1. Alexander II a. Emperor of Russia (1855 1881) b. Enacted some liberal reforms i. Freed all of the serfs in 1861!!! ii. Reorganized judicial system, abolished corporal punishment, imposed universal military service, took away some privileges from the nobles, and established Zemstvos which promoted self government c. Still kept around a pretty brutal police force called the Third Section d. Killed in terrorist bomb blast e. 2. The People s Will a. 19th century revolutionary political organization in Russia which was pro Populism and advocated for agrarian type socialism b. Mostly full of young socialist intellectuals c. They thought terrorism would achieve their goals d. Assassinated Alexander II in St. Petersburg with a bomb in 1881 3. Alexander III a. Emperor of Russia whooo b. Called The Peacemaker because there were no wars under his reign c. Super conservative > reversed a lot of Alexander II s liberal policies i. He weakened the power of the Zemstvos ii. Appointed government land captains to supervise peasant communes (they were really hated) iii. Passed the May Laws which restricted the rights of Jews
d. 4. Sergei Witte a. Policy maker who served under the Czars of Russia pushed for heavy industrialization b. Drafted the October Manifesto c. Member of the Council of Ministers and fully supported the Monarchy in Russia d. 5. Constitutional Democratic Party a. Liberal political party established in 1905 b. Members referred to as Kadets most members were intellectuals and professionals often served on Zemstvos c. Prominent members were Pavel Milyukov, Jews, and Volga Germans d. Become the only non socialist functioning party by the aftermath of the February Revolution 6. Zemstvos a. Local government that was established as liberal reform under Alexander II b. They consisted of a representative council and an executive board c. Abolished by the time of the October Revolution 7. Mirs a. Peasant village communities mir community had a village government and cooperative b. Most peasants in Russia lived in Mirs c. Families were given land but it wasn t distributed based on social qualifications/reasons but for economic purposes 8. Marx The Communist Manifesto a. Pamphlet written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels b. Published in 1848 (year of revolutions) c. A summary of their theories of class struggle (historical + present) and the problems with capitalism
d. 9. Social Revolutionary Party a. Major political party during the early 20th century b. General ideology: agrarian socialism and democratic socialism c. Took semi control after the February Revolution and a lot of its party members were on the provisional government d. Split into post and anti Bolshevik factions after the October Revolution 10. Marxism a. Socio economic analysis of class relations and social conflicts that takes into account historical, economic, and political factors b. The three points of marxism were: philosophical anthropology, theory of history, and an economic and political program c. He believed that class struggle was synonymous with the rise of capitalism because of the tension between the mechanical/socialized production performed by the proletariat and the increasingly wealthy bourgeois d. He believed a proletariat revolution was the end result of capitalism (a highly industrialized society) which would bring about socialism and then at a highly developed stage of socialism, it would give way to communism e. From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. f. Communism in Russia wasn t true Marxism because hadn t reached a highly developed level of capitalism g. 11. V.I. Lenin a. He was a member of the Social Democratic Labor Party and the leader of the Bolsheviks b. Ideologically he was Marxist but his political theories are known as Leninism c. He played the lead role in the October Revolution of 1917, after being sent back from exile in Germany by train, and established the one party Communist rule of Russia d. Signed the Treaty of Brest Litovsk with Germany to get Russia out of WWI
e. He was an incredibly violent ruler and thought that opposition could be dealt with through violence mass murder of civilians called the red terror which was carried out by the Cheka (secret police) f. Led the country through the Russian Civil War between the Reds and the Whites which also caused widespread famine across the countryside g. His policy, the New Economic Policy, introduced a mixed economy to Russia h. Huge cult of personality surrounding him until the demise of the Soviet Union 12. Social Democratic Labor Party a. Formed in 1898 in Minsk as a revolutionary party b. Held the idea that an urban proletariat was needed to have a socialist revolution c. Rejected idea that peasants could be the basis of Socialist party 13. Bolsheviks Mensheviks a. Both were factions of the Social Democratic Labor Party b. Mensheviks: led by Julius Martov Mensheviks means minority in Russian generally more moderate c. Bolsheviks: led by Vladimir Lenin Bolsheviks means majority in Russia but neither side ever had total majority in the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party but the Bolsheviks got the majority of the vote on important issues at the Second Party Congress 14. Bloody Sunday a. January 22nd, 1905 this incident massively contributed to the Russian Revolution of 1905 b. Father Georgy Gapon led a huge demonstration to the Winter Palace to petition for workers rights but Nicholas II was not even at the palace at this time. The Imperial Guard was ordered to fire on the crowd and lots of people were killed and injured!!
c. 15. Russo Japanese War (1904 1905) a. War between the Russian Empire and the Japanese empire over imperial rivalry in Manchuria and Korea b. Japan soundly beat the Russian Empire and it was a huge blow for Russia s imperialist ambitions in the far East c. Ended with Treaty of Portsmouth d. Lowered public morale 16. Soviets a. Political organizations and bodies that are associated with the Russian Revolution and sprang up all over Russia b. The Petrograd Soviet of Workers and Soldiers Deputies came into being right before the abdication of Czar Nicholas II and become one of the most popular Soviets, comprising of 4,000 members. c. Soviets acted as a second government to the provisional government before the Bolshevik revolution d. All the Soviets were under the control of the Socialist Revolutionary Party 17. October Manifesto: a. Released on October 20th, 1905 b. Drafted under Czar Nicholas II in response to the revolutions in Russia in 1905 c. Took some of the concentrated power away from the Czar by promising to set up a legislative body, the Duma, comprised of members who would be popularly elected d. Established civil liberties such as free speech, free press, freedom of association and assembly, and universal male suffrage e. Effectively tamped down on the revolutionary spirit in Russia but the provisions of the manifesto weren t enacted until 1906 18. Duma a. The Duma was a russian legislative instituted by Tsar Nicholas II. Duma comes from the word (dumat) meaning to consider or think. Duma was basically the equivalent of a Congress. b. It was abolished in 1917 during the Russian Revolution. c. Since 1993 the State Duma has been the name for the lower legislative house of the Russian Federation.
19. Nicholas II a. Born 1868, Nicholas was the last Tsar of Russia up until his forced abdication in 1917. He was given the nickname Nicholas the bloody because of his responsibility for the Russo Japanese war. b. Nicholas was responsible for Bloody Sunday, the massacre of protesters who were demanding Nicholas resignation. He was also responsible for the violent suppression of the 1905 revolution. c. To the people of Russia at the time Nicholas II symbolized what they despised about the corrupt monarchy. He and his entire family were brutally executed by Bolshevik officers 20. Peter Stolypin a. Born 1862 he was the Chairman of the council of ministers, served as Prime minister and was Minister of Internal Affairs. From (1906 to 1911) b. Stolypin s legacy was that of countering revolutionary movements and implementing agrarian reforms. Stolypin was a hard line monarchist who hoped to strengthen the power of the throne. He was one of the last true statesmen of the old Russian republic. c. Stolypin was assassinated in 1911 in the Kiev opera house after 10 previous assassination attempts. 21. Feb/March 1917 Revolution a. The February Revolution was the first of two revolutions in Russia. The revolution centered around Petrograd (St. Petersburg) and lasted less than a week. Confrontations between the demonstrators and royal police eventually led to the Russian Army forces switching sides and fighting against the monarchy. b. This led to the immediate abdication and execution of Nicholas II and the establishment of a Russian Provisional government. c. Causes of the revolution include the failure of the Russian government during World War 1, the economic challenges at the time, and the famine that loomed over the Russian people. 22. Alexandra Romanov a. She was the spouse of Nicholas II and was the last Tsarista of Russia and a figurehead of the old Russian government. b. She was famous for being a carrier for Hemophilia and giving it to her son Alexei Romanov (RIP) 23. Rasputin a. He was born 1869 and was a member of the royal court and was a trusted friend of the monarchy. He was famed for having cured the Tsarevich Alexei Romanov
from thousands of miles away. He gained a presence in the royal court and served as an aid to the Tsar. b. Rasputin s character brought with it speculation and controversy. Some believed that he really did have a truly unique religious connection and was able to heal Alexei with his prayers. Others speculate that he hypnotized Alexe to heal him. c. Once Rasputin had become an influential factor in russian politics he started to gain enemies. On July 12 1914 there was an assassination attempt on his life. 24. Provisional Government a. This provisional government took power in the february revolution of 1917. The government stayed in power for approximately eight months and ceased to exist after the Bolshevik October revolution. b. This provisional government highly valued the military and promoted generals and military officials to high offices. 25. Petrograd Soviet a. The petrograd soviet was a city council of Petrograd. It was known nationwide as a rival power center to the Provisional Government. b. Its committees were key in bringing out the Russian Revolution and some led the October revolution. 26. Alexander Kerensky a. Kerensky was one of Rasputin s main political rivals. He chastised the Tsar and claimed that they were misguided by the trickster Rasputin. b. Rasputin was eventually a big leader in the February Revolution of 1917 and established himself in the Provisional Government. Kerensky served as the vice chairman and became the minister of Justice. During the October Revolution he escaped to france and lived in exile since. 27. Oct/Nov 1917 Revolution a. The October Revolution is also known as the Bolshevization of the Soviets. The Kornilov affair was the last straw before the Bolsheviks pulled the Military over to their side to support their Red Guards. b. The Winter Palace was captured and Constituent Assembly elections were held afterwards and the Bolsheviks came behind the Socialist Revolutionary Party. The leaders were Lenin, Trotsky and Dybenko against the Kerensky government. c. The revolution was not recognized as legitimate by most of the world which led to struggles such as the Russian Civil War. 28. Grigory Zinoviev a. He was one of the first 7 Politburo members established after the October revolution. b. Zinoviev was known for his attempts to turn Germany into a communist state as well as for his battle with Stalin for power once Lenin had died. Zinoviev, Kamenev and Stalin all banded together to edge out trotsky for power, however eventually Stalin edged Zinoviev out of power and eventually put him on trial and had him executed. 29. Lev Kamenev
a. Kamenev was also a Bolshevik revolutionary and a member of the initial Politburo. He was Lenin s Deputy Chairman and got along with Lenin very well and additionally he sought to succeed him. He joined with his close partner Zinoviev and Stalin in a triumvirate to oppose Trotsky and succeed Lenin. b. He eventually opposed Stalin but lost his seat during intra party firing and eventually was forced to submit to Stalin and was executed. 30. Leon Trotsky a. Born in 1979 Leon Trotsky was a marxist leader who built the October Revolution alongside Lenin and was a major figure in the Bolshevik victory in the Russian Civil War. b. Trotsky was one of the seven first Politburo members. He was a soviet politician and a theorist. He is credited with founding and leading the Red Army and founding Trotskyism, which is a major school of thought that opposes Stalinism. c. Trotsky was ganged up on after Lenin s death as he was in the greatest position to take over power. In 1929 he was deported from the Soviet Union and was forced to leave, he was one of the few old soviets not rehabilitated by the Khrushchev Era. 31. Nikolai Bukharin a. Bukharin was a longtime theorist and revolutionary who worked with Stalin and Lenin in exile. He came back to Moscow after the February revolution and became the editor of the famed newspaper Pravda. b. Bukharin sided with Stalin and had great power as the General Secretary of Comintern s executive committee. c. The issue of collectivization split Bukharin and Stalin and eventually Bukharin was forced to leave the party. He was eventually put on trial and executed. 32. Treaty of Brest Litovsk a. This treaty was signed between the Bolshevik government of Soviet Russia and the Central Powers. It ended Russia s participation in World War 1 after the military and political involvement of the USSR were horribly mishandled by the Tsarist government and the provisional government. b. The USSR had to pay six billion German gold francs, and in addition give up massive portions of land in the west. They handed over what is now finland and the baltic states, Belarus and Ukraine. c. This treaty only lasted Eight and a half months, due to Germany s renouncing of it and Turkey s invasion of Armenia. 33. Russian Civil War a. The Russian Civil War broke out between the Bolshevik government and the white movement. The Anti Bolshevik movement had significant support within the USSR and was supported by outside countries such as the USA and Britain. b. There were over one million casualties as a result of the Russian Civil war, with the Red Army far outnumbering the White Movement. c. The White Movement was mostly originating in the South and in the West coming out of Ukraine, Poland and the Baltics.
34. Felix Dzerzhinsky a. Member of the Bolshevik Central Committee at the time of the revolution, established and developed the Cheka, serving as its director between 1917 and 1926. b. Nicknamed Iron Felix. 35. Cheka a. Bolshevik Secret Police, established in 1917 and led by Iron Felix. Their operations focused on the violent suppression of political opposition, who they branded class enemies, and on stopping desertions from the Red Army. b. Dissolved in 1922 into the NKVD. c. Estimates of the Cheka s death toll range from 50,000 to 500,000. Practiced torture including skinning alive, scalping, crucifixion, rape, and pouring water on naked prisoners during the winter to turn them into living ice statues (WTF). d. Instrumental in the Red Terror during the Russian Civil War. 36. Red Army a. The Bolshevik Army during the Russian Civil War, opposing the White Army. It later became the general army of the USSR and is widely credited as one of the decisive forces in WW2. b. Founded by Trotsky. c. Desertions were rampant but the Cheka helped to stop this. 37. Czech Legion a. A volunteer army composed of Czechoslovaks, they fought for the Allies in WW1 and also involved themselves in the Russian Civil War fighting against the Bolsheviks. b. They waged an effective campaign in Siberia. 38. War Communism a. The form of communism implemented by the Bolsheviks during the Civil War in which some of the largest industries were nationalized but the bulk was left under the control of workers committees. It involved seizing food from peasants, which was in short supply, leading to class war between farmers and hungry city dwellers. This led to peasants often rallying to anti Bolshevik leaders. 39. Kornilov Affair a. An attempted coup d etat by Kornilov, Commander in Chief of the Russian Army, against the provisional government led by Kerensky. It was defeated, with the aid of the Bolsheviks who rallied with other socialists against the coup. b. Random fact: Kerensky (who died in the USA in 1970) believed that Winston Churchill was involved in the conspiracy. 40. Fanya Kaplan a. A Russian revolutionary who tried to assassinate Lenin, whom she viewed as a traitor to the revolution for having undemocratically overthrown the Constituent
Assembly. One bullet punctured his lung but he survived, although it contributed to his poor health and later strokes. b. The assassination prompted the beginning of the Red Terror and also helped to provoke the imminent civil war. 41. Kronstadt Rebellion a. A major anti Bolshevik revolution in March 1921, it consisted of sailors, soldiers and civilians responding to the economic collapse and famine of 1921. It was defeated by the Red Army after a 12 day military campaign. b. It was a major cause of Lenin deciding to implement the New Economic Policy. 42. USSR, 1922 a. In 1922 the Civil War was over and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was officially formed. It began with four republics, although by the end of WW2 there would be 15. b. The constitution, formally adopted in 1924, made the Union fluid so that any state could join or secede voluntarily (in practice this never happened until 1991). 43. Central Committee a. The apex of power in the Communist Party. Membership varied from ~70 in 1930s to ~150 in later years. 44. Politburo a. An elite political bureau of about a dozen members which dominated the Central Committee, leading discussions of policy and personnel. 45. Secretariat a. Even more powerful than the Politburo, the General Secretary dominated the entire structure and apparatus, with virtual authority over every decision and appointment; the de facto leader of the USSR. This office was virtually fashioned by Stalin (who was preceded by Khrushchev, Brezhnev, etc.) 46. NEP (1921 1927) a. The New Economic Policy introduced by Lenin following the failure of war communism, the famine of 1921 and the Kronstadt rebellion. It was an open compromise with capitalism in order to repair the country which had been left in ruins by civil war and economic failure. b. While basic productive industries stayed under state control, it allowed for private trading for profit on a small scale. This led to a much needed restoration of trade between town and country as peasants were once again allowed to sell their farm products freely and therefore were more productive. c. It was seen by some, including Stalin, as a betrayal of communist values. 47. Stalin vs. Trotsky a. Lenin s premature death in 1924, from a series of strokes, led to a power struggle between Trotsky and Stalin. Trotsky had been war commissar during the civil war and was second only to Lenin himself, while Stalin was little known but skillfully maneuvered himself into power. Trotsky championed world revolution and denounced the NEP for tolerating the bourgeois, but failed to convince the party, whom Stalin had brought under his political control.
b. At a party congress in 1927, 95% of delegates voted for Stalin, and Trotsky was exiled, ending up in Mexico where he would be murdered in 1940. Stalin took control as party secretary. 48. April Theses a. A series of ten directives issued by Lenin upon his return to Russia from Switzerland during World War 1, and published in Pravda. It denounced the provisional government and called on Bolsheviks and proletariats to take power by force. b. They also called for a name change to the Communist party to dissociate themselves with the socialists who supported WW1, and called for a Communist International which later became Comintern. 49. Famine of 1921 a. Triggered by seven years of war and a lack of production by the peasants under war communism, the famine left millions of Russians without food. Estimates of deaths range from 5 million to 8 million. It became so severe that the Russia began accepting foreign aid, even from the United States. b. The famine helped prompted Lenin to adopt the NEP. 50. Tambov Rebellion a. Another peasant rebellion in 1920 and 21 (preceding the Kronstadt Rebellion), it was one of the largest and best organized. It was defeated by the Red Army using poisoned gas among other weapons.