Russia was known for size, strength and brutality but just beyond its borders was great suffering. As an undeveloped nation, Russia struggled to keep up to the rest of Europe. This sparked an intense desire for change at any cost. While Russia was falling apart, the leader of the Bolshevik party rose to popularity - Vladimir Lenin. Lenin’s communist views, that were based off the ideals of Marxism, promised a new way in Russia with plentiful land, bread and peace. The rise of the Bolsheviks and communism would not have been possible if it weren’t for the prerequisite conditions of poor quality of life, famine and military disasters. The first fundamental promise Lenin made dealt with the peasant 's issue of poor living conditions. At the
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After the turned of the century, Russia went to war with Japan in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. During the war, the two countries fought over land and by the end there was a clear victor - Japan (Llewellyn, 2012). This brought rage and embarrassment upon the Russian people. Additionally, Russia had became the first European power to lose to an Asian power. When World War One began, the Russian army and the Russian people were hoping for a triumphant victory to bring the Motherland back to glory. However, the conditions in Russia meant the army was ill-equipped, not well funded and not well supported (Walsh, 1996). Along with lousy distribution, revolutions and economic instability came the humiliating defeat hand out by the Germans. In the army, 76% of the men had died or around one million men (Brown, retrieved 27 October 2015; Walsh, 1996). These military defeats allowed the Bolsheviks to gain favour with the public by promising to end Russia’s involvement in World War One. Those soldiers came home to fight in the Bolshevik revolution and hand the White Army and the old government the final crushing blow (Walsh, 1996). Unfortunately, the rise of the Bolsheviks and their communist view did not make the livings of the peasant’s much better. However this did change the course of Russia’s future
After the turned of the century, Russia went to war with Japan in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. During the war, the two countries fought over land and by the end there was a clear victor - Japan (Llewellyn, 2012). This brought rage and embarrassment upon the Russian people. Additionally, Russia had became the first European power to lose to an Asian power. When World War One began, the Russian army and the Russian people were hoping for a triumphant victory to bring the Motherland back to glory. However, the conditions in Russia meant the army was ill-equipped, not well funded and not well supported (Walsh, 1996). Along with lousy distribution, revolutions and economic instability came the humiliating defeat hand out by the Germans. In the army, 76% of the men had died or around one million men (Brown, retrieved 27 October 2015; Walsh, 1996). These military defeats allowed the Bolsheviks to gain favour with the public by promising to end Russia’s involvement in World War One. Those soldiers came home to fight in the Bolshevik revolution and hand the White Army and the old government the final crushing blow (Walsh, 1996). Unfortunately, the rise of the Bolsheviks and their communist view did not make the livings of the peasant’s much better. However this did change the course of Russia’s future