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February Revolution
The February Revolution (known as such because of Russia’s use of the Julian calendar until February 1918) began -
Strike Spread
the strike spread among all of Petrograd’s workers, and irate mobs destroyed police stations. Several factories elected deputies to the Petrograd Soviet, or council, of workers’ committees, following the model devised during the 1905 revolution. -
The Trooops
the troops of the Petrograd army garrison were called out to quell the uprising. In some encounters, regiments opened fire, killing demonstrators, but the protesters kept to the streets and the troops began to waver. That day, Nicholas again dissolved the Duma. -
The Revolution
the revolution triumphed when regiment after regiment of the Petrograd garrison defected to the cause of the demonstrators. The soldiers subsequently formed committees that elected deputies to the Petrograd Soviet. -
The Petrograd Soviet
the Petrograd Soviet issued Order No. 1, which instructed Russian soldiers and sailors to obey only those orders that did not conflict with the directives of the Soviet. -
the throne
Czar Nicholas II abdicated the throne in favor of his brother Michael (1878-1918), whose refusal of the crown brought an end to the czarist autocracy. -
Leftist Revolutionaries
leftist revolutionaries led by Bolshevik Party leader Vladimir Lenin launched a nearly bloodless coup d’état against the provisional government. The Bolsheviks and their allies occupied government buildings and other strategic locations in Petrograd, and soon formed a new government with Lenin as its head. -
The Cossacks
The Cossacks declare their independence and form the Republic of the Don. -
The Latvians
The Latvians declare their independence from Russia but find it hard to celebrate while occupying Germans are still sitting on their laps. -
The Constituent Assembly
The Constituent Assembly gathers. The Bolsheviks demand that authority should be given to the Soviets. The Assembly refuses. The Bolsheviks and the Left Socialist Revolutionaries walk out. -
The Bolshevik government
The Bolshevik government sends troops to disperse the Constituent Assembly. All non-Bolsheviks get a handbasket eac -
new ruling
A new ruling officially separates the Orthodox church from the state. Religious persecution ensues. Church property will get pillaged and churches destroyed. -
The Central Powers
The Central Powers and the Ukraine sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. -
Trotsky
Trotsky declares that Russia is out of WWI. -
The Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks gain the upper hand against the Cossacks. Cossack leader Aleksey Maksimovich Kaledin shoots himself. Pyotr Nikolayevich Krasnov will be his successor. -
Calendar switch
Calendar switch - Julian to Gregorian. -
Russian Calendars
February 14, 1918 - Some Russian locations dragged their feet buying new calendars, so we will keep showing old style dates a little while longer. -
German occupation
While still under German occupation, the Lithuanians declare their independence from Russia. -
Reds Capture
The Reds capture Kiev. They will stay in town until -
The Estonians
The Estonians declare their independence from Russia. -
German
when the Germans will knock on the doors. -
Red Army
Red Army has to withdraw from Kiev because of incoming Germans. The Germans let themselves in because the Russians had just signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. -
The Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks move their capital from Petrograd to Moscow for safety reasons. -
Move Capital
The Bolsheviks move their capital from Petrograd to Moscow for safety reasons. -
take odessa
The Germans take Odessa. -
Take Nikolayev
The Germans take Nikolayev. -
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky changes office cubicles. He resigns his post as Foreign Commissar and becomes the new War Commissar. Georgy Vasilyevich Chicherin takes Trotsky's old office chair and becomes Foreign Commissar.
