The Russian Revolution and Interwar Period: Key Events
The Russian Revolution
The course of Russian history was significantly shaped by its relative isolation and backwardness compared to other European nations. Under the autocratic rule of the Czars, only limited reforms were implemented, such as the liberation of the serfs, which ultimately failed to alleviate the widespread misery of Russian peasants. The military disasters during World War I, coupled with the hardships endured by the Russian people, contributed to the downfall of the Tsarist regime.
In February 1917, a revolution erupted, overthrowing Tsar Nicholas II. The Duma was reinstated, and a provisional government, composed of liberals, was established. However, amidst the weakness of the new government, the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin and Trotsky, seized power in the October Revolution. They established a new government based on Soviets, known as the Council of People’s Commissars. The Bolsheviks then adopted the name Communist Party and founded the Third International.
Civil War and Consolidation of the USSR
In March 1918, Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, withdrawing from World War I. The new Russian political structure began to take shape in 1918, and a constitution was approved.
Democracies in the Interwar Period
The end of World War I created the illusion of a victory for the democratic system over autocratic systems in Europe. France and the UK faced difficult economic restructuring, transitioning from a war economy to one of peace. Germany, under the Weimar Republic, experienced economic chaos due to war reparations and hyperinflation.
The United States benefited most from the war, enjoying a tremendous economic boom in the 1920s, fueled by trade protectionism against Europe. This period solidified its position as a leading world power.
The League of Nations and the Path to Peace
The League of Nations was an international organization created after World War I to ensure peace and order in international relations. Despite facing difficulties, it contributed to maintaining international peace and collective security, mediating tensions between victors and losers during the negotiation of peace treaties.
The Great Depression
Reality struck in October 1929 with the stock market crash in New York. On a single day, over 13 million shares were sold on Wall Street, causing a drastic decline in their value. Millions lost their fortunes and savings. The effect spread to the London Stock Exchange and then to the rest of Europe and Japan. Bankruptcies led to increased unemployment and declining domestic demand, resulting in more factory closures and further unemployment. This marked the beginning of an unprecedented economic depression.
The Fight Against Depression: The New Deal in the U.S.
The United States was among the countries hardest hit by the economic crisis. By 1933, it had 13 million unemployed. In response, the new Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented a social and economic program called the New Deal. Key measures included aid to farmers through compensation, unemployment benefits, increased wages for workers, reduced working hours, state intervention in banks, and increased government employment through large public works investments.