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Tsarist forces fire on the workers peacefully protesting in the streets of St. Petersburg which caused general strikes, the uprising of some of Russia's 90+ million peasants and demands for political reform.
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Tsar Nicholas II orders the closure of universities due to fear of them being breeding grounds for revolutionary ideas.
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The Bolshevik Third Party Congress begins in London. A proposal for re-unification with the Mensheviks is rejected.
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The Bulygin Constitution is revealed. This allows for an elected Duma to be formed as an advisory council to the Tsar.
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A conflict between Russia and Japan over Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula is resolved with the finalisation of the Treaty of Portsmouth; giving full control of the Korean Peninsula to the Japanese. The Russian forces were defeated numerous times and the cost of the war effort further contributed to the economic slump in Russia.
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A cogress of Zemstvo Delegates from Moscow oppose Nicholas' proposal for a consultative Duma and demand for an elected Duma.
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The Soviet of Soldiers’ and Workers’ Deputies is formed in St. Petersburg. The council is dominated by the Mensheviks with Leon Trotsky as Vice-Chairman.
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Tsar Nicholas signs the October Manifesto which introduces liberal reform and an elected Duma.
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Vladamir Lenin returns to St Petersburg after years of exile.
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Censorship laws and regulations are relaxed, allowing a massive wave anti-tsarist literature and propaganda to be published.
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Alexander Kerensky; a young member of the SR is arrested and jailed for possession of anti-Tsarist literature.
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Harsh new punishments for anti-tsarist propaganda and advertising aome 3 months after censoship laws were relaxed.
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Tsar Nicholas II releases a constitution that reaffirms his total power over Russia and revokes the promises made in the October Manifesto.
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The First Duma meets in St Petersburg and Socialist parties such as the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks boycott the event. 16 days later the liberal dominated Duma wants the government to establish democratic reforms however Nicholas' Prime Minister Goremykin denies the Duma, claiming they have no authority to produce these demands.
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Goremykin is replaced by Stolypin.
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First Duma is dissolved by the Tsar after weeks of criticism of the government.
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Leon Trotsky along with his Soviet comrades in St Petersburg are sent to Siberia in exile.
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Rasputin visits the Romanov family for the first time.
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Communal peasant land may now be purchased by private buyers in an effort to make Russia's peasant wealthier.
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The Second Duma opens and many of its members were socialist representatives such as Social Revolutionaries, Mensheviks and 18 Bolsheviks.
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Tsar Nicholas II dissolves the second Duma after weeks of criticism and provoking speeches. Two days earlier left-wing politicians and activists in St Petersburg by tsarist police.
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Piotr Stolypin alters the Electoral Laws to reduce the representation of peasants, workers and national minorities.
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Elections for the Third Duma.
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The Third Duma opens and the majority of the seats is occupied by land-owners and conservatives. Less than 100 seats were occupied by socialists and liberals.
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Lenin Flees Russia and returns to exile in Switzerland.
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Waves of unrest and university strikes occur after the government attempts to ban student protests.
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Rasputin is briefly banished by the Tsar after reports of Rasputin's constant drinking of cheap wine and womanising,
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Piotr Stolypin is shot at the theatre and dies four days later. He is replaced by Vladimir Kokovstoff on the 6th of September.
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Starting on the 1st of March 1912, strikes took place at the Lena River goldfields in Siberia over high prices and low quality products at the company canteens. On the 9th, negotiations between the workers and the company break down. One month later on the 4th of April; strike leaders are arrested by tsarist troops and over 200 workers are gunned down when they march for their leaders' freedom.
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Trotsky gathers Social Decromats in Vienna in an attempt to reconcile the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks.
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Fourth Duma opens.
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Austria's Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife are assassinated by Siberian nationalists in Sarajevo.
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Germany brings Russia into WW1 by declaring war. Patriotism weakens support for socialist groups. Russia loses battles such as The Battle of Tannenburg and The Battle of the Masurian Lakes.
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St Petersburg is renamed Petrograd.
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Tsar Nicholas II orders the postpoing of the Duma due to hostilities from an alliance formed on the 9th of August between liberal-conservative parties like the Kadets and the Octobrists who demanded political reforms.
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The Tsar takes control of the Russian Military and departs Petrograd.
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Duma reconvenes in Petrograd.
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Nicholas II temporary dissolves the Duma on advice from the Tsarina and Rasputin.
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The Duma calls for an overhaul of the Tsarist Government after the Duma is reconvened.
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The Tsar's advisors tell Nicholas that he would no longer be supported by the military if a revolution started.
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Rasputin is assassinated by three conspirators who feared that he had too much influence on the royal family.
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Over 140,000 Russian workers strike on the 12th anniversary of Bloody Sunday to honour those who died.
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With over 100,000 workers still striking the Duma criticises the government for its failure to respond to food shortages.
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The Tsarist Government announces food rationing causing panic and panic buying in Russia's cities where there are already food shortages.
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The Tsar orders the permanent dissolution of the Duma but the order is ignored.
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Mensheviks and striking workers reform the Petrograd Soviet.
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Tsar attempts to return to Petrograd but cannot due to train difficulties. Soviets and the Duma meet to plan together.
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The Duma demands the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II. The Tsar abdicates in favour of his brother. The next day the Tsar's brother refuses unless he is elected by the people.
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The Provisional Government issues a set of liberal principles by which it intends to govern. This includes improvements to civil rights and freedoms, amnesties for political prisoners and the organisation of elections for a Constituent Assembly.
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Lenin returns to Russia with help from the German government. He delivers his April Thesis at Finland Station.
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A Czech Legion numbering 30,000 joins counter-revolutionaries and progress through Russia in an effort to remove the Soviet Government.
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Workers and soldiers try to revolt and demand that either the Bolsheviks or Soviets take power. Neither do and the rebellion is crushed.
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The Provisional Government has issues after the uprising. Kerensky becomes Prime Minister with a cabinet of socialists.
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General Kornilov declares his intention to march on Petrograd and free the country from radical socialists. This plan stalls on the 30th of August.
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Trotsky becomes Chairman of the Petrograd Soviet as the Bolsheviks hold the voting majority.
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The October Revolution beings as the Bolshevik Central Committee warns of an 'armed uprising' being inevitable. The Petrograd Soviet establishes the Military Revolutionary Committee.
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Lenin announces that the Bolsheviks have taken power and calls for the Soviets to come to government, The Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries walk out of the Soviet Congress.
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Lenin issues the Decree on Land which removes private ownership of land. The Decree of Peace urges immediate peace and ceasefire. On the same day the ministers of the Provisional Government are arrested and Kerensky flees Petrograd.
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The Red Guard achieves control of Moscow.
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Government announces that all Tsarist title, privileges and ranks are abolished.
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Elections for the Constituent Assembly start. Over 44 million people vote.
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December is a month of government bodies like the Vesenkha which is the Supreme Soviet of the National Economy and reforms to private property ownership, marriage and divorce legislation and the legal status of women.
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Trotsky signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk thus ending Russia’s involvement in World War I and surrendering large amounts of land, people and natural resources to the Germans. In the same month the Bolsheviks change their name to The Russian Communist Party.
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In April 1918, British and French troops land in Russia to aid the White Army in the Russian Civil War. The Tsarist General Kornilov is killed by an artillery shell.
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The Romanov Family is executed by the Bolsheviks whilst under house arrest.
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Lenin is left seriously wounded after the Socialist-Revolutionaries make an assassination attempt.
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The White commander Kolchak establishes control of Siberia.
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Compulsary Grain Requisitioning is announced meaning that you must give up a portion of your grain crop to the Government.
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The Mensehvik newspaper is closed down by the Soviet Government for its strong criticisms of the Government.
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In March of 1919, a worker's soviet republic is established in Hungary but is disbanded as of August 1919. The third Communist International or Comintern is held in Moscow where discussions of world revolution occurs.
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The White general Yudenich launches an assault on Petrograd and nearly succeeds before Red Army reinforcements push them back in November.
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In March 1920, Commander Kolchak of the White Army is captured and executed. The Bolshevik Government offers peace to the US but is rejected.
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The majority of the fighting in the Civil War is at its conclusion, though small localised battles and peasant rebellions still continue.
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During March 1921, he tenth Party Congress of the Communist Party. Lenin reveals the New Economic Policy and orders the commencing of all factions in the party. Britain signs a bilateral trading agreement with Russia; other nations follow.
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The writer Maxim Gorky makes a worldwide plea for famine aid, revealing millions of Russian lives may be in danger.
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Millions of tons of grain are sent to Russia by an American famine relief organisation.
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Stalin is promoted to General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and Lenin has an operation to remove a bullet lodged in his neck.
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Lenin suffers his first stroke.
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Lenin announces the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a federation of all soviet states. Lenin releases his 'Political Testament' which discusses the future of the Soviet Union.
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Lenin and Stalin's relationship deteriorates after Stalin insults Lenin's wife.
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Lenin experiences a third stroke which results in paralysis and leaves him in a state where he can barely speak.
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Famine Relief from the US stops being sent to Russia after it is revealed that the Soviet Government is exporting the grain.
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46 leading Bolsheviks criticise the growing lack of democracy in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union which Stalin is the General Secretary of.
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Lenin passes away after his fourth severe stroke. His body is embalmed and preserved in a museum in Red Square. The city of Petrograd is renamed Leningrad to honour the father of the Soviet Union.
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The USSR is recognised by the British Empire; other countries follow.
