Before we shift gears to Russia, let's do the summaries of the "Then
and Now" legacies of World War I. (We'll wait on the genocide summaries
for a day or two.)
Then and Now: The Shaping of the 21st Century: We'll return once more to PBS website The Great War to consider the impact and legacy of this conflict.
Next, we'll look more at how World War I previewed and influenced many of the issues with which we deal today. Then and Now: The Shaping of the 21st Century provides us with a list of these issues. We'll look at those.
Our main goal for today will be to make sense of Russia's transition from the Romanov Dynasty to a totalitarian, communist state known as the Soviet Union, or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Then and Now: The Shaping of the 21st Century: We'll return once more to PBS website The Great War to consider the impact and legacy of this conflict.
Next, we'll look more at how World War I previewed and influenced many of the issues with which we deal today. Then and Now: The Shaping of the 21st Century provides us with a list of these issues. We'll look at those.
Our main goal for today will be to make sense of Russia's transition from the Romanov Dynasty to a totalitarian, communist state known as the Soviet Union, or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
As
I've mentioned, I've taught this material in a couple different classes
over the years. I'll share some of my own notes with you so that you
can look more in depth at the issues if you would like.
Russia: From Czar to Communism
- Initially, let's back it up to the pre-WWI period in Russia. For most
of the 19th century, Russia was ruled by czars named Alexander and
Nicholas... Here is a set of notes on The Last Czars.
Take a look at these for a minute to get a feel for the challenges and
issues facing Russia at the time. We can talk about those.
Czar Nicholas II is the last of the Romanovs to rule Russia. Let's take a look at my Nicholas II - Notes and
see some of the ways in which he is accused of weakening Russia. Be
sure you understand "Bloody Sunday" and the role of Rasputin here.
As
you certainly have seen by now, 1917 is the key year for Russia. It is
here that Russia undergoes a pair of revolutions. Let's take a closer
look at the The Russian Revolutions of 1917.
Following these revolutions, Russia (as you read) fights a brutal civil
war which ends with the Bolsheviks and Lenin in charge.
Communism in Russia: We'll have you more closely examine some of the ideas that Lenin and the Bolsheviks put into place in Russia. Considering this Introduction to Communism and your reading, as well as your own background knowledge, try your hand at answering these questions.
- In your opinion, what made communism a good match for Russia? What made it a bad fit?
- How did the communism Lenin put in place differ from the vision of Marx?
- Should Lenin be considered a communist? Why or why not?
- What, if anything, could have been done to make communism more successful in Russia?
Tomorrow,
we'll turn our attention to the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin. In
preparation for that, you might take a look at some of these resources.
Homework for tomorrow - Thursday, April 9th
Continue your reading in Chapter 30 with Section 3, "Imperial China Collapses." (pp. 882 - 886)
