Rise of Stalin and the Russian Revolution: 1917-1940
Stalin’s USSR
The Government of Lenin (War Communism)
The new government faced a civil war that lasted three years. A fraction of the Tsarist army organized the White Army to rise up in arms.
The Bolsheviks created the Red Army, led by Leon Trotsky. In 1922, the USSR was created to be governed by a parliament and a single party called the CPSU, which controlled political life. It was a totalitarian system that was justified by the dictatorship of the proletariat.
When the civil war ended, Lenin decided
Read More18th Century Europe: Revolutions and Their Impact
The Eighteenth Century: The Crisis of the Old Regime
The Era of Revolutions
The Enlightenment of the Eighteenth Century (The Age of Enlightenment)
An intellectual movement in Europe that went against the old regime (absolute monarchy) and preached the separation of powers:
- Executive power (government)
- Legislative power (parliament)
- Judicial power (courts)
Key thinkers: John Locke, Isaac Newton, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Diderot, Rousseau.
Independence of the United States of America
1773: 13 British colonies
Read MoreNationalism and Imperialism in Europe: 19th Century Transformations
The Rise of Nationalism in Europe
The French Second Empire
Napoleon III proclaimed a liberal authoritarian regime, had an interventionist policy, and sought prestige.
The Unification of Germany
Prussian Chancellor Bismarck succeeded in the unification of Germany after small wars against Denmark, Austria, and France. There was a proclamation of the Second Reich in Versailles (1871).
The Unification of Italy
It was obstructed by Austria and the Papal States. Cavour, Minister of Piedmont, promoted the unification
Read MoreCold War Key Events: 1950s and 1960s Timeline
**US Policy Shift and the Rise of Japanese Industry in the 1950s**
During the Cold War in the 1950s, the United States changed its policy against imperialism and gained the means to attract areas of influence. Even during the Korean War, weapons were bought, giving a significant boost to Japanese industry.
The US also focused on the control of raw material acquisition, production, finance, and trade in Japanese production. Through deft handling, domestic industry was protected, and new markets were
Read MoreEuropean Unification and Political Shifts in the 19th Century
Towards a Europe of Nations
The Unifications of Italy and Germany
In the second half of the 19th century, there were processes of unification in Italy and Germany that presented a number of similarities.
- First, the unification was led by the most developed area of each country (Piedmont and Prussia, respectively).
- Secondly, the two unifications were achieved after years of intense armed conflict.
- Finally, the bourgeoisie became the ruling class of the new states. However, to ensure their dominance, they
Spanish Political Turmoil: Ferdinand VII’s Reign (1814-1833)
Restoration of Absolutism (1814-1820)
Liberals were wary of the monarch’s willingness to accept the new constitutional order. Ferdinand VII was afraid to confront and abide by the conditions. He knew that the absolutist monarch’s return was his best chance to return to the old regime. These were organized to demand the restoration of absolutism and mobilized the people. Ferdinand betrayed his promises, and by royal decree of May 4, 1814, overrode the Constitution and laws of Cadiz and announced a
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