Russian Revolution
Basic Facts
February Revolution:
- In 1917, two revolutions swept through Russia, ending centuries of imperial rule and setting in motion political and social changes that would lead to the formation of the Soviet Union.
- Revolt forced (the last) czar, Nicholas II, to abdication.
- Months later, the newly installed provisional government was overthrown by the more radical, Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin.
- By 1917, most Russians had lost faith in the leadership ability of Czar Nicholas II.
- Government corruption was unchecked, the Russian economy remained backward, and Nicholas repeatedly dissolved the Duma, which was the Russian parliament established after the 1905 revolution, when it opposed his will.
- However, the immediate cause of the February Revolution (the first phase of the Russian Revolution of 1917) was Russia’s involvement in World War I (1914-18).
- Although imperial Russia was no match to Germany and there were many casualties, Russian casualties were the most sustained by any nation in any previous war.
- Due to war, Russia's economy dropped and many were planning to overthrow the czar.
February Revolution:
- The February Revolution began on March 8, 1917 when demonstrators took the streets in the Russian capital, Petrograd, joined by huge crowds of protesters, they fought against the police.
- On March 10, the strike spread among all of Petrograd’s workers, and irate mobs destroyed police stations.
- On March 12, the revolution triumphed when regiment after regiment of the Petrograd garrison defected to the cause of the demonstrators. The soldiers subsequently formed committees that elected deputies to the Petrograd Soviet.
- The imperial government then had to resign.
- On March 14, the Petrograd Soviet issued Order No. 1, which instructed Russian soldiers and sailors to obey only the orders that did not conflict with the directives of the Soviet.
- The next day, March 15, Czar Nicholas II abdicated the throne in favor of his brother Michael, whose refusal of the crown brought an end to the czarist autocracy.
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Bolshevik Revolution
- In the aftermath of the February Revolution, power was shared between the weak provisional government and the Petrograd Soviet.
- Then, on November 6 and 7, 1917, leftist revolutionaries led by Bolshevik Party leader Vladimir Lenin launched a nearly bloodless coup d’état (seizure of power from the government) against the provisional government.
- Bolsheviks and their allies occupied government buildings and other strategic locations in Petrograd, and soon formed a new government with Lenin as its head.
- Lenin became the virtual dictator of the first Marxist state in the world.
- His government made peace with Germany, nationalized industry and distributed land.
- But beginning in 1918, had to fight a devastating civil war against anti-Bolshevik White Army forces.
- In 1920, the anti-Bolsheviks were defeated, and in 1922 the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was established.