Madison Womelsdorf

Russian Revolutions
Vocabulary:
Nicholas II: He was the last czar of the Russian Empire and was forced to abdicate his throne
because of the events of the two revolutions. When unprepared he led Russian into World War 1
and allowed his people to be slaughtered on Bloody Sunday.
Rasputin: A self-describe holy man who claimed he had magical powers and who Czarina
Alexandra fell under the influence of. Czarina allowed him to make political decisions which
resulted in him opposing reforms and him obtaining powerful positions for his friends. He was
murdered by nobles in 1916.
Bolsheviks: A more radical group that supported a small number of revolutionaries willing to
sacrifice everything for change.
Mensheviks: A group that were socialists that emerged after the dispute in the Russian SocialDemocratic Labor party between Lenin and Martov. The two groups that surfaced were the
Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks.
Soviets: Were local councils consisting of workers, peasants, and soldiers who were formed by
socialist revolutionaries competing for power because of Russias involvement in WW1.
Lenin: Leader of the Bolsheviks whose real name is Vladimir Ilyich, and the death of his brother
turned him into a revolutionary. By the 1900s he planned to overthrow the czar and after the
revolution of 1917 people called him the Father of Revolution.He resulted to a small version of
capitalism called the New Economic Policy which allowed peasants to sell their crops instead of
turning them over to the government. It also allowed the government to keep control of major
industries, banks, and farms
Revolution of 1905: The revolution took place because of the events that occurred on bloody
Sunday and because of the defeat in the Russian-Japanese war.
Russo-Japanese War: A war between Russia and Japan for the control over Korea and
Manchuria. Although treaties were signed Russia broke them which resulting in the Japanese
retaliating by attacking the Russians at Port Arthur, Manchuria in 1904.
Bloody Sunday: In 1905 around 200,000 workers approached the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg
carrying a petition that asking for better working conditions, more personal freedom, and an
elected national legislature that they wanted to present to the czar. Nicholas IIs generals opened
fire, resulting in more than several hundred wounded. Strikes and violence spread across the
country resulting in the creation of the Duma, Russias first parliament.

WWI: Nicholas II decided to drag Russia into the war while they were not prepared militarily
and economically. Germany defeated Russia battle after battle and within a year more than 4
million Russians died. Nicholas moved his headquarters to the home front where his wife fell
under the influence of Rasputin and allowed him to make key decisions in the war. Supplies
dwindled, people disobeyed orders, and prices inflated and Nicholas was unprepared to handle
these problems.
March Revolution: In 1917 women workers led a citywide strike which caused riots to flare up
because of the shortages of bread and fuel. Soldiers soon sided with the rioters which forced the
czar, Nicholas II to step down. It failed to set up a strong government to replace his regime
though.
Provisional Government: A temporary government which was established by the Duma.
Alexander Kerensky: A lawyer and a major political leader and leader of the provisional
government. He decided to keep fighting in WWI and because of this he lost the support of both
the soldiers and the civilians.
November Revolution: Without warning armed factory workers stormed into the Winter Palace
calling themselves the Bolshevik Red Guards and they took over government officials and
arrested leaders. Lenin decided to take action and ordered that all farmland be distributed among
peasants, all factories taken control of by workers, and signed a treaty with Germany.
Bread, Land and Peace and All power to the soviets: Lenins slogan which allowed him to
take action which resulted in the Bolshevik revolution.
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: In 1918, Russia and Germany signed a treaty that made Russia
surrender a large part of its territory to Germany and its allies. This action angered many
Russians which resulted in the objection of the Bolsheviks policies and the murder of the royal
family.
Trotsky: Commander of the Bolshevik army from 1918-1920 and successfully defeated the white
army.
Civil War: A war between the white army and the Bolsheviks red army commanded by Leon.The
war raged from 1918 to 1920 and several western nations sent help to the white army. Around 14
million Russians died and in the end the Red army won.
White Army: The white army was made up of different groups one who supported the return of
the czar, others who wanted a democratic government, and those opposed Lenins style of
socialism. Got military help from several western nations and the US.
Red Army: Commanded by the revolutionary leader, Leon Trotsky, the red army was in favor of
the Bolsheviks. The Red army was able to crush all opponents in the Russian civil war and was
able to show that Bolsheviks were able to seize power and maintain it.