R ussian D ecline

1. Russian Decline By: Phil Bott

2. Russian Unrest • The czars were under pressure and couldn’t ease the nation’s crisis. • Moderates wanted a constitution and social reform but czar Nicholas II denied all that would degrade his authority. • Outside the government, revolutionaries were plotting; they wanted to destroy the czarist regime. • These revolutionaries worked in secrecy so they wouldn’t get caught; they believed a revolution was to come. • Marxists wanted to start a revolution against factory and railroad workers, miners, and urban wage earners.

3. World War One • When the war started, it sparked up national pride and united Russians. • The soldiers were enthusiastic to fight, but Russia soon was stripped of resources. • By 1915, Russian soldiers had no rifles, no medical care, and no ammunition. • Because of this, many Russian soldiers died in battle. In one year, the death toll had reached 2 million.

4. WWI Continued… • Nicholas II tried to take patriotic charge but it was a horrible decision and he died. • He left most of his affairs to the czarina Alexandra. • Alexandra was not a fit leader because she knew little of government and the people didn’t trust her because she was born in Germany. • When corruption came over Russia, Alexandra turned to “holy man” Rasputin.

5. “Holy Man” to Some, “Mad Monk” to Others • Rasputin was a Siberian peasant whose personality helped him gain a reputation as a healer. • He gained this title because he apparently healed Alexandra’s son of hemophilia through hypnosis. • Alexandra moved Rasputin to the palace and was given great power. Russia was in the hands of a crazy guy who thought he had powers.

6. A Hard Man to Kill • In order to save the monarchy, five men appointed by the Duma were sent to kill Rasputin. • Prince Felix Yussoupov poisoned Rasputin’s cake and wine after luring him to his palace. • The Prince left and later returned to shoot Rasputin. As the five men were examining the body, Rasputin got up, grabbed the Prince, and fled. • Rasputin was again shot and later beaten unconscious. The five men threw him into the Neva river where Rasputin drowned.

7. Rasputin’s Final Warning • When the people heard of Rasputin’s death, rejoicing rung throughout Russia. Alexandra was very upset when she heard the news. • Before he died, Rasputin prophesized that the Russian people would kill the czarina’s children. • In 1917, the Romanov dynasty came crashing down. But this was not because of Rasputin’s death.

8. March Revolution • By March 1917, deaths on the battlefield, and food and fuel shortages on land, caused the crumbling of the monarchy. • Many people started riots and rebellions began. Duma politicians created a temporary government and liberals were working on a constitution. • Russian troops were fed up with war and started returning home. • In Petrograd, they set up soviets, or councils of workers and soldiers and the Bolsheviks took charge.

9. Lenin and the Bolsheviks • Lenin was a man that deeply despised the czarist government. He spread Marxist ideas al throughout Russia. • Lenin called for an elite group to lead a revolution against capitalism and set up a “dictatorship of the proletariat.” Lenin named this group the Bolsheviks meaning “majority.” • Lenin thought that the only way to bring up change was revolution, not higher wages or increased suffrage.