Lenin
Lenin (Vladimir Ilyich Lenin)
Born Russia, 1870
His older brother was executed for his part in a plot to assassinate the tsar. Lenin became a radical in response.
Exiled to Siberia, 1897, for extremist activities.
1900: returned from exile and moved to Germany, then Switzerland.
Edited revolutionary journal, Iskra (The Spark).
Joined the Social Democratic Party (Communist Party), known as the Bolsheviks.
Spent most of his time before 1917 Revolution abroad, plotting against the tsar.
Returned to Russia for February Revolution (1917).
Began to plan the October Revolution which he went on to lead.
Became leader of Soviet Russia after the success of the October Revolution.
Set up War Communism during the Russian Civil War (1918-1921 - between the Communists – the Reds – and the Whites)
Set up the Cheka, a secret police, to eliminate opposition to Communist rule.
1921: Introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP) – a relaxation of War Communism – to reduce opposition.
1921: Survived an assassination attempt by Dora Kaplan but his health began to decline. He had a number of strokes from which he didn’t fully
recover.
Aware that he was dying, he wrote his Last Testament, outlining his wishes for how Russia would be run after his death. He favoured collective leadership and specifically warned against giving power to Stalin.
Died in 1924.
Born Russia, 1870
His older brother was executed for his part in a plot to assassinate the tsar. Lenin became a radical in response.
Exiled to Siberia, 1897, for extremist activities.
1900: returned from exile and moved to Germany, then Switzerland.
Edited revolutionary journal, Iskra (The Spark).
Joined the Social Democratic Party (Communist Party), known as the Bolsheviks.
Spent most of his time before 1917 Revolution abroad, plotting against the tsar.
Returned to Russia for February Revolution (1917).
Began to plan the October Revolution which he went on to lead.
Became leader of Soviet Russia after the success of the October Revolution.
Set up War Communism during the Russian Civil War (1918-1921 - between the Communists – the Reds – and the Whites)
Set up the Cheka, a secret police, to eliminate opposition to Communist rule.
1921: Introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP) – a relaxation of War Communism – to reduce opposition.
1921: Survived an assassination attempt by Dora Kaplan but his health began to decline. He had a number of strokes from which he didn’t fully
recover.
Aware that he was dying, he wrote his Last Testament, outlining his wishes for how Russia would be run after his death. He favoured collective leadership and specifically warned against giving power to Stalin.
Died in 1924.