Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855-1964

Micheal Romanov was chosen to be Tsar. Start of the Romanov Family rule. The emancipation of the serfs, 1861 Alexander told the Marshalls of the Nobilty that it was better to abolish serfdom from above Committe set up to consider how to abolish serfdom. Provincial nobles elect committe to consider reform Key decision that freed serfs would acquire land Editing commission established to draw up the stautes. Local government reforms, 1864 Judicial reforms, 1864 Karakazov's attempted assassination of Alexander II Town councils set up Narodnick "going to the people" movement begins Trial of the 50 and Trial of the 193 The Black Partition and The People's Will revolutionary groups begin to take shape The "Third Section" (Secret Police) is abolished Assassination of Alexander II Statute of State Security - Emergency powers introduced Okhrana (Secret Police) established Over the course of several years the poll tax was abolished Peasants' Land Bank set up University Statute - Stricter controls on universities Nobles' Land Bank set up Zemstva Act Municipal Government Act Tsar Nicholas II abdicates causing the Romanov family, which has ruled for 300 years, to die Rasputin heals the Tsar's son Peasant revolts in the countryside (1902/3) Bloody Sunday The assassination of the Grand Duke Sergei Union of Unions formed All-Russian Peasant Union meets Treaty of Portsmouth signed- end of war with Japan General strike St Petersburg Soviet formed October Manifesto Leaders of the St Petersburg Soviet arrested Armed uprising in Moscow crushed Suppression of peasants and minorities Lenin is born, 1870 Orders for full Russian mobilisation given Germany declared war on Russia Progressive Bloc formed in Duma Nicholas took direct control of the army and left Petrograd leaving his wife in charge Rasputin murdered International women's day demonstration and parade Turning point soldiers join the people 25-26 Feb Duma special committee formed 120,000 workers strike in St. Petersburg Strikes in the Caucasus Rural Disorder Nicholas II organizes committee on constitutional reforms Strike movement and unrest reachs Siberia and the Urals The second National Congress of Zemstvos demands a constitutional assembly The Baltic Fleet is sunk Soldiers used against strikers in Lodz Odessa is halted by a large strike Tsar Issues a manifesto on th creation of a state Duma Printers strike in Moscow, the start of Russia's first General Strike. Rail Workers join strike action Telegraph Workers join strike action Strike action has developed into a General Strike. N. E. Bauman, a Bolshevik activist, is killed during a streetfight The Council of Ministers is created, a government cabinet under Witte Bauman's funeral The General Strike is ended by the St. Petersburg Soviet The Union of Russian People is created by Dubrovin. The Moscow branch of the Peasants Union is arrested by the government. Telephone/graph workers strike Tsar introduces 'Provisional Rules', which at once abolish some aspects of censorship Khrustalev-Nosar arrested The St. Petersburg Soviet elects a triumvirate to replace Nosar Nicholas II and his son given honorary membership of the Union of the Russian People Sergei Witte persuaded Nicholas to allow the introduction of an elected Duma Nicholas forced Prime Minister Sergei Witte to resign and replaced him with Ivan Goremykin Fundamental Law introduced Stolypin introduced military courts to deal with political unrest The amount of land available for peasants to purchase was increased Peasants were given the right to leave the commune (Mir) Leon Trotsky escaped Prison Order No.1 issued Provisional government formed- Dominated by liberals (Kadets). One socialist (Kerensky) Lenin returns to Petrograd Milyukov resigns as Minister For War Coalition Government of socialists and Kadets First All-Russian Congress of Soviets begins Launch of military offensive Kerensky becomes Prime Minister Bolsheviks gain majority in Petrograd Soviet Bolshevik Central Committee rejects Lenin's first call for insurrection Lenin returns to Petrograd from Finland Bolshevik Central Committee confirms decision to take power Provisional Government- Five socialists join but still dominated by liberals Provisional Government- Three Kadet Ministers resign. Balance shifts in favor of socialists but a large amount of liberals remain Blank Shot fired- Storming of the Winter Palace Sovnarkom decrees- Maximum Eight-hour working day. Social insurance to be introduced. Opposition press banned Decree on peace Decree on land Sovnarkom decrees- Right of self-determination granted Abolition of the titles and class distinctions Workers to control factories Abolition of the justice system Women declared equal to men Sovnarkom decrees- Cheka (Secret Police) set up Banks nationalized The democratization of the Army Marriage and divorce became civil matters Church land nationalised Sovnarkom decrees- Creation of the Red Army. The execution of Nicholas II and his family Assination attempt on Lenin kickstarting the Red Terror 118 Separate risings throughout Soviet Russia The NEP is introduced to solve current problems affecting Russia The Cheka is renamed to the GPU Lenin's health delined Lenin suffers a massive stroke Lenin dies, 1924 Joesph Stalin is born, 1878 Leon Trotsky is born, 1879 Nikolai Bukharin is born, 1888 Alexei Rykov is born, 1881 Declaration of 46; Left Opposition formed; Central Committee condemns the declaration as a "factional move" All against Trotsky. Vote at the Party conference defeats Trotsky and the Left Opposition Death of Lenin Zinoviev and Kamenev alley with Stalin against Trotsky Decision not to read out Lenin's testament at the 13th Party Congress in May Trotsky's criticisms of the bureaucratic party defeated at the Congress Zinoviev and Kamenev take the lead against Trotsky, and Trotsky reminds the Party of their opposition to seizing power in October 1917. Stalin now allies with Bukharin, Rykov, and Tomsky against Zinoviev and Kamenev When Zinoviev and Kamenev attack Stalin at the 14th Party Congress in December they are defeated by 559 votes to 65 Leadership of the Leningrad Party organization purged Zinoviev and Kamenev join Trotsky to form the "United Opposition" and make a direct appeal to the Party masses and the workers, trying to organize demonstrations in Moscow. Bukharin takes the lead against them and they are accused of "factionalism". All three are expelled from the Politburo by the Central Committee- Zinoviev in July. Trotsky and Kamenev in October. Urals-Siberian method is used Stalin turns on Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky and the "right deviation" is condemned Forced collectivization begins; Central Committee ousts Bukharin from the Politburo for leading the "right deviation" No one can now challenged Stalin who emerges victorious End of AS Course Tsar Nicholas I, 1825-55 The Crimean War, 1853-56 (Russian Defeat) Tsar Alexander II, 1855-81 Peasant disturbances on news of emancipation, 1857-59 Military reforms, 1861-81 Education and censorship reforms,1863-64 Tsar Alexander III, 1881-94 Modernisation, 1880-1914 Autocracy, 1825-80 Tsar Nicholas II, 1894-1917 Sergei Witte is Finance Minister, 1892-1903 Russia becomes one of the leading industrial countries in the world. 1908-14 Increase in grain production, 1880-1914 Peter Stolypin brought in land reforms designed to be more productive, 1906-11 The Socialist Revolutionaries kill as many as 2000 people between 1901-05 The Russo-Japnese War, 1904-05 Kadet party formed Famine, 1891-92 First Duma, April-June 1906 Second Duma, February-June 1907 Third Duma, November 1907-June 1912 Fourth Duma, November 1912-August 1914 World War 1, 1914-1918 The 1905 Russian Revolution Sailors mutiny on the Battleship Potemkin The Peasant Union of the Volokolamsk District creates the independent Markovo Republic The Kronstadt mutiny The Vladivostok Mutiny The Peasants Union holds a conference in Moscow The Moscow Uprising, where rebels and militias try to take the city through armed struggle; it fails. July Days Some leading Bolsheviks arrested in Petrograd Kornilov affair Bolsheviks seize power Red Guard seizes key points Russian Civil War (1918-21) War Communism, 1919-21 Between 10,000 to 15,000 people were summarily executed by the Cheka- Red Terror Tambov Uprising 1920-21 Kronstadt Uprising The NEP, 1921-28 The grain crisis, 1927-28