The
Russian
Revolution
The Rise of Communism in Russia
Timeline of Major Events and
Leaders of Russia
1890s-1917 Czar Nicholas II- last czar of
Russia
 1917 Lenin led Communist Revolution
 1917-1922 Russian Civil War- Communists
win, Lenin takes control
 1928-1953 Stalin Solidifies Communist
Control
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Timeline
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1947-1991 Cold War- Tension between U.S.A
and USSR over threat of nuclear
1985-1991 Gorbachev- Last Communist Leader
1991-1999 Boris Yeltsin- First Democratic Leader
1999-2008 Vladimir Putin
2008- 2012- Medvedev is president, but many
question his authority
2012- Present Putin comes back into power
Causes of the Russian Revolution
(This slide and the next two slides will outline the major causes)
Czar Nicholas II’s poor
leadership
Strict control over country
Ignores the problems of the
working class.
Viewed as a terrible military
leader.
Causes- Russia’s Internal Problems
Working class,
peasants begin to
protest
 Bolsheviks gain
popularity
 Bloody Sunday- Czar’s
soldiers massacre
workers & protesters
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Causes- Russia’s Foreign Problems
Russo-Japanese War- Russia loses war to
Japan
 World War I- Russia unprepared to go to
war with Germany
 World War I – around 9 million total
casualities
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Rasputin causes more problems
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Mystic Healer for the
Czar’s family
Becomes popular with
Czarina
Seems like he is
running government
Makes Nicholas II look
like a weak leader
The Bolshevik Revolution
Nicholas II is forced to
step down (eventually he
and family are killed)
 Civil War starts
 Bolsheviks’ Red Army
(Communists) VS. White
Army (Everyone that is
not a communist)
 Bolsheviks win easily
under leadership of Lenin
and Trotsky

Lenin Takes Control
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Promised the people
“Peace, Land, and Bread”
Supported by working
class and farmers
Restores order to country
Sets up a moderate
communist economy
Eventually sets up a
dictatorship
Cult of Personality
Stalin Gains Power
Lenin dies Stalin takes
control
 Exiles Trotsky and
eventually has him killed
 Sets up strict dictatorship
 Strict communismgovernment takes full
control of economy
 Purges- ethnic minorities
and enemies
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Ethnic Targets of Stalinism
Stalin Propaganda
Stalin’s Totalitarian Dictatorship
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Propaganda
The Great Purge
Secret Police / KGB
Censorship
Indoctrination
Outlawing Religion
Communist Economy
Stalin’s manipulation of
photographs
Erasing Trotsky from history