2. Stalin persecuted artists who not conform

a. Osip Mandelstam, Jewish poet, tortured and imprisoned

b. Anna Akhmatova not stress communist ideas so not publish

3. And Quiet Flows the Don by Sholokhov-great work, later Nobel Prize

C. Looking Ahead

1. Stalin led to world leader in heavy industry, steel, oil; military leader

2. Totalitarianism took toll on people

3. Other dictatorships developed in Europe