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 →
Category: 4th Weekly Edition
The Betrayal in Kronstadt
by •
The sudden and brutal way in which the Bolsheviks responded to the demands and rebellion of the garrison of Kronstadt … More
ALL OF RUSSIA DO THE ELECTRIC SLIDE
by •
In February 1920 the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Soviets announced the formation of a State Electrification Commission (GOELRO), starting the first major economic project of the Bolsheviks. This program would be led under the chairmanship of the Bolshevik electrical engineer, Gleb Krzhizhanovskii. The task would call for a general plan for electrifying the … Continue reading ALL OF RUSSIA DO THE ELECTRIC SLIDE
Trotsky’s Train: Railway to Victory
by •
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 …
A Feast for A Famine
by •
The famine that plagued Russia from 1921 to 1923 is widely noted as one of the largest disasters of the 20th century. The quick succession of World War I by the Bolshevik Revolution and the Russian Civil War created a… Continue Reading →
Doing Away With Religion
by •
Communism and religion have always been at odds with one another. This antagonistic relationship started with Karl Marx when he famously wrote, “It [Religion] is the opium of the people” (Marx 1844). Religion was seen as a tool with which the ruling class used to suppress and control the working class. However, with the seizure … Continue reading Doing Away With Religion
Terror Against Men of God
by •
The Bolsheviks did all that they could to seize power, even if that meant killing thousands to get what they wanted. The Bolsheviks conducted the Red Terror, a campaign of mass arrests and executions. The Red Terror resulted in tens
Life in the USSR الحياة في روسيا
by •
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
by •
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
by •
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,…
