The First World War
The first world war was one of the largest wars in history .It was a military conflict involving most of the world great powers and was fought between 1914 and 1918.There is no particular reason that caused this war but a series of events of July to early august fueled the war. First the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne in Sarajevo on twenty-eighth June sparked the war. Ferdinand’s death at the hands of the Black Hand, a Serbian nationalist secret society led to a chain of conflicts that resulted to world’s first global war. Austrian-Hungary reaction to the death of their heir, whom they claimed that Serbia’s government was responsible for the death, issued an ultimatum to Serbia that the assassinators of their heir be brought to justice and Austria-Hungary nullified Serbia’s sovereignty, by crushing the nationalist movement in Serbia and cementing its influence in the Balkans.
Serbia had slavery ties with Russia and Austro-Hungary feared that Russia might support Serbia, hence Austro-Hungary government aware of this threat also sought Germany support who were their ally’s incase Russia get involved in the dispute and declared war on Austria-Hungary. Germany over willingly agreed and encouraged Austria-Hungary to make war-like stances. Austra-Hungery unsatisfied with Serbia response to the ultimatum declared war on Serbia on twenty-eighth of July 1914.Russia slavery ties with Serbia forced it to mobilize its troops to help Serbia incase of Austria-Hungary attack, Germany who were Austria’s ally’s viewed Russia mobilization as an act of war, and on first august Germany declared war on Russia. (Lieven, D.1983)
The First World War had far-reaching effects in the whole world, inform of changing politics, economics and even public opinions. Government changes; due the war many countries adopted the socialist government. Socialistic ideas spread in Germany, Austrian empire and also in Britain and France. Economic changes; the war led to advancement in technology, production of automobiles, airplanes skyrocketed. Harsh peace treatment; Germany was harshly treated in the Treaty of Versailles of 1919; they were forced to sign a humiliating treaty and accept responsibility of causing the war. (Brian R.2007)
This war was caused by a series of complex events like nationalism, militarism, imperialism and even many alliances conflicting with one another, each country pleading to protect their partners hence, with all these conflicts and, economic, military and events it could not have been avoided no matter what, it could have automatically exploded
Bolshevik revolution was the Russia revolution in which the provisional government was overthrown by the Bolsheviks. In 1917 Russia was again at war and they were losing to Germany mainly because they lacked modern war ammunitions and they were also experiencing transport challenges especially railroad to transport supplies to its military troops. Because of the war most of the population was suffering due to lack of food and high unemployment, inflation was also extreme. These conditions politized many workers who joined revolutionary groups like the Soviets. There was a lot of political unrest in Russia and Russian people were yearning for change. On February twenty- eighth Tsarist regime came to an end and provisional government took throne. Workers soviets which were part of the government consolidated its power and voted for the release of political prisoners. This brought back to Russia radical leaders back who had escaped tsarist persecution. The provisional government never solved the many problems Russian people were facing the new released political leaders like Vladimir Lenin politized people how the government was not helping them and al powers should belong to the soviets. This paved way for the Bolsheviks who were continually organizing workers peasants and soldiers who later played a major role in helping the Bolsheviks seize power. They advocated that Russia should make peace with Germany and later assisted the provisional government from be overthrown by Lavr Kornilov, this made the Bolshevik gain great support from Russian people and when elections took place on September, the Bolsheviks won the majority seats and formed the government.(http://deptd.Washimgton.edu/baltic/Russian revolution.htm.)
Lenin and Stalin were both great theoreticians, brilliant strategist as well as highly gifted builders of mass organizations however they had some differences. Lenin believed in and assisted to create permanent revolution in Russia. In his efforts in maintaining the soviet systems of government. Lenin worked to create a democratic dictatorship. He created many soviets as a mean of realizing the proletarian dictatorship. Lenin advocated for human rights and the will of the Russian people. He worked to create a non-proletarian congress that could allow peasants and non-party members to have a say in the soviet government. Stalin believed in the concept of socialism in one country. Unlike Lenin Stalin created a society in Russia that could benefit the bourgeoisie while oppressing the masses. He stunned the growth of the proletarian dictatorship and forced them to join the side of the bourgeoisie completely violating Leninist and Marxist thoughts Lenin implemented the new economic program which encouraged peasants to be capitalistic and did everything to create agricultural-based economy in Russia, Stalin believes in collective farming, he put all the peasants in one land owned by the government.(Lieven.D.1983)
If Lenin could have lived for another twenty years Russia could have entered in history books as one of the socialistic revolutonalized nations in the world. linens model of democratic dictatorship of maintaining and creating more soviets as well as building of a agricultural –based economy could have raised Russia to a great union of soviets and even today Russia could be still considered as a great socialist nation
Work Cited Page
Brain, R. (2007), Lenin and Stalin as mass leaders. Workers Library Publishers, New York.
Http://depts.Washington. Edu/Baltic/Russian revolution.htm
Lieven, D (1983), Russia and the origin of the First World War, St Martins press
New York.