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Revolution of 1905 and the October Manifesto
Revolt against Tsar due to unpopularity and policies occurred. This was the first Russian Revolution that brought political and social unrest to Russia. It included strikes of workers and peasants across Russia. The October Manifesto was a document that served as an unofficial constitution. -
Beginning of WWI
World War I was the greatest world war that Earth had seen in some time, which involved mainly European countries. The groups were the Allies and the Central powers, which were fighting over ideals and control of land in Europe. There was no real rhyme or reason behind the war, yet a series of actions from Germany were said to be the starting point. -
Czar Nicolas II Takes Command of the Army
In 1915, Czar Nicholas took personal control of the army of Russia for the purpose of showing that Russia had a leader that would fight for the people and for the good of the country. From this action, he was seen as a Tsar who would be a leader for Russia. -
Brusilov Offensive
Also called the 'June Advance', it was the largest Russian assault during WWI. While it was a great victory for Russia against Austria-Hungary, there were around 1-million casualties in the army. I chose this picture as it shows the progression of the offensive and where it happened, giving the viewer a good idea of what it looked like. -
Rasputin is Assassinated
Rasputin was assassinated on December 30th, 1916. He died of gunshot wounds in multiple parts of his body. Rasputin became friends with Tsar Nicholas II's family and claimed to be a holy man would help the country of Russia, specifically within the department of war. -
July Days
Armed demonstrations against the Provisional government. The people involved wanted the Bolsheviks to take control but they instead backed away from the situation, weakening their power. I picked this picture as it shows the disorder that took place in July 1917. It shows violence and panic which were part of the demonstrations. -
Nicholas II Abdication
On this day, Nicholas II is abdicated as he is taken over by the Bolshevik Government and is held hostage with the rest of his family. -
Provisional Government Forms
The Provisional Government is formed in response to a lack of control of the previous Tsars in Russia. This will be the main form of government for the meantime in Russia and will create many of the future plans. -
International Women's Day in Petrograd
This was the day that the women in Petrograd walked off of their jobs in protest, which ended a lot of tension in Russia who called of their fighting in WWI. -
April Thesis Published
A series of works by Vladimir Lenin. He used these works to gather the Bolsheviks together and increase their strength. I used this picture as it shows the April Thesis and Lenin who was directly involved with it. -
Return of Lenin from Exile
On this day, Lenin returned to Russia following his exile which was issued by the previous Tsar. He became one of the leaders of the Bolshevik Government and was a main part of the Russian Revolution. -
First All-Russian Congress of Soviets meet
The congress was made up of mostly Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries. Because of this, the Bolsheviks' plan to take full control of the government failed and the Dual Power Government was made. This picture shows the event giving the viewer a view of what the congress looked like. -
Kornilov Affair
An attempted military coup by Lavr Kornilov, Russia's commander-in-chief. The coup was against the Dual Power government as Kornilov wanted a more unified government. I chose this picture as it shows Lavr Kornilov who was the figurehead of the coup. -
Bolsheviks overthrow the Provisional Government and take control
Also called the 'October Revolution, the Bolsheviks overthrew the Provisional government. This allowed the Soviets to take full control of the government. This picture was chosen as it shows Lenin and his people talking/inciting the people. -
Cheka formed
Secret police used by the Bolshevik state to keep order and suppress potential and actual revolutionaries. They were used in multiple operations to further the governments' goals. I chose this picture as it is the symbol of the Cheka. -
Wartime Communism created
Due to pressures of the civil war, a change was forced, the policy of War Communism was brought turning the state into a centralized command economy. This meant the industry was brought under state control and nationalism of the railways and merchant fleet in 1918 along with factories in June. Then Vesenkha (the supreme council of the National economy) was created to gain control of industrial enterprises. Resulting in increase production, and replacements of factory committees. -
Constituent Assembly meets and is disbanded
Vladimir Lenin set up Cheka and dismissed the elected Constituent Assembly at gunpoint when they failed to return a Bolshevik majority. they failed to meet the Bolsheviks' demand that recognized the authority of the Soviet government. the picture shows the meeting itself that disbanded the Constituent Assembly. -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
This was a peace treaty between the Bolshevik Russian government and central powers ending Russia's involvement in WW1. This was negotiated by Trotsky it and it was very harsh.
Resulting in 32% of land loss: Lost Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and lots of Ukraine and Belorussia. Lenin didn’t care as it was a capitalist war. -
Red Terror
Red Terror was spread throughout Russia as civil war tensions grew because of the White Terror and foreign intervention, to destroy 'class enemies' as an attempt to enforce loyalty to the Bolshevik Revolution and communisms. 'Class enemies' was a term used to identify people by their aristocratic or middle-class backgrounds. This led to mass terror against all opponents of the revolution and on September 5, 1918, Sovnarkom authorized Cheka to destroy and arrest traitors and suspected traitors. -
Kolchak (one of the White leaders) begins serious attacks against Reds from Siberia
Early 1919, all the White forces acknowledged Admiral Alexander Kolchak as their new commander, giving Kolchak many opportunities to advance towards Moscow from western Siberia with Czech support. The Bolshevik military, however, increased efforts and attacks were subdued, in which the Reds would get the upper hand by 1920. Meaning the Whites lost foreign support. -
Trotsky organizes Red Guard to defend Petrograd
Leon Trotsky gathered the Red Army to defend against revolutionaries and the Whites. Fought against the opposing forces that were pushing into Bolshevik Russia and was victorious. This picture was chosen as it shows Trotsky and the Red Army which was highly relevant to the event. -
Soviets Attempt to Take Warsaw
In February of 1919, the Soviets had begin to push the Germans to the wet, eventually advancing on Warsaw. The reason given for the invasion was due to Russia having to come to the aid of its "blood brothers," the Ukrainians and Byelorussians, who were trapped in territory that had been illegally annexed by Poland. -
Poles move toward Kiev
Polish armies that invaded western Ukraine in April had reached Kiev by May. A successful communist counter-offensive was led by General Mikhail Tukhachevsky and under Lenins orders, he created a full-scale invasion that drove Poland back to Warsaw in July. However, Poles rose against communism again, and, led by Mashal Joseph Pilsudski, they defeated the Red Army in August outside of Warsaw. Creating a peace treaty signed at Riga in march 1921. -
Tambov Revolution
Begun in August of 1920 with resistance to the forces implementation of grain development and a guerilla war against the Red army, Cheka and the Soviet Russian authorities. -
Kronstadt uprising
Insurrection of the Soviet sailor, soldiers and civilians against the Bolshevik Government in Kronstadt. Last major revolt against the Bolshevik regime on Russian Territory during the Russian Civil war; led by Stepan Petrichenko -
Ending of Wartime Communism
As war communism brought the national economy to a point of total breakdown, the Kronstadt rebellion convinced communist Russia to retreat from socialist policies in order to maintain the party's hold of power. -
Ukraine brought under Soviet control
A few years after the civil war, Ukraine became a Soviet Union republic after it was brought under Soviet control. It was ruled from Moscow in December 1922. Ukraine nationalism was seen as a threat to the Bolsheviks and was destroyed at all costs. -
Treaty of Rapallo
Agreement between the German republic and Russian Soviet Federative socialist Republic under which each renounced all territorial and financial claims against the other treaties. -
Formation of Soviet Union
Lenin opposed the idea of a centralized state, calling it a antidemocracy. He suggested that the independent republic unite on equal rights, keeping their respective government. -
Lenin Dies
Dies at the age of 53 after falling into a comma due to an incurable disease of the blood vessels.
