Russia Essay, Research Paper

Russian Revolution of 1917 Picture living in 12 below zero temperatures without food and heat. These were the conditions for the Russian citizens during 1916 and 1917. People were starving without any food or heat and their children were off fighting in a war with over 1,700,000 dying men. What were all of them fighting for? The country? Why would a fellow human being want to risk his life for the country when the country cannot even provide it s citizens with enough food and heat. The need for basic necessities such as bread and heat for the Russian citizens was not met by the Tsar during World War I, which of course led to the people s revolts and protests. The Bolsheviks overthrew the Tsar, which was what the people thrived for. In 1914 World War I had broken out. The war unraveled when Serbia had attacked Austria Hungarian archduke Francis Ferdinand on June 28, 1914. The Austrian-Hungarian Empire was furious and wanted to attack Serbia but they knew that they were allied with. With that in mind they asked Germany if they will back them up in case Russia attacks. The Germans agreed and Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia. The Russia and Serbia decided to fight back so they met in an area presently called Poland, located between Austria and Russia. At this time in Russia the conditions were not well. The past two winters were one of the hardest hit winters in recorded history. The temperature between 1916 through 1917 averaged at 12.1 below zero. Russia s main transportation system was the train. Trains had delivered coal and food to the cities. There were 60,000 train cars that took supplies into the cities and only 1/8 of that was available. The low food supply forced the

Government to supply one pound of bread per family. Which caused an outbreak in society. Before 1917 Russia was dictated as a monarchy in which a ruler was a King or Queen passed down by generation. In the 1900 s two political parties began to form. The white Russians and the red Russians. The white Russians were the democrats also called the Mensheviks and the red Russians were communists also called the Bolsheviks. Both of these parties were against the monarch government. The most powerful of the two were the Bolsheviks. They were headed by Vladimir Ilich commonly known as Lenin. Lenin was becoming stronger and stronger in Russia. He had gained many followers or Bolsheviks. The February Revolution. Up to February 8th, 1998, Russia still followed the Julian Calendar, which was about 13 days behind the Gregorian Calendar. So the February and October Revolutions were March and November Revolutions Still in 1917 Russia had a major shortage on food. The hunger had sent the women and the workers to protest in the streets. The harsh war between Russians and Germans had got Tsar Nicholas s attention and he headed for Poland for two weeks. In the war Russia drafted 12,000,000 soldiers to fight and 1,700,000 had died. There were 4,950,000 wounded and 2,500,000 missing in action. The day after Tsar Nicholas s departure, riots broke out. Demonstrations began on International Woman s Day. Women were yelling asking for bread. Later in Petrograd now known as St. Petersburg had gotten 200,000 workers filling the streets yelling Down with the war! and Down with Autocracy! The reports of the conditions in Page 3 Russia kept on piling in to Nicholas. Then Nicholas ordered to take military control of the streets. There were loyal soldiers to the Tsar and there were also new recruits ordered to go and take control of the citizens and to shoot them if they had to just for demanding bread. The loyal soldiers followed their command yet the new recruits could not shoot people for a noble reason, so they joined them and protested with the people in the streets. When Tsar Nicholas returned he was no longer a Tsar but Nicholas Romanov, a private citizen. Nicholas had lost his political support. He and his family were later shot to death. The provisional government was formed meaning the temporary government. The next day after Nicholas was removed the temperature was up to 6 digrees and the people were happy again and rejoicing. The October (November) Revolution. On November 6th workers, soldiers, and sailors ready with weapons took over the main spots in Petrograd. Soon pretty much the only building left in Petrograd under the Provisional government was the Winter Palace. This used to be the royal residence and than had become the headquarters for the provisional government. The Bolsheviks turned the lights and crept inside while the sailors in the cruiser Aurora had began fire on the Winter Palace. There they found the ministers and arrested them. There were a few attempts to take back the Winter Palace but they were useless. Later the Bolsheviks formed a Parliament and elected Lenin as President. Lenin made Moscow the capital of Russia and took over industries and most of the farm products. By now Germany was strong and wanted to advance into the Russian territory. Lenin was very afraid of all he worked for in danger again so he was ready to buy peace. Page 4 On March 3rd 1918 Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. This gave a quarter of Russia s territory away and half of it s population. This had made Lenin very unpopular even though most of the territory was returned after the war was over. The Revolution of 1917 had been an important part in Russia s progress toward a non-monarch rule. There were many people who died for the cause that they believed in. This revolution had made the people stronger and more powerful. It had given them what they asked for a new government, but maybe not the type of government that they had hoped for. The basic necessities of the people were met and they did receive more coal and bread to eat, yet what they did not receive is the type of government they thrived for. Overall the revolution proved to the Russian citizens are able to speak their mind and even take over their government if necessary.