What events took place in Europe at the beginning of the 2oth century? How did they affect politics?

1. UNIT 7
The WWI and the Russian
Revolution

2. WWI Causes
• Colonial conflicts:
• Crisis of Morocco between France and Germany in 1905 and 1911.
• Nationalism:
• National aspirations of territories inside the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungarian empire.
• Alsace-Lorraine: France claims the sovereignty of these territories, annexed by Germany after its
victory in the Franco-Prussian wars.
• Balkan wars:
• Ottoman Empire was in a state of collapse (The sick man of Europe)
• Austria-Hungary, Serbia and Russia wanted to increase their influence over the Balkans.
• Two Balkan Wars (1912 and 1913) increased the rivalry between Austria-Hungary against Russia
and Serbia for the control of the Balkan area.
• Military alliances and arms race:
• Triple Alliance:
• In 1882: Germany – Austro Hungarian Empire – Italy
• In 1914: Germany – Austro Hungarian Empire and Ottoman Empire.
• Triple Entente:
• Great Britain – France – Russia.
• Arms Race:
• Countries spent vast amounts of money on manufacturing weapons and strengthening their armies.

3. Russian Revolution: Situation of Russia in the early 20th century
• Autocratic empire:
• Russia was the only country in Europe with Ancient Regime.
• The “Tsar” (Emperor) had absolute power and ruled by decree.
• Tsar controlled a large bureaucracy and a powerful army, he also
had great influence in the Orthodox Church.
• Backward economy:
• Agriculture was the main economic activity controlled by a
powerful and wealthy aristocracy.
• Majority of the population were peasants, living in miserable
conditions and most of them illiterate.
• Some cities had industry, driven by foreign capital and worked
by an industrial proletariat for very low wages.
Tsar Nicholas II Romanov and
Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna
Russian peasants in 1900

4. Opposition to tsarism
• Since late 19th century some opposition to tsarism
arose:
• Liberals: KDT party. Wanted to transform Russia into a
parliamentary monarchy.
• Anarchists: Influenced by the ideas of M. Bakunin and P.
Kropotkin, wanted to overturn the government and establish
a system of collective ownership.
• Socialists: Russian Social Democratic Party. Aspired to take
power and abolish the privileges of nobles and clergy. Was
soon divided into:
• Mensheviks: Led by Martov. Defended the political activism rather
than the revolution. Considered that Russia wasn`t prepared for the
revolution yet.
• Bolsheviks: Led by Lenin. Defenders of the revolution as the only way
to obtain the liberation of the Russian people.
Lenin and Martov in a meeting in
late 19th century

5. Revolution of 1905
• The war against Japan provoked the shortage of food and
goods in cities.
• In January, a peaceful demonstration in Saint Petersburg
broke out demanding the end of autocracy and asking for
better living conditions.
• The Tsar responded with brutal repression, sending the army
to dissolve the demonstrations and killing thousands of civil
population. (Bloody Sunday).
• This repression provoked revolutionary outbreaks in the most
important cities of Russia, also the navy joined to the
revolutionaries in the port of Odesa.
• The Bolsheviks organised “Soviets”: councils of workers,
peasants and soldiers to lead the revolution.
• In this situation, the Tsar agreed to hold elections by universal
suffrage and to promote the agrarian reform. The uprisings
were put down few weeks later.
• Despite these measures, the Tsar retook his absolute power
years later.

6. The crisis of the first world war
• Russia entered in the WWI due to its Alliance with the Triple Entente.
• The enthusiasm of the first moment was soon turned into general
disappointment.
• Russia wasn`t prepared for such a long war, its inefficient army
suffered a huge number of casualties in the first year of the war.
• The social unrest arose and the opposition to tsarism saw a chance to
end the regime.

7. The February revolution of 1917
• On 23 February 1917: Large demonstration in
Petrograd, general strike and riots in barracks.
• The Tsar abdicated and a republic was proclaimed.
• A provisional government took control of politics and
promised elections to make Russia a parliamentary
democracy.
• The provisional government lead by Alexander
Kerensky was made up by the bourgeois party Kadet
and Esser.
• First measures: Social and political reforms, amnesty for the
political leaders, call for elections and to remain in the war.
• Opposition: Soviets wanted to withdraw form the war, and
opposed the new government demanding its dismission. A
duality of power emerged.

8. The October Revolution
• Lenin returned to Russia from the exile in Februrary, and publishes the “April
Thesis”:
• End the war with Germany.
• All the power to the Soviets.
• Collectivisation of industry agricultural land.
• Nationalisation of the banks.
• Bolsheviks had created their own militia the “Red Guards” to prepare the
insurrection.
• October 25th 1917: Rebels commanded by the Red Guards occupied Petrograd,
took the Winter Palace and overthrew the provisional government. The “workers
government” was proclaimed, led by Lenin.
• In November 1917 elections were held for the Constituent Assembly:
• Bolsheviks won in the biggest cities and industrial regions, but only obtained 25% of seats.
• Fearing opposing groups, Lenin dissolved the Assembly and took the Duma: Put an end on
political pluralism in Russia.
• First measures done by Lenin:
• Expropriation of the land and its distribution among peasants
• The control of factories was given to worker’s committees
• End of the war: Signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany, giving large extensions of
territory to Germany in exchange for peace.

9. The civil war and the formation of the USSR
• 1918 – 1921
• White Army vs. Red Army:
• White: Supporter of Tsarism, landowners, nobility, privileged
groups and bourgeoisie. Commanded by Admiral Kolchak.
• Red: Bolsheviks and supporters of the revolution. Commanded by
Leon Trotsky.
• In 1921 the Red Army defeated the most important cores of the
White Army. And took control of the whole country.
• Consequences of the civil war:
• Soviet regime applied the “Communism of War”: Hard measures
of control over the Russian population, including rationing food,
nationalisation of all industrial and agricultural production, forced
recruitment and execution of treason suspects.
• The Tsar and its family were executed.
• When the civil war ended, the name of the country was
changed by USSR (Union of Soviets Socialist Republics)
• Federation of Republics, each one had authority over justice,
education and retained its language.
• The USSR had a parliament (Supreme Soviet) and a single party
(CPSU).
• The USSR lasted until 1991.

10. Europe at the end of the war
• Demographic and economic consequences:
Demographic:
• 10 million military casualties.
• 5 million civilians
• 23 million injured
• Millions of Indirect deaths by malnutrition and
disease (Spanish Influenza)
Economic:
• Loss of European hegemony: All European countries
were in debt, had to issue bonds to pay the war
loans.
• United States became the main creditor of Europe,
and the most powerful economy in the world.
• Dollar replaced the pound sterling as the main
international currency.

11. The Peace of Paris 1919
• Winners of WWI imposed the terms and conditions for the
peace in Europe.
• Three countries were the leaders of the peace treaties:
• France (Clemenceau)
• Great Britain (Lloyd George)
• USA (Thomas W. Wilson)
• Most important measures:
• End of Great Empires: Russian Empire, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman
Empire and German Empire.
• Formation of new Nations: Based on the principle of nationalities
(Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
Finland)
• Creation of the League of Nations:
• Suggestion of US president Wilson (“14 points for peace”): international
organisation to guarantee peace and cooperation between states.
• Failed project: US senate voted not to join, Germany and USSR were initially
excluded. The League had no influence on international politics.
• Hard conditions for the losers of the war, specially against Germany:
• Treaty of Versailles: Hard conditions for Germany, considered guilty
of the war.
• Germany was forced to pay all the war costs.
• Loss of all its colonial empire
• Its territory and its army was reduced to a minimum.

13. Consequences of the Peace of Paris
• Germany: General feeling of humiliation and resentment. Increased the nationalism and desire of
revenge.
• Italy’s frustration: Did not receive the territories requested in the Adriatic coast. Increased
nationalism.
• Japan’s frustration: Did not receive the territories requested in the Pacific. Increased nationalism.
• USSR: New socialist country, was excluded from the most important international meetings.
Capitalist countries were afraid of a Bolshevik expansion in Europe.
• League of Nations had little influence in international affairs, inefficient to solve disputes between
countries.
• Conclusion: Unsatisfactory peace, “It will be the beginning of another war”
- What date could be the
picture belongs to?
- Why are those countries
represented?
- What message wanted the
author to convey?