The Russian Revolution

750 Words2 Pages

Many people wonder why some countries, like Russia, are the way they are today. What most people do not realize is that most of these countries have gone through many changes in government and society. The Russian Revolution was one of the most significant events because of how is changed not only Russia's government, but also the whole country.
The Russian Revolution was two revolutions. One was in "March of 1917" (Llewellyn, 2012) and the other one was in "October of 1917" (Llewellyn, 2012). The first revolution happened because "the Russian people wanted change" (Llewellyn, 2012). Tsar Nicholas II, the autocratic ruler of Russia. He clung stubbornly to his power and he believed that the power was to be his divine birthright. The people on the other hand would change the future of Russia, not God. The first revolution started as a peaceful march in Russia’s capital city. The march then grew into a torrent of protest. Within a week of the protest, Tsar Nicholas II had been toppled from power and replaced by an interim government. This government was filled with liberals and moderates. The new government lasted barely six months before the government was overthrown and replaced, this time by radical socialists. "This group, known as the Bolsheviks, struggled to keep their power by suppressing dissent and eliminating their opponents" (Llewellyn, 2012) The Bolsheviks also began planning Russia’s transformation which was from a backward economic state organized on medieval principles into a modern industrial and technological superpower. "This transformation alone made the Russian Revolution one of the most significant events in modern history for all countries" (Llewellyn, 2012).
The rise of socialism in Russia changed the ...

... middle of paper ...

...The Bolsheviks also seized control of the countryside by establishing the Cheka to quash dissent. “To end the war, the Bolshevik leadership signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany in March 1918” (Chaney, 2012). Civil war then erupted. The war was between the Bolshevik and the anti-Bolshevik factions. The war continued for several years, with the Bolsheviks ultimately victorious. In the end, the Revolution paved the way for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (Chaney, 2012).
In conclusion, with the government change left and right, Russia went through a period of chaos and destruction. The government change also hurt Russia's economy and the alliances that Russia made in previous years. The government was also the main cause of the Cold War and because of the time period, Russia is a completely different time from when Russia was back in the 1900s.

Open Document