Rise of the Czars
and the
Russian Revolution
Chapter 14 : Section 2
What is Propaganda?
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Propaganda is the systematic spreading of ideas or
beliefs.
One of the difficulties with propaganda is that the user
usually sprinkles some truth within the framework.
Questions
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Is propaganda good or bad?
Are you aware of propaganda?
What is leadership?
Who are our leaders and how are they
chosen?
Is it possible to be both a leader and a
follower?
Denotation and Connotation
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The denotation and connotation of words
becomes very important.
For example…
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One person may be described as assertive if the
speaker desires to paint that person in a positive
manner.
The same person takes on a subtle but important
difference when described as aggressive.
Politics and Philosophy

People are governed by a system of beliefs that are known as
political philosophy.

Democracy – a government formed to represent the people
directly or through elected representatives

Constitutional Monarchy – a government whose head of state
is a monarch. The governmental policies are spelled out in a
written constitution.

Dictatorship – a government whose leader has absolute
authority over all things in the government and under its control.

Totalitarian State – a government whose leader or political
party has absolute control over all aspects of its citizens’ lives.
Opposing ideas are not welcomed.
The Czars
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The Romanov Dynasty begins in 1613 and
ends with the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917.
Czars (like emperors) have total control
over the government.
Czars cont.
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Ivan III (Ivan the Great)
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Drove the Mongols out
Made Muscovy independent
Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible)
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Used Secret Police (Cheka) to control people
Czars cont.
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Peter the First (Peter the Great)
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Undertook extensive reforms; made Russia more
like Europe
Russia became a great European nation
Built a new capital = St. Petersburg
Catherine the Great
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Second wife of Peter
Pushed the borders south and west
1800s

Napoleon Bonaparte
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Invades Russia
Cold winter favors the Russians
Czar Alexander II (aka the Czar-Liberator)
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Freed the serfs
Began to industrialize
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A change in economy to rely more on
manufacturing and less on farming.
1900s - The Russian Revolution

Vladimir Lenin (later known as Lenin) was a
key figure in European history.

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He led the Bolsheviks (which later became
known as communists) to overthrow the Russian
Tsar, and brought socialism to Russia.
He introduced Communism to Russia.
Lenin’s impact on Europe and Russia consisted
of him applying Marxist ideas, which later led to
complete Communism, and a threat to Europe
and the rest of world.
Pre - 1917

Prior to 1917, Lenin
introduced Marxist
ideas to Russia.

He told the people, for
example, that the
workers should control
the means of production
and that society in
general should be for
the working class, not
the bourgeois.

There was growing
dissatisfaction in
Russia with the royal
family (Czar Nicholas
Romanov)

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Russia was dragged into
war
Czar Nicholas proves to
be an incompetent ruler
1917

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The Russian Revolution begins out of protests
against war and poverty, and it ends with the
abdication (resignation) of Czar Nicholas
October Revolution

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Lenin leads Bolshevik troops to the Government
headquarters at the Winter Palace – brings the soviets to
power
Communists seize control of the government
Checka – secret police – become official

Operate in secrecy; often used to maintain the political power
of the state rather than uphold the rule of law (Czar Nicholas
and his family were murdered by secret police).
1917-1923

Start of religious persecution in Russia
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USSR is formally established (federation of
Russian states united under the communist
system)
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Joseph Stalin = Secretary-General
1923

Stalin’s brutality becomes apparent
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As Secretary-General, he was in a powerful
position in the communist hierarchy.
His ability to make appointments to other
positions of power gains him many important
allies (ie: Lenin).
1924

Death of Lenin
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Lenin’s body mummified and put on public
display
Beginning of the struggle between Stalin
and Trotsky (they duel for power)
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Leon Trotsky = head of the Red Army (essentially
Lenin’s right-hand-man)
Stalin becomes Lenin’s successor
1929
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Trotsky deported
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Deported to Turkey because he opposed Stalin
Start of Industrialization
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Stalin enacts the first Five-Year Plan for rapid
industrialization of the Soviet Union
He told his “comrades” to work harder than they
ever have, so that Soviet Russia could prosper
as a beacon of hope to workers everywhere
1929 - 1932
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Five-Year plan begins to fail
Failure of cooperative farms
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Farmers give crops to government
Peasants burn the crops
Communists begin to abuse their power

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Stalin orders the persecution of "kulaks"
(capitalist farmers).
15 million peasants are deported to the Arctic
regions and 6.5 million die
1932

Starvation of millions of people who did not
want to work for Stalin

One million people in Kazakhstan and five million
people in Ukraine die of famine (farm production
lags as industry expands).
1933

The United States and other countries
recognize the USSR

Soviet Russia is a formidable world power by the
end of Stalin’s second proposed Five Year Plan
1934
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The Great Purge; loyal citizens are
removed when they are no longer useful
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Stalin's main advisor, Sergei Kirov, is
assassinated, prompting Stalin to begin the
"great purge" of the Communist Party (thousands
of communists are deported to “Gulags”)
Cheka formed
Start of the Soviet labor camps (Gulags)
1936

“Show Trials” of Stalin’s opponents
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Forced confessions were followed by quick trials
and executions or imprisonment
Between 2-7 million people suspected of
opposition to Stalin are executed; others were
sentenced to years of hard labor in the Gulags
1939

Non-aggression pact between Germany
and Russia
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Secret agreement between Stalin and Hitler; pact
guaranteed that neither country would oppose or
attack the other
World War II begins with the invasion of Poland
by Germany
1941
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German invasion of Russia
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“Operation Barbarossa” – Hitler’s troops attack
the Soviet Union in defiance of the NonAggression Treaty
1941 - 1945

Germans penetrate deeply into the Soviet
Union and devastate the country

Russians drive Germans out of the Soviet
Union after launching a counter offence

Soviet Union enters Berlin and Germany
surrenders
1945

Treaty to divide Germany
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Germany and Berlin are divided in four sectors,
soon to be come "western" and "eastern"
(Russian) sectors
World War II in Europe ends
Post 1945
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Five-Year plans focused on heavy industry to
the exclusion of consumer goods
Propaganda figures concerning the success of
the Five-Year plans released to the public
Religious tolerance begins
The Allies have a falling out at the end of World
War II.
Start of the Cold War