Russia 1914-24

1. Tsarina Alexandra
2. Crowned in 1894

1. Poor Leadership from Tsar Nicholas II
   1. Sacked the Generals of the Army
      1. Took personal command of the Army
         1. Defeat of the Russians

1. Working Class
   1. Mostly made out of peasants that moved to the city for a better life
      1. Horrible living and working conditions
         1. Overcrowding
         2. Terrible food
         3. Disease
         4. Alcoholism
      2. Low pay
      3. No government regulation on child labour, hours, safety and education
      4. Trade unions were illegal
2. Peasantry
   1. 80% of the Russian population
   2. Kulaks
   3. Poor living and working conditions

      Nota:

      • Famine and starvation were very common, so the life expectancy of a peasant farmer was only 40 years of age
   4. Most land in Russia was unsuitable for farming

      Nota:

      • Very short supply of land because of the rapid growth of the population. Since 80% of the population are peasants, the demand for land is very high.
   5. Farmers were still using ancient farming techniques

      Nota:

      • The "backwardness" of the Russians meant the low production of foodstuffs.
   6. No basic education in Russia

      Nota:

      • Very few peasants could read or write. Despite that, many peasants were loyal to the Tsar.
   7. Most of them very religious people

      Nota:

      • A priest would say how wonderful the Tsar was and how the peasants should be loyal subjects.
      1. Some supported the opposition

         Nota:

         • The opposition were the Socialist Revolutionaries.
3. Aristocracy
   1. Living conditions contrasted with the peasantry

      Nota:

      • The Aristocrats had estates, town and country houses with elegant lifestyles.
   2. Only 1.5% of Russia were aristocrats
      1. They owned 25% of Russia's land

         Nota:

         • If the landlords were financially troubled, they would have sold the land bit by bit
   3. The were key towards the Tsar's government

      Nota:

      • They acted as local government officials
   4. The dominated the local assemblies in the countryside
4. Middle Class
   1. Included capitalists
   2. Only a small middle class
   3. Many middle classed people wanted a greater democracy

      Nota:

      • This means they wanted the Tsar to abdicate

1. Lasted two years

1. Nicholas II abdicates
2. Short Term effects
3. Long Term effects
   1. Crop yields fall
   2. Gave power to ALL the people
      1. People were fighting for that right

Nota:

• Born Vladimir Illyich Ulyanov

Nota:

• Born Lev Davidovich Bronstein

1. Died August 21st 1940

   Nota:

   • Assassination attempt on the 20th August 1940 by undercover NKVD agent
2. Born 1879 into a Jew family
3. Head of

Nota:

•  Born Ioseb Besarionis Dze Jugashvili