The Russian Revolution in February 1917 and the October Revolution in October 1917 brought an end to the Rule of Tsars in Russia, In it's place came a new system of government called Communism.
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The End of the Tsars The Tsars traditionally rulled the Russian State. They were autocratic which means that they held all power in their own hands and shared it with no others. Russia grew into a huge empire but it was very backward. There was little industry and 95% of the population were poor farmers known as peasants. |
 The last Tsar Nicholas II |
Since there was no legal way of questioning the autocracy, the opposition had to be in secret. As it proved to be impossible to reform the system, opponents concluded that they must overthrow it. They became revolutionaries. In the First World War nearly two million Russian soldiers died. By 1917 the cities were starving. In February 1917 bread riots in Petrograd led to a general strike and in March 1917 the Tsar abdicated.
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Karl Marx's Theory of Revolution: The communist challenge Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a German Philosopher and founder of modern communism. Marx believed that there was a struggle for power between two social classes.
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The Russian Communist party in the early 20th Century was weak. It was small most of it's members were in exile and it was split between the Mensheviks and the more extreme Bolsheviks
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Lenin and the October Revolution Following the February revolution which overthrew the Tsar a number of revolutionaries returned to Russia, among them was Lenin who with the Bolsheviks called for immediate revolution.
By late 1917 he had the support of the majority of the party and his close ally Leon Trotsky had won over the support of the Army. |
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In the Period 1918-21 a civil war followed as the communists fought to stay in power.
The Reds (Bolsheviks) vs. the Whites (anti-Bolshevik) who were supported by the West. They felt threatened by the potential spread of Communism and angry at the murder of the Russian Royal Family.
Politburo
The central group of leaders of the Communist Party and Government.
Comintern
An organisation designed to assist Communist parties throughout the world 1919-1943.
Kulak
A peasant considered wealthier than other peasants.
Iron Curtain
The border between Eastern (communist) and Western Europe.
Cold War
A political and ideological struggle between the Communist bloc and the Western Alliance led by the USA.
Bolsheviks
Marxists who favoured a sudden and violent overthrow of the government by a small, dedicated group of revolutionaries.
Gulag
The Russian prison camp system.
Planned Economy
A system where the type and amount of what is produced is determined by the state.
Soviet
A Workers' and Soldiers' Council
Purge
To purify or get rid of harmful elements.
Cult of Personality
Worship or devotion of a particular person.
Destalinisation
Criticism of Stalin and changing of his policies after his death.
| 1922 | Stalin appointed General Secretary | 1923 | NEP (New Economic Policy) |
| 1924 |
Lenin dies and power vacuum results - power struggle intensifies USSR formed |
| 1925 | Trotsky resigns as Commander of Red Army |
| 1926 | Left opposition defeated |
| 1928 | Stalin launches collectivisation |
| 1929-33 | 1st 5Year Plan |
| 1929 | Right opposition defeated |
| 1930 | 'Dizzy with success' |
| 1932-33 |
Famine Stalin's wife suicide |
| 1933-37 | 2nd 5Year Plan |
| 1934 | Kirov's murder |
| 1936-38 | The Great Purge - show trials - NKVD has new leader - Beria |
| 1938-42 | 3rd 5Year Plan |
| 1939 | Non-Aggression Pact with Hitler |
| 1940 |
Assassination of Trotsky War with Finland |
| 1941 | Operation Barbarossa - Hitler invades |
| 1941-45 | The Great Patriotic War |
| 1942-44 | The siege of Leningrad |
| 1942 | The Battle of Stalingrad |
| 1943 | Comintern abolished - Tehran Conference |
| 1944 | D-Day Invasions - Warsaw uprising |
| 1945 | Yalta Conference - Red Army enters Berlin |
| 1945-47 | Famine in the Ukraine |
| 1946-50 | 4th 5Year Plan |
| 1947 | Cominform established |
| 1948 |
Communist Coup in Czechoslovakia - Yugoslavia expelled from the Cominform Death of Zhadanov |
| 1951-55 | 5th 5Year Plan |
| 1953 |
Doctor's Plot Death of Stalin Beria Shot |
| 1955 | Warsaw Pact established |
| 1956 |
De-Stalinisation - Khrushchev denounces Stalin Hungarian uprising Suez crisis |