Russia’s History

Czar “Ramanov Family” Rules Russia
► Russia was becoming powerful and the lives of
serfs had not improved. Russia was divided
between two groups; the very rich and the very
poor. Tensions between the two groups began to
rise drastically.
► 1855-1881 Alexander II
► -Wanted Russia to become more like European
nations.
► -Freed the serfs and gave them their own land.

►1881-1894 Alexander III
► -Reversedmany of his father’s reforms and
the country again came under harsh rule.
►1894-1917 Nicholas II
► -After
a devastating defeat by the Japanese,
unrest grew among serfs and workers.

Czar “Ramanov Family” Rules Russia
► -Bloody Sunday 1/22/05:
Thousand of workers
marched to the Winter
Palace to request reforms
from the czar. The workers
were met by troops that fired
into the crowds killing
thousands.
► -After Bloody Sunday
Nicholas was forced to agree
to the “Duma”. The “Duma”
was a congress elected by
the people. The Duma held
power along with czar until
1917.

World War One
► 1914-1919
► War that was fought over territory and
alliances in Europe.
► Russia formed an alliance with France,
Britain, and the USA
► 2, 500, 000 Russians killed
► Russia withdrew from the war in 1917 due
to its own civil war at home. Russia was
economically devastated after the war.

World War One
► Inflation soared,
people suffered severe
food shortages and
reconstruction costs
were astronomical.
Russia was on the
verge of collapse. The
Russian citizens rioted.
The czar Nicholas
Romanov was forced to
relinquish his power
and a weak democratic
government controls
Russia.

Communist Principles Rule Russia
► 1917 Vladimir Lenin
overthrows the new
Russian democracy
and makes peace
with Germany.
► In order to heal the
deep split between
Russia’s rich and
poor, Lenin installs
a communist
government.

Russian Civil War
► 1917-1922
► Communists come to
power under Lenin.
► War broke out between
the communists and
nationalists. The war
lasted for three years
and cost millions of
Russian lives.
► The czar Nicholas
Romanov and his
family are murdered by
the Bolsheviks
(Communists).

USSR Formed
► 1922 under Lenin
► Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
► The USSR was made up of Russia and
smaller republics under Russian
control.
► Lenin jailed or killed people who
opposed his communist government.

USSR Formed
► Bulgaria,
Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Poland,
Romania, Albania,
East Germany,
Mongolia, Cuba, and
Vietnam were
nations that were
ruled by the USSR.
► Lenin dies in 1924

Josef Stalin Rules Russia
► Rules from 1924-1953
► Stalin is a harsh and cruel dictator that
supports communist principles. He
controlled every aspect of Soviet life
and jailed or executed anyone who
opposed him.

Josef Stalin Rules Russia
Stalin forced the
serfs to give their
farm products to
the government
and sent millions
of serfs to the
Siberian Labor
camps where
millions died.

World War Two
► In 1939, Stalin signed a pact with
Germany to not invade, Germany
invades anyway.
► In 1941, Germany invades the USSR
and millions die. Soviet cities are
destroyed.

World War Two
► The Soviets joined
forces with the
Allies and captured
Berlin, Germany in
1945. Germany is
defeated and the
Russians never
leave Eastern
Europe after the
war.

Cold War
► The Cold War was a time of great
tension in the world. Communist
countries of Eastern Europe and the
USSR formed an alliance called the
Warsaw Countries.
► The capitalist countries of Western
Europe and the USA formed the
alliance of NATO Countries.

Cold War
► The two alliances
competed in an
arms race of nuclear
weapons, a space
race, through
education, and the
Olympics.
► The Iron Curtain
marked the dividing
line between
communism and
capitalism.

Sputnik Launched
► The Cold War was a time of great
tension and secrets. Both the United
States and the USSR worked very hard
to secure their countries.
► Both nations were very fearful of
spying and nuclear attacks.

Sputnik Launched
► Sputnik was one of
the ten artificial
orbiting satellites
launched by the
USSR that was
believed to be
spying on the USA.

Vietnam War
► 1959-1975
► Conflict was part of the
Cold War and was a
hidden war between
the USA and
USSR/China.
► South Vietnam:
Capitalists
USA Supported
► North Vietnam:
Vietcong (Communists)
USSR/China Supported

Berlin Wall
► The Berlin Wall was
built in 1961. It
divided Berlin,
Germany into the
East (Communism)
and the West
(Capitalism). This
wall split families
and friends for 28
years.

Cuban Missile Crisis
► 1962
► Communist Dictator Fidel Castro rules
Cuba with the financial and military
support of the USSR.
► The USA had long range nuclear
missiles that could strike all of the
USSR. The USSR was unable to reach
the USA with their missiles.

Cuban Missile Crisis
► The USSR devised a
plan to set up Soviet
nuclear sites in Cuba
that could reach the
USA.
► Both nations were in
the highest state of
readiness and prepared
to use nuclear weapons
to defend their
territory.
► This crisis is the closest
the world has ever
come to nuclear war.

USSR Invades Afghanistan
► 1979-1989
► USSR invades
Afghanistan in attempt
to install a communist
government.
► The United States
supported the Islamic
Fundamentalist
government (Taliban
and Bin Laden) that
opposed Soviet rule.
► Extension of the Cold
War

Chernobyl
► 1986 Ukraine
► Worst nuclear reactor disaster in
history. The explosion caused
radioactive material to be released
into the atmosphere.
► Hundreds suffered from severe
radiation sickness, high cancer rates
and genetic mutations were common.

Chernobyl
►Chernobyl and
near by towns
were all
evacuated.

Fall of Berlin Wall
► November 9th, 1989
► East German
government opens its
borders to the West
and allows thousands
to pass freely through
the Berlin Wall.
► November 10th, 1989:
East German troops
begin to dismantle the
Berlin Wall which
marked the end of
communism in Europe.

Break Up of the USSR
► 1991
► Ineconomic ruin due to military
spending to support the Cold War, the
USSR collapses.
► Russia becomes democratic and
embraces capitalism.

Break Up of the USSR
► Former Russian
republics emerge as
free nations and
hold their own
elections.
► Communism is no
longer present in
Europe.