Events
US House of Reps voted to abrogate the 1832 Treaty of Commerce w/ Russia.
Congress objected to the Russian govt’s refusal to accept passports issued to Russian-born Jews who had become naturalized Am citizens.WWI began, US had not joined, but the US started helping Russia during the war by sending them supplies.Strike in Petrograd (February)Tsar Nicholas II abdicated (March 2)Under President Wilson, US made a declaration of war against Germany and so went into war with the Allies. (2-6 Abril)US joined WWI and helped Russia by sending war supplies and Ams individually helped in the war relief there.
Because of shortages in war and discontent with monarchy there were many strikes and protests in Russia.US sent a delegation to Russia led by Elihu Root, former Secretary of State, to meet with the Provisional Govt.
Wilson hoped delegation would prevent Russian govt from making a separate peace with Germany.
Offered Russia support and had to report back to US about R’s conditions. (June-August)Vladimir Lenin returned to Russia from exile in Germany.
Radical Bolshevik workers of Petrograd voted to stage insurrection against Prov Govt. (October)Bolsheviks forced non-Bolsheviks out of govt.
US scared that radical socialists were in control of Russia and were threatening to get out of war.
After Bolshevik Rev. Wilson told diplomats to withhold official and unofficial recognition of the Bol Govt. (October)The beleaguered Kerensky provisional government requested U.S. assistance to maintain control of the Trans-Siberian Railway; 280 American transportation experts were given military commissions and were sent to Russia. (30 September)Wilson wrote the Fourteen Points after seeing that Euro powers had secret treaties agreeing to territorial adjustments after the war and in attempt to keep Russians in war. Called for the restoration of Russian territory and Russian self-determination. (January)Bolsheviks signed peace treaty (Brest-Litovsk) with Germany, pulling Russia out of WWI and ceding Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Baltic provinces, Finland, and other provinces near Germany. (March 3)Civil war broke out in Russia between anti-Bolshevik “Whites and the Bolshevik “Reds”
Allies went with the purpose of not letting northern ports to fall into German hands and with the purpose of weakening the Bolshevik regime.
Brits, with encouragement from Winston Churchill, were planning on making a more military intervention but it was not that way.
(August)US ambassador David Francis stayed there until then and was never replaced. (November)US ambassador David Francis stayed there until then and was never replaced. (November)US Embassy in Russia closed. (September 14)Last American troops pulled out of Siberia but kept a policy of non-recognition of the Bolshevik regime. (April)Lenin announced the New Economic Policy to attract foreign investment that was necessary to build the Russian infrastructure.
Let some private American businesses invest in development and mining projects.
The Great Famine- US extended relief to Russians (lasted until 1923). (March)US Consulate in Vladivostok closed. (May)Bolsheviks triumphed over “whites” and centralized their power in Moscow.
USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics): Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan. (October)Stalin, who was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party move to consolidate political power.
Supported policy of building “socialism in one country” rather than international communism.
Hardened communist line in SU by accelerating industrialization and collectivizing agricultural production and land holdings. (January)Presi Franklin D Roosevelt realized that not recognizing SU had not stopped them from falling into communism
Also realized that US had econ and diplomatic problems that needed Soviet cooperation.
US finally re-established relations with the Soviet Union. (December)
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