As the Russian Civil War was coming to an end and it became clear that the Bolsheviks were the victors, they began to look away from the past and toward the future. The people that fought both for and against the Bolsheviks had grown up under the Tsar and for them, communism, even if they … Continue reading →
Tag: Bolsheviks
Trotsky’s Train: Railway to Victory
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The Red Sotnia, which translates to Red One hundred was Leon Trotsky’s elite personal body guard and were the early twentieth century equivalent of the Secret service and manned what can be considered the early twentieth century equivalent of Air Force One. The train acted as an early version of a mobile Pentagon allowing Trotsky to go …
Life in the USSR الحياة في روسيا
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Lenin Speaks to a Crowd of Muslim People in 1925 It’s no secret that Russia is surrounded by diverse cultures. To its West there is Europe, to its East there is Asia, and to its South, there is Central Asia and the Middle East- what was formerly the great Ottoman Empire. The Soviet Union comprised …
Revolutionary Power Couple
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After seizing control of the Russian government, the Bolsheviks were tasked with maintaining control over the country. Although they were outnumbered at times and lacked veteran military leadership, by 1921 the Bolsheviks had gained complete control. Fortunately for the Bolsheviks, throughout the civil war they were led by Lenin and Leon Trotsky. In his leadership … Continue reading Revolutionary Power Couple
The Feminist for Russia: Alexandra Kollontai
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Born of Russian nobility in 1872, it was surprising to me how Alexandra Kollantai related to the revolutionary movements in Russia before, during, and after the 1917 Russian Revolution. Her social class status and upbringing portrays one of wealth and prosperity. She was well-educated and was generally free to seek her own path in life,…
Church of Gold
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“What can the church of gold give us? Russia could be fed this year and the next!” Source: Hoover Political Poster Database. 2007. With all of the cultural changes happening during the early 1900’s, I found the changing of religion … Continue reading →
The Famine of 1921-22
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Throughout the time of the Russian Revolution, we have seen many different instances of food shortages; in some form or another. With the famine of 1921-22, the food shortages started to become, in nature, very political. During this time, the government would take food from the peasants and give it to those in the Red … Continue reading The Famine of 1921-22
Trading Space for Time
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Treaty of Brest Litovsk. March 3, 1918 Following the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks sought to make good on their promise of peace, land, and bread for all. The new Communist Regime opened up peace negotiations with Germany, Austria-hungry, and the Ottoman Empire. The Treaty of Brest Litovsk, named after a small Ukrainian town, was the ensuing peace document that developed out of … Continue reading Trading Space for Time
Bolsheviks on top
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picture source: http://diehardgamefan.com/2012/08/23/tabletop-review-reds-the-russian-civil-war-1918-1921/ The Russian Civil War began in the winter of 1917/18. By the spring of 1918, the Bolsheviks had extended their authority to the Russian heartland but could hardly claim to have a firm grasp of power. Within the civil war, there were the “Reds” and the “Whites,” the “Reds” being the Bolsheviks and … Continue reading Bolsheviks on top
How the Soviets Tried to Take Religion Out of Russia
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The text on this rather brutal poster says “religion is poison- protect your children.” Did religion play a part in the formation of the new Soviet state? Not really, but the Soviet state played a part in the weakening of the Russian Orthodox Church. When the Bolsheviks rose into power in 1917, they immediately began … Continue reading How the Soviets Tried to Take Religion Out of Russia
