WW1 and Russian Revolution

Bloody Sunday

Jan 22, 1905

Peaceful protesters in St. Petersburg were shot by imperial troops, this event shattered trust in the Tsar and sparked the 1905 Revolution.

Mutiny on the Battleship Potemkin

Jun 27, 1905

Sailors rebelled against brutal conditions and poor leadership. The mutiny symbolized growing resistance within the Russian military.

October Manifesto

Oct 30, 1905

Tsar Nicholas II promised civil liberties and created the Duma (parliament). These concessions temporarily calmed unrest but did not solve Russia’s deep problems.

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Jun 28, 1914

The heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was killed in Sarajevo. This assassination triggered World War I.

Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

Jul 28, 1914

Backed by Germany, Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia. Alliance systems quickly turned the conflict into a global war.

Germany declares war on Russia

Aug 1, 1914

Germany entered the war against Russia, opening the Eastern Front. The conflict expanded rapidly across Europe.

February Revolution

Mar 8, 1917

Strikes, food shortages, and army mutinies erupted in Petrograd. The Tsar lost control of the situation.

Abdication of Tsar Nicholas II

Mar 15, 1917

Nicholas II abdicated the throne, ending over 300 years of Romanov rule. A Provisional Government took power.

Lenin returns from exile

Apr 16, 1917

Lenin returned to Russia and promoted the slogan “Peace, Land, Bread.” He called for immediate revolution and withdrawal from the war.

Bolsheviks seize the Winter Palace

Oct 25, 1917

The Bolsheviks overthrew the Provisional Government in Petrograd. This marked the success of the October Revolution.

Congress of Soviets endorses Bolshevik power

Nov 7, 1917

The Congress officially recognized Bolshevik authority. A new socialist government was established.