Current Events:
Russia, Iran, Nukes
Lenin’s View of Marx
In March 1917, Lenin was still in exile. As Russia stumbled into revolution, Germany saw a chance to weaken its enemy by helping Lenin return home. Lenin rushed across Germany to the Russian frontier in a special train. He greeted a crowd of fellow exiles and activists with this cry: “Long live the worldwide Socialist revolution!”
Reading Check
Examining
What was Lenin's plan when he arrived in Russia?
The Bolsheviks Seize Power
Lenin threw himself into the work of furthering the revolution. Another dynamic Marxist revolutionary, Leon Trotsky, helped lead the fight. To the hungry, war-weary Russian people, Lenin and the Bolsheviks promised “Peace, Land, and Bread.”
The Provisional Government’s Mistakes
Meanwhile, the provisional government, led by Alexander Kerensky, continued the war effort and failed to deal with land reform. Those decisions proved fatal. Most Russians were tired of war. Troops at the front were deserting in droves. Peasants wanted land, while city workers demanded an end to the desperate shortages. In July 1917, the government launched the disastrous Kerensky offensive against Germany. By November, according to one official report, the army was “a huge crowd of tired, poorly clad, poorly fed, embittered men.” Growing numbers of troops mutinied. Peasants seized land and drove off fearful landlords.
The Bolshevik Takeover
Conditions were ripe for the Bolsheviks to make their move. In November 1917, squads of Red Guards—armed factory workers—joined mutinous sailors from the Russian fleet in attacking the provisional government. On the battleship Potemkin (Russian: Броненосец «Потёмкин», Bronyenosyets Potyomkin), a mutiny occurred when the crew rebelled against the officers of the Tsarist regime. In just a matter of days, Lenin’s forces overthrew the provisional government without a struggle.
The Bolsheviks quickly seized power in other cities. In Moscow, it took a week of fighting to blast the local government out of the walled Kremlin, the former tsarist center of government. Moscow became the Bolsheviks’ capital, and the Kremlin their headquarters.
“We shall now occupy ourselves in Russia in building up a proletarian socialist state,” declared Lenin. The Bolsheviks ended private ownership of land and distributed land to peasants. Workers were given control of the factories and mines. A new red flag with an entwined hammer and sickle symbolized union between workers and peasants. Throughout the land, millions thought they had at last gained control over their own lives. In fact, the Bolsheviks—renamed Communists—would soon become their new masters.
In November, 1917, Vladimir Lenin sent Leon Trotsky to negotiate with the Central Powers at Brest-Litovsk. He wrote about these negotiations in his autobiography, My Life.
It was obvious that going on with the war was impossible. On this point there was not even a shadow of disagreement between Lenin and me. But there was another question. How had the February revolution, and, later on, the October revolution, affected the German army? How soon would any effect show itself? To these questions no answer could as yet be given. We had to try and find it in the course of the negotiations as long as we could. It was necessary to give the European workers time to absorb properly the very fact of the Soviet revolution.
In his autobiography Leon Trotsky explained why he signed the Brest-Litovsk Treaty.
On 21st February, we received new terms from Germany, framed, apparently, with the direct object of making the signing of peace impossible. By the time our delegation returned to Brest-Litovsk, these terms, as is well known, had been made even harsher. All of us, including Lenin, were of the impression that the Germans had come to an agreement with the Allies about crushing the Soviets, and that a peace on the western front was to be built on the bones of the Russian revolution.
On 3rd March our delegation signed the peace treaty without even reading it. Forestalling many of the ideas of Clemenceau, the Brest-Litovsk peace was like the hangman's noose. On 22nd March the treaty was ratified by the German Reichstag. The German Social Democrats gave their approval in advance to the future principles of Versailles.
Reading Check
Describing
What was the impact of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on Russia?
Civil War in Russia
After the Bolshevik Revolution, Lenin quickly sought peace with Germany. Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918, giving up a huge chunk of its territory and its population. The cost of peace was extremely high, but the Communist leaders knew that they needed all their energy to defeat a collection of enemies at home. Russia’s withdrawal affected the hopes of both the Allies and the Central Powers, as you read in Section 3.
Vocabulary Builder
withdrawal—(with draw ul) n. the act of leaving
Opposing Forces
For three years, civil war raged between the “Reds,” as the Communists were known, and the counterrevolutionary “Whites.” The “White” armies were made up of tsarist imperial officers, Mensheviks, democrats, and others, all of whom were united only by their desire to defeat the Bolsheviks. Nationalist groups from many of the former empire’s non-Russian regions joined them in their fight. Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania broke free, but nationalists in Ukraine, the Caucasus, and Central Asia were eventually subdued.
The Allies intervened in the civil war. They hoped that the Whites might overthrow the Communists and support the fight against Germany. Britain, France, and the United States sent forces to help the Whites. Japan seized land in East Asia that tsarist Russia had once claimed. The Allied presence, however, did little to help the Whites. The Reds appealed to nationalism and urged Russians to drive out the foreigners. In the long run, the Allied invasion fed Communist distrust of the West.
Brutality was common in the civil war. Counterrevolutionary forces slaughtered captured Communists and tried to assassinate Lenin. The Communists shot the former tsar and tsarina and their five children in July 1918 to keep them from becoming a rallying symbol for counterrevolutionary forces.
Identifying
Who opposed the new Bolshevik regime?
Triumph of the Communists
The Communists used terror not only against the Whites, but also to control their own people. They organized the Cheka, a secret police force much like the tsar’s. The Cheka executed ordinary citizens, even if they were only suspected of taking action against the revolution. The Communists also set up a network of forced-labor camps in 1919—which grew under Stalin into the dreaded Gulag.
The Communists adopted a policy known as “war communism.” They took over banks, mines, factories, and railroads. Peasants in the countryside were forced to deliver almost all of their crops to feed the army and hungry people in the cities. Peasant laborers were drafted into the military or forced to work in factories.
Meanwhile, Trotsky turned the Red Army into an effective fighting force. He used former tsarist officers under the close watch of commissars, Communist party officials assigned to the army to teach party principles and ensure party loyalty. Trotsky’s passionate speeches roused soldiers to fight. So did the order to shoot every tenth man if a unit performed poorly.
The Reds’ position in the center of Russia gave them a strategic advantage. The White armies were forced to attack separately from all sides. They were never able to cooperate effectively with one another. By 1921, the Communists had managed to defeat their scattered foes.
Reading Check
Contrasting
Why did the Red Army prevail over the White Army?
War and Revolution in Russia 1914 - 1921 by Dr Jonathan Smele
Cf. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/eastern_front_01.shtml
Preview
Section 4 End of the War
Tanks, 1:46
Cassell Military Classics: Iron Fist: Classic Armoured Warfare by Bryan Perrett
One helpful animation is:
Animated Map: The Western Front, 1914 - 1918
Animated battle of the Somme
Cf. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/launch_ani_somme_map.shtml
Among other animations, you can view: Life in the Trenches
Cf. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/animations/wwone_movies/index_embed.shtml
You can try your luck during several front line missions with
Trench warfare:
Cf. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/hq/trenchwarfare.shtml
By the time the Yanks get involved there is a popular song which memorialized American involvement:
Cf. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/activities/songs/
American involvement in WW I, 4:11
The Great War #1, World War 1 Era Period Music and Pictures. WW 1 spanned from August of 1914 to November of 1918 and raged across the globe. The United States was officially involved in the war from April 1917 to the end.
The dough boys are nearly forgotten today in the shadow of World War 2, Vietnam and Iraq. Millions of American men and women, black and white, served our country in The Great War. This series of shorts shows the music of their time and photographs from the Great War.
Links
BBC Schools Links
GCSE Bitesize Revision - History
bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/
A secondary revision resource for GCSE exams covering the First World War.
The Bitesize series features audio clips from history and commentators:
Cf. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/
Standard Grade Bitesize Revision - History
bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/bitesize/standard/history/
A secondary revision resource for Standard Grade covering the First World War.
BBC Sites
BBC History - World War One
bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/
This World War One site from BBC History features interactive movies, animations, feature articles and 3-d models.
One helpful animation is:
Animated Map: The Western Front, 1914 - 1918
Cf. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/launch_ani_western_front.shtml
History Trail – How to do History
bbc.co.uk/history/lj/how_to_do_historylj/preview.shtml
Follow in the footsteps of professional historians and find out how they do history. Discover how postcards, council records, tapestries and people's memories of the past are all valuable sources for the historian.
Other Sites
Learning Curve – The Great War
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/greatwar
This is a comprehensive offering from the Public Records Office, which tells the story of the First World War through six different source based investigations. It aims to show how the War developed and includes teachers' notes.
Spartacus Educational – The First World War
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWW.htm
Spartacus' World War One website offers a growing encyclopaedia of entries about the war, as well as links to other websites.
First World War.com - The war to end all wars
http://www.firstworldwar.com
This site gives a general overview of the First World War. It offers a collection of insightful feature articles, photos and footage, memoirs and diaries.
Spark Notes – World War 1 (1914-1918)
http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/ww1/
Gives a summary and commentary on each main study area of the First World War.
Art of the First World War
http://www.art-ww1.com/gb/present.html
Presents 100 paintings from international collections from around the world to commemorate the First World War.
The World War One Document Archive
http://www.art-ww1.com/gb/present.html
The World War One Document Archive presents primary documents concerning the Great War.
World War 1 - Web Links
http://www.historyteacher.net/APEuroCourse/WebLinks/WebLinks-WorldWar1.htm
This site lists links to in-depth articles on all aspects of the First World War, including a large collection of links to primary source material.
National Curriculum Online: History
http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/subjects/history/index.aspx?return=/key-stages-3-and-4/subjects/index.aspx
Information about the National Curriculum for History, QCDA and DfEE schemes of work, pupils' work and information about standards and support materials.
QCDA History
http://www.qcda.gov.uk/6354.aspx
The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Authority (QCDA) History section.
Examine key issues with the help of original documents.
Cf. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/greatwar/g1/
The best overall war reference for the entire modern period:
War Made New: Weapons, Warriors, and the Making of the Modern World by Max Boot
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Cassell Military Classics: Iron Fist: Classic Armoured Warfare by Bryan Perrett
Day of the Assassins: A Jack Christie Novel by Johnny O'Brien
War in the Air 1914-45 (Smithsonian History of Warfare) by Williamson Murray
The Encyclopedia of Warfare: The Changing Nature of Warfare From Prehistory to Modern-day Armed Conflicts by Robin Cross, pp. 170-193.
The Encyclopedia of Weaponry: The Development of Weaponry from Prehistory to 21st Century Warfare, Ian V. Hogg, pp. 112-139.
Battles and Campaigns (Mapping History) by Malcolm Swanston
A documentary about the battle of the Somme 1916 part 1, 9:58
War and Revolution in Russia 1914 - 1921
By Dr Jonathan Smele
Cf. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/eastern_front_01.shtml
World War One News Report, High School History Project
This video is a tribute to Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union (1922 - 1991).
The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union (Всесою́зная пионе́рская организа́ция и́мени) was a mass youth organization of the USSR for children of age 10-15 in the Soviet Union between 1922 and 1991.
The music is a old soviet pioneer song from 1966.
English song name: "May There Always Be Sunshine"
Russian song name: "Пусть всегда будет солнце"
Official song name: "Солнечный круг"
May There Always Be Sunshine (Russian: Пусть всегда будет солнце! Actual Russian Title: Солнечный круг) is a Soviet Russian song, written for children. It was created in 1962, music was composed by Arkady Ostrovsky and the lyrics were written by Lev Oshanin. The Russian writer Korney Chukovsky later wrote in his book that the base for the song was the four lines which became the refrain, composed by a boy of age four in 1928.
Performed for the first time in 1962 at the Sopot International Song Festival by Russian singer Tamara Miansarova it earned the first prize for her there and immediately became widespread in the USSR and some other countries. It was sung by Young Pioneers in Young Pioneer camps, Young Pioneer meetings and at schools; it was sung by Little Octobrists at schools; it was sung even by pre-school children. This song was widely considered as a symbol of peace in the Soviet Union.
It is one of few Soviet songs which did not lose much of their popularity after the USSR and the Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union ceased to exist, and are still popular in Russia.
The song was translated into German by Ilse and Hans Naumilkat and Manfred Streubel (as Immer lebe die Sonne) and was popular among Ernst Thälmann Pioneers.
Lyrics:
Russian:
Солнечный круг,
Небо вокруг —
Это рисунок мальчишки.
Нарисовал он на листке
И подписал в уголке:
Припев:
— Пусть всегда будет солнце,
Пусть всегда будет небо,
Пусть всегда будет мама,
Пусть всегда буду я!
Russian (latin)
Solnechnyi krug,
Nebo vokrug —
Ehto risunok mal'chishki
Narisoval on na listke
I podpisal v ugolke:
Pripev:
— Pust' vsegda budet solntse,
Pust' vsegda budet nebo,
Pust' vsegda budet mama,
Pust' vsegda budu ya!
English:
Circle of sun,
Sky all around;
This is the young boy's drawing.
He drew on the paper,
And signed in the corner:
Chorus:
May there always be sun
May there always be sky,
May there always be mother,
May there always be me!
Back In The USSR: The Beatles, 2:43
A Rock version of the Russian National Anthem, 3:15
How To Take Effective Notes
Email to gmsmith@shanahan.org
1. Friday: p. 518
Reading Check
Identifying
Who opposed the new Bolshevik Regime?
p. 519
Picturing History
Who was the Communist commissar of war during this period?
