Introduction To Modern World History

Introduction to Modern World History • After WWI to WWII • Russia, Germany, Japan, China • League of Nations

Conflict between different set of ideas • Democracy • Communism/ Socialism • Nationalism • Nazism

Second World War • WHY? • WHO? • How it ended? • CONSEQUENCES.

•KEY INDIVIDUALS • LENIN • STALIN • HITLER • MAO ZEDONG

• • • • • •

Link to History of Southeast Asia Ask yourself: Why it happened? What are the impact/ consequences? Similar/ different Change / continuity

• Russia: 1st country to become a communist state • Revolution: A complete change which takes place in a short time. • Monarchy: Royal family • Tzar/ Tzarina: Emperor/ Empress • Communism: An economic system where everything is controlled by the state - there is no private property. • Thus, everyone is equal.

• Dictatorship: One-man / one-party rule • Democracy: A political system whereby the people are ruled by the people through the process of election. • Civil War: A war within the country fought among its people.

• Tzar - Nicholas II (1894- 1917) • Had absolute power • Aristorcacy - extremely wealthy and influential - owned most of the land, held important position in the army, govt. • Felt that it was a natural order of things that they were rich and others were poor. • No idea how the ordinary people lived.

• Middle Class: • Had little power but wanted more • Lawyers, doctors, businessmen • wanted to be able to have a say in the running of the country.

• Factory workers: • lived in towns- eg: Moscow/ St Petersburg • poor living and working conditions • Peasants -3/4 of the population-former slaves- poor- in debtwork on land

Opposition groups Consisted of Social middle class & Revolutionaries intellectuals – - wanted land to wanted moderate be given to the changes peasants - prepared to use -Wanted violence constitutional monarchy

Social Democrats -Marxists -believed that state should own all property and use it for the good of the people. - divided into 2 groups:

Social Democrats/ Marxists • BOLSHEVIKS • do not want to cooperate with others • impatient for revolution to take place • (majority)

• MENSHEVIKS • willing to cooperate with others • (minority)

Impact of the First World War on Russia • Army • poorly supplied, losing battles, suffered loses • Leadership • Weak, low morale, govt badly runned • Discontent • Lack of food, poor living conditions

The Tzar and the Tzarina • Unpopular • did not share power with Duma • dependent on Rasputin, a “holy man” • when the tzar led the army in the war, the tzarina was left to run the country. Influenced by the scandalous Rsputin • Govt - corrupted, ministers appointed/ sacked • Tzarina came to be known as a traitor.

The February Revolution, 1917 EVENTS unplanned but predictable workers went on strike - shops were raided Tzar had no idea how bad things were ordered strike to be quelled by forcesoldiers were told to fire at the people but refused, instead soldiers joined them • Nicholas was then asked to abdicate • • • • •

The February Revolution, 1917 • Reasons • food shortages due to poor harvests, poor farming methods, lack of manpower due to men at war • Town people also suffered • army deserters flooded the city, making problems worse • soldiers refused to shoot the demonstrators • revolution--> unplanned, had no leader and no common purpose

The February Revolution, 1917

• Nicholas II abdicated • set up of provisional government • First head of the provisional govt was Prince Lvov, later replaced by the Menshevik leader, Alexander Kerensky.

Reasons for failure of the Provisional Government: • No solution for unemployment/ No land reforms • refused to end war - thus became unpopular with all sections of society as the war damaged the country further • No confidence/ authority to stand up to the Petrograd Soviet • Demands of Bolshevik for “peace, bread and land” were more popular.

The Petrograd Soviet • Competed with Provisional Govt. • The Soviet was a council of soldiers and trade unionists who were Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries • After Feb Revolution, the Soviet took over control of transport & food supplies - had more contact with the people • encouraged people to form their own soviets • Petrograd Soviet stronger than the govt.

The October Revolution, 1917 • Increasing support for the Bolsheviks • unlike the February revolution, this one was wellplanned - by Lenin. • ThePetrograd Soviet and the Red Guards, led by Trotsky- took over control of vital communication links and govt places like the Winter Palace. • Members of the Provisional Govt were arrested. • The Bolsheviks now appointed their own govt officials in the Congress of Soviets • Lenin was appointed Leader of the Govt.

Political: Did not want to share power. Parliament was closed down. Opposition was suppressed. Other political parties banned. • Social: • teaching of religion was forbidden • strict censorship of press • the Cheka (secret police) instill fear in the people.

• Economic: • private ownership of land was abolished • all people were declared equal

The Brest- Litovsk, 1918 • The treaty which pulled Russia out of the First World War • Russia lost vast territories to Germany • lost one-third of the population • Lenin thought that it was a price worth paying, in order to concentrate on internal problems.

The Civil War • The Reds: • the Bolsheviks

• • • • • • •

• The Whites: made up of different groupssupporters of the Tzars social revolutionaries liberals mensheviks educated middle class foreign powers- US/ France/ Britain

The Whites failed because: • Strength of Reds: • Capable Leader- Leon Trotsky • resourceful, inspiring • Controlled main industrial areas- had access to supplies • controlled the centre

• Weaknesses of Whites: • no clear objectives/ war plans • placed around the edge of Russia - no communication- no cooperation • disunited • no support from the peasants

WAR COMMUNISM WHAT? • Lenin’s economic policy (1918-1921) • Nationalisation - factories/ businesses were put under govt control • Factories produced essential items for war effort • labour conscription introduced • Grain taken from peasants to be given to city/ soldiers • Food rationing was introduced

WAR COMMUNISM • WHY? • Economic condition was appalling • industrial production slowed down • emergency measure to help the Bolsheviks win the Civil War

WAR COMMUNISM • Effects • production worsened as factory workers ran away to the country side • Peasants resented the government for taking their food away, so they refused to cooperate - planted less • + drought/ poor harvest led to famine • The Krondstadt Rebellion - though it was crushed, Lenin was embarrassed by strength of rebellion • Introduced a new policy called “ The NEP”

THE NEW ECONOMIC POLICY • • • • • •

• WHAT? A step back from “pure communism”- but necessary to prevent failure of the communist system and downfall of the government. Measures: food was not confiscated, peasants could sell excess food small companies could be privately run. Foreign investments were encouraged peasants allowed to rent land

THE NEW ECONOMIC POLICY • • • • •

Effects: Food production increased production of goods increased Criticism: Businessmen were said to be profiting while while workers were still poor • rich peasants (kulaks) were said to behave like the aristocrats, renting out lands - return to old order.