Top 10 Events of World War I and the Russian Revolution
1. Imperialism
2. Triple Alliance
3. Triple Entente
4. Trench Warfare
5. February Revolution
6. Petrograd Soviet
7. Bolsheviks
8. October Revolution
9. Treaty of Versailles
10. War Guilt Clause
- Imperialism was a challenge between many European nations to gain land, especially colonies in Africa.
- Late 19th century
- Imperialism led to a lot of fighting and slavery; France, Britain, and Germany were the most successful European nations in imperialism.
2. Triple Alliance
- The Triple Alliance was an alliance between Italy, Germany, and Austria, and was competing with the Dual Alliance, made up of France and Russia.
- Early 20th century
- The Triple Alliance granted Germany protection from France, Austria free reign of the Balkans, and was one side in World War I.
3. Triple Entente
- The Triple Entente was an alliance between Great Britain, Russia, and France, and was created after the Anglo-Russian Agreement was signed.
- 20th century
- The Triple Entente was the other side in World War I; it simply united Great Britain, Russia, and France, and competed with the Triple Alliance.
4. Trench Warfare
- Trench Warfare was a strategy adopted by both sides, and was the act of digging deep trenches to provide cover from machine gun fire.
- Early 20th century
- Trench Warfare resulted in a major amount of casualities for both sides, introduced major weapons such as poison gas, grenades, and tanks, and ultimately provided no territorial progress for either side.
5. February Revolution
- The February Revolution was a revolution in Russia started by random uprisings in Petrograd from groups of starving citizens.
- 1917
- The uprisings spread around the whole city, and when Nicholas’s army joined with the protesters, they declared a provisional government and Nicholas abdicated from the throne.
6. Petrograd Soviet
- The Petrograd Soviet was a mass council of socialists, workers, and soldiers who challenged the Provisional Government.
- 1917
- The Petrograd Soviet was the democratic revolution of the capital and worked hard by releasing radical laws and edicts that would contradict that of the Provisional Government’s in an attempt to weaken it.
7. Bolsheviks
- The Bolsheviks was a branch of Marxian Socialism/Communism in Russia led by Vladimir Lenin, successful because of its determination and sympathy for those sick of the war.
- Early 20th century
- The Bolsheviks advocated for the working/poor classes, and helped undermine the Provisional Government and ultimately replaced Kerensky’s attempts at being the leading power in Russia.
8. October Revolution
- The October Revolution was when the Bolsheviks and Leon Trotsky overthrew the Petrograd Soviet’s rule by convincing them to assign Trotsky the military affairs.
- 1918ish
- The October Revolution handed over power to the Bolsheviks in Petrograd, and led to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and eventually to the civil war because people outside of the capital weren’t included in the revolution news.
9. Treaty of Versailles
- The Treaty of Versaille was a conference of 27 nations that met after World War I to agree on peace terms.
- 1919
- The Treaty of Versaille was significant because it ended the war for Germany and the Allied powers as well as establishing the League of Nations.
10. War Guilt Clause
- War Guilt Clause was a document in the Treaty of Versaille that Britain, France, and the United States forced Germany to sign in admittance that it was Germany’s fault.
- 1919
- The War Guilt Clause ensued that Germany paid reparations for the war, which they had to sign because everyone in Germany was still starving.