Crash Course European History: Russian Revolution and Civil War

Introduction

• World War I caused significant violence, notably seen in the Russian revolution and civil war.
• Tsar Nicholas II's government failed in war efforts, lacking efficient administration for necessities like weaponry, food, and medical care.
• Bureaucracy is necessary; its absence led to governmental failure.

Russian Military Challenges

• Russian soldiers suffered from a lack of basic materials.
• Some generals were more interested in conducting pogroms than effective warfare.
• Civilians took on government roles, forming local organizations (zemstvos) to care for the wounded and maintain the home front.

Tsar Nicholas and the War Effort

• Nicholas personally overseeing the battlefront made him seem incompetent.
• Revolution was imminent due to governmental failure.

The February Revolution

• Russian February 23, 1917: International Women's Day protest in Petrograd highlighting war mismanagement.
• Protests led to Nicholas's abdication of the throne.
• Duma formed a Provisional Government with diverse political representation.

Rise of the Soviets

• Workers and soldiers revived councils (soviets) for governance.
• Power struggles between the Provisional Government and soviets.

Bolshevik Revolution

• Lenin returned to Russia in April 1917, advocating for "Peace, Bread, Land."
• Advocated violence to overthrow the old regime.
• October 1917: Bolsheviks led a coup, taking control of infrastructure.

Establishment of Bolshevik Control

• Forced dismissal of Constituent Assembly in January 1918.
• Imprisoned and murdered political opponents.
• Nationalized industries and banks.
• Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: Russia ceded western territories to Germany.

Civil War and Establishment of the USSR

• Civil war between Bolsheviks (Reds) and White Movement.
• Bolsheviks leveraged divisions among opponents and established the USSR in 1922.
• Lenin enforced violence to maintain control.

Postwar Soviet Society

• Industrial production dropped; civil war caused significant death tolls.
• Bolshevik propaganda fostered enthusiasm for a workers' paradise.
• New Economic Policy (NEP) introduced, allowing some capitalism to boost productivity.

Lenin's Death and Stalin's Rise

• Lenin's series of strokes led to his death in 1924.
• Stalin orchestrated a grand funeral, sidelining rivals like Trotsky.

Conclusion

• Bolshevik revolution led to significant changes but did not result in immediate Communism.
• The NEP was a temporary strategy to revitalize the economy.

Looking Ahead

• Future discussions on Soviet Russia and Stalin's reign.