MindMap Gallery A Brief History of Russia_Xu Qiyu
This is a brief history of Russia_Xu Qiyu's mind map. The main contents include: Soviet Union-Russia (1917~1991), Tsarist Russia (1325~1917), Kievan Rus (882~1240), and the publication words.
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[Zootopia Character Relationship Chart] The idealistic rabbit police officer Judy and the cynical fox conman Nick form a charmingly contrasting duo, rising from street hustlers to become Zootopia police officers!
Avatar 3 centers on the Sully family, showcasing the internal rift caused by the sacrifice of their eldest son, and their alliance with other tribes on Pandora against the external conflict of the Ashbringers, who adhere to the philosophy of fire and are allied with humans. It explores the grand themes of family, faith, and survival.
This article discusses the Easter eggs and homages in Zootopia 2 that you may have discovered. The main content includes: character and archetype Easter eggs, cinematic universe crossover Easter eggs, animal ecology and behavior references, symbol and metaphor Easter eggs, social satire and brand allusions, and emotional storylines and sequel foreshadowing.
[Zootopia Character Relationship Chart] The idealistic rabbit police officer Judy and the cynical fox conman Nick form a charmingly contrasting duo, rising from street hustlers to become Zootopia police officers!
A Brief History of Russia_Xu Qiyu
Publication words
What makes Russia
Major chess players on the world's great chessboard
From a geopolitical perspective, this country is one of the major players on the world's chessboard.
Russia's uniqueness
It’s so big that it spans two continents, Europe and Asia.
Europeans think Russians are Orientals
We are Tatars
Asians think Russia is European
During this thousand years, this country has actually been like a huge pendulum, swinging back and forth between Europe and Asia, and every swing will have a huge impact on Europe and Asia.
How to teach this course
Why Russia became Russia
Let’s start with Kievan Rus, the earliest Russian country a thousand years ago.
Tsarist Russia
The historical stage lasts the longest and plays the most critical role in the entire history of Russia.
revolution and soviet section
Kievan Rus (882~1240)
Origin: Where is the historical origin of Russia?
Source: Kievan Rus
East Slavs are generally considered to be the ancestors of Russians
Russians generally believe that the first tsar was named Rurik
Vikings
A Viking led a group of East Slavs to establish a dynasty
Features of Kievan Rus
strong force
The mixed force of Vikings and East Slavs quickly defeated the surrounding East Slavic tribes and greatly increased the territory
Business acumen
Kievan Rus trade facilitation
Deeper features
geographical location
Built on the edge of Christian civilization Europe
The place of four battles
Surrounded by great plains, there are no natural dangers such as mountains.
affect
We must remain militarily strong and be ready to use physical force at any time
Created a psychological insecurity in the country
who I am
latecomer status
backward position relative to Europe
When Western Europe formed a complete system in church, law and politics, the earliest Russian country was still in a state of barbarism.
Why Orthodoxy is so important to Russia
In 988 AD, he was baptized by the Orthodox Church.
Why Choose Orthodoxy
Accepting Orthodox Christianity is an act of the state, not something that happens naturally among the people.
At first, the Vikings and East Slavs believed in primitive polytheism.
Scattered beliefs lack cohesion
Not only does it make it difficult for the entire country to truly unify, but tribes may also be hostile to each other because of their different beliefs in gods.
The influence of Orthodox Christianity on Russia
After replacing the original polytheistic beliefs, it was of great help to the centripetal force and unity within Kievan Rus. It can be said that Orthodox Christianity formed the spiritual foundation of Kievan Rus and the later Tsarist Empire.
Orthodox Christianity, like Catholicism, is a monotheistic religion
On nationality, Orthodoxy shaped Russians
More promotion of group consciousness, more emphasis on self-sacrifice and patience, and emphasis on dedication
led to Russia’s conservatism
When I accepted Orthodox Christianity, the doctrines and rituals had already developed to a very complete level.
With complete religion, coupled with the characteristics of political structure, religion and securities, society will grow together seamlessly.
result
Russia never had a religious reform like the one in Europe
conservatism
an ongoing characteristic of society and politics as a whole
Deeper Influence: Messiah Complex
Messiah
savior sent by god
universalism
The impact of Orthodoxy on the country's ethos and behavior
third rome
The Orthodox Messianic complex also gave rise to the concept of the Third Rome
double headed eagle
The destruction of Kievan Rus: What is the biggest lesson for future generations?
destiny
After 200 years of catching up, Kievan Rus is no longer like a country in the wilderness on the edge of Europe, but is basically at the same level of development as other European countries at that time.
Conquered by the Mongols in the early 13th century
cause of death
The power of Kievan Rus had been severely weakened before, and the Mongol invasion only completed the final blow.
reason
economy
Traditional trade routes have changed and the economy has been greatly affected
military
Agricultural civilization versus steppe civilization
internal structural issues
Similar to Western Zhou Dynasty in China
The power is dispersed, and conflicts between various princes are easy to occur.
country's inheritance system
sequential system
After the death of the old Grand Duke, one of his sons will inherit the position of Grand Duke.
After the death of the new Grand Duke, his younger brother succeeded him.
There is no way to do it with the third generation.
The Grand Duke can be robbed, and the civil war is famous
Interpretation of the annihilation of the country
Karamzin
The biggest lesson from the destruction of Kievan Rus is that its centralized power is not enough
What such an extreme disaster as the destruction of Kievan Rus left to future generations was actually a kind of recognition, and this recognition also continued in subsequent Russian history.
Tsarist Russia (1325~1917)
Previous article
Why did Muscovy expand and become Russia?
Muscovy - the starting point of Russia as a country
Ivan I's methods
Visionary, very pragmatic, even to the point of using any means necessary
Holding the emperor hostage to order the princes
The first big move Ivan I took after becoming a prince was to send an invitation to the leader of the Orthodox Church to move to Moscow, and the Principality of Moscow would provide him with all guarantees.
Unify taxes in all principalities for Mongolia
He acted as an intermediary between the Mongol rulers and the various principalities.
Using the name of the Mongolian Khan to raise taxes and kill people with a borrowed knife
Expand territory
The main means of expansion is not war, but spending money
Although a lot of land was taken away
Expansion actually achieves two things to the extreme
Take advantage of the situation, borrow the power of the Mongol rulers
Spend money and take full advantage of the power of money
Kalida
first tsar
The Mongol rulers still regarded him as a reliable ruling tool, but in fact, Mongol rule became more and more like an empty shell.
As the territory expanded, it became the most powerful one in the principality.
The Principality of Muscovy has begun to rise, and it is only a matter of time before it gets rid of Mongol rule.
Golden Horde period
Ivan III
first tsar
The success of the Muscovite Principality is not entirely a story of heroic struggle against foreign rulers, but a process of patiently accumulating its own advantages until a certain critical value occurs.
Why does Tsarist Russia carry Mongolian genes?
The Mongolian gene here refers to Mongolia’s influence on Russia’s underlying logic
Kievan Rus’ ruled for more than 400 years and Mongolia ruled for more than 200 years
The influence of Mongol rule on Russia is certainly far greater than that on China
Bifurcation with Europe
early russian historian
Before the Mongol invasion, we were still an enlightened society, not inferior to the developed European powers.
More than 200 years of slavery separated us from Europe.
Trade and cultural exchanges were cut off
Ties with Europe completely severed
Completely missed the European Renaissance
The time of Mongol rule coincides with
Russia's social values are even more different from those in Europe. Great changes have taken place in legal concepts, legal systems and political structures.
Closer to Asia
Far away from Europe and at the same time closer to Asia
etiquette
From traditional bowing to kowtow
land rights
The supreme ruler of the principality is the supreme owner of the land
Later, the Tsar was legally the owner of the entire Russian land.
This kind of power was impossible to exist in the European countries of Britain, France, and Prussia at that time.
This distinguishes Russia from all European countries
military political system
Mongolian model is best for war
The Mongolian political system and military system model are particularly effective in mobilizing a country's human and material resources.
The more extreme the situation, the more obvious the advantages of this model.
strange phenomena in history
When one strong and one weak are fighting for survival,
The weaker party will consciously or unconsciously copy the genes of the stronger opponent, and then continue to become stronger.
In the end, he became an upgraded opponent
The result of implanting Mongolian genes is definitely not just the formation of this Eurasian trait, but also a profound impact on Russia's future.
Ivan the Terrible: How to shape the Russian Empire
Ivan IV - Ivan the Terrible
great tyrant
establish political system
The background of the times
Fifty years after the Grand Duchy of Moscow was freed from Mongol rule
Overall, it is still in the stage of establishing rules and regulations.
A lot of waste is waiting to be done
The true shape of the Tsarist Empire was when he became Tsar
The most important thing is to establish Russia's unique political system
Genes that highly centralize power inherited from Mongolia
Effectively suppressed the two major forces of the nobility and the church.
deal with nobles
Military Service Act for Nobles
A decree was introduced at the age of 26
National Standardization of Military Duty of Nobles
As much land and property as the nobles have, they must send out as many troops as they need
Land ownership was changed through the military system
punishment
If troops are not provided to the Tsar in accordance with standards, the land will be lost.
The mechanism whereby the Tsar had the highest authority over the country's land was truly established in Russia
In order for the nobles to maintain their status and land, they could only rely entirely on the tsar.
against the church
In Russia, the church has a very high status, but it is completely subordinate to the tsar, and there is no power struggle.
Whether the theoretical basis can be implemented depends on the actual competition.
Orthodox Christianity comes from the Byzantine Empire, and the emperor’s position in the system is supreme.
Hundred Chapters Meeting
The Tsar personally presided over it and asked everyone to go through all the rules and regulations of the church.
Unify standards and establish rules for churches across the country
The rules are very detailed
Further strengthening his own authority by creating authoritative standards
In the Orthodox Church, except for the doctrines and rules recognized by the Tsar, everything else has become heresy.
The most critical way for Ivan the Terrible to concentrate his power was not to deprive the nobility and the church of their power, but to destroy their original power base so that they had to rely on him and turn them from a restraining force of imperial power into a supporting force.
Expansion: How Russia Annexed Siberia
Annexation of Siberia
Take Siberia easily
Good timing
The Mongol Empire that occupied this area had long since fallen apart
Other powers are not interested in Siberia
Russia's weapons are advanced
Siberia is still in cold war, and the Russian army already has muskets and artillery
Borrowing power from Britain
While centralizing power, Ivan the Terrible also opened up foreign trade.
Do business with the earliest joint stock company in Britain, the Moscow Company
Trade emphasis
Allow British merchants to do business freely in Russia
Foreign trade Domestic trade
All transactions by British merchants are tax-free
Set aside a special place in Moscow for British merchants to use as a business headquarters.
Through preferential treatment and privileges, we must not only increase trade, but more importantly, purchase guns from the UK through trade relations, including technology for manufacturing guns, mining, and smelting.
It reflects an important feature of Russia’s expansion, that it is good at leveraging
Make good use of Cossacks
Cossack is a social identity
Not race, not ethnicity
From Turkic, free man
Deep analysis
Free Cossacks did not represent the government, but at the same time were completely loyal to the Tsar
The government does not need to spend money to expand territory, nor does it have to worry about them taking over the territory and establishing themselves as kings.
Russia's regular army had been on the second line during the annexation of Siberia
Reserve: If the Cossacks advance smoothly, the regular army will go up and occupy the captured land.
Supervisory team: If the Cossacks have second thoughts, the regular army will go up and deal with them
Using the Cossacks to annex Siberia is no longer as simple as using force, but also reflects Russia's shrewd considerations in terms of expansion methods and expansion costs.
Siberia's value
Siberia brought very objective benefits of precious animal furs to Russia at that time
In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was equivalent to gold and was a hard currency in the international market.
In the mid-17th century, the Russian government's annual government revenue was 1.9 million rubles, and the tax revenue from the fur trade reached 600,000 rupees.
Asian attributes have undoubtedly been strengthened
The annexation of Siberia meant that Russia moved further into Asia.
The pendulum swings towards the east
Peter the Great: Why he was the most influential tsar
The major things that Peter the Great did in his life can be classified as: expansion and change
The changes can be summarized as, Westernization
Move the capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg
motivation for change
Personal likes and dislikes
Peter I himself yearned very much for the West
Although he was born into an imperial family, he was not raised in an imperial palace.
When I was a child, I was exiled to the outskirts of Moscow with my mother. Many of my playmates were the children of foreign missionaries or businessmen.
I am very fascinated by the industry and navigation of European countries.
After taking office at the age of 22, he went to the Netherlands and the United Kingdom to work and study, and he clearly saw the gap between Russia and the West.
Change also has very practical considerations
After years of fighting, Russia will not be able to sustain itself if it remains in its original state.
Peter I's interests were not in the interior, but in the sea
Neither does the Russian army itself.
impact of change
Once progress is started, it cannot be just in the fields of military and finance. It will basically be an all-round change.
The only thing that hasn’t changed is Russia’s highly centralized model
The instrumental component of Peter I's reforms was very moderate.
Similar to the Westernization Movement in the late Qing Dynasty
Changes turn Eurasian duality into acute cultural clash
The pace of change is too big and the push is too strong
Russian domestic society is very conservative, and it is generally believed that his reforms are negating Russian traditions.
Examples of violent conflicts
After the revolution, it was spread that Tsar Peter I was not the real tsar at all, but an impostor from a foreigner.
Changes aimed at destroying Russian tradition and culture
The crown prince of Peter I defected in order to arouse resistance among the Russians in order to protect tradition.
The fierce conflict was not only at the political level at the time, but also went deep into the wider social and cultural level.
Russian society split like a pane of glass into two hostile camps
Ekaterina: Why is it the pinnacle of Westernization change?
Judging from the development and evolution of Russia, the most important role it played was not to expand its land, but to consolidate the Westernization changes started by Peter I so that Russia would never go back.
Pugachev's Uprising
Peter I’s reforms made the country rich and powerful
But the price is intensified oppression of the people, especially the serfs at the bottom of society.
So the Pugachev uprising was against this
Pugachev argued
He is the real Tsar and the true inheritor of Russia's ancient faith
The uprising is not only to recapture Huang Wei, but also to save Russian tradition from Westerners’ mobile phones
I’m talking about the Germans: Ekaterina
The uprising was not as simple as serfs resisting oppression, but also opposing Westernization and bringing Russia back to its tradition.
Russian society, especially the lower class, is still very conservative and is still very hostile to Western changes.
systemic change
Peter gave the Russians a body, but Catherine gave them a soul.
Peter framed it, Catherine enriched it
measure
Continuing military and industrial and commercial changes
Truly become a strong team in Europe
The number of factories has more than tripled, the overseas trade volume has increased fivefold, and the total revenue of the treasury has also increased more than threefold.
Education can truly change people’s ideas
Peter I
He pushed hard during his reign, but mainly focused on Moscow and St. Petersburg. As soon as he died, education immediately declined in an all-round way.
The focus is on elite education, targeting the upper class
Focus on some practical points
Mathematics, shipbuilding, etc.
Ekaterina
The focus is on public education, with much larger goals
Focus on systemic
Woman receives school education qualification for first time
legal changes
Peter I's reforms were entirely carried out by the emperor's orders, and the legal system remained unchanged.
Ekaterina
If the legal system remains unchanged, the results of reform cannot be stable.
The Russian legal system also completed the modernization
Peter I learned more from the West's path of making a country rich and its military strong from the perspective of practical tools, and Catherine also tried to learn from Western ideas to a certain extent.
end of change
Completely adhere to the political tradition starting from the Grand Duchy of Moscow and maintain a high degree of centralization
Starting from the revolution of Peter I, Russia was clearly swinging toward the west. By Catherine, this westward swing reached its culmination, and then it would return to its traditions again.
Russo-French War: Why Russia Defeated Napoleon
most popular explanation
Russian winter
Napoleon occupied Moscow in September and withdrew in mid-October
A once-in-a-century winter only turned Napoleon's defeat into a disastrous defeat
Russian tenacity
not enough
Russia's victory over Napoleon's invasion was ultimately a strategic victory
The core of strategy is to maximize one's own advantages while limiting the opponent's advantages.
strategy
Two key decisions of Alexander I
The main force retreats in depth
Let the main Russian force retreat to the hinterland to avoid a decisive battle with the French army
The main reason why Napoleon invaded Russia
Russia participated in the continental blockade and then withdrew after two years.
Russia and Britain had the largest trade and suffered heavy losses
Napoleon is unacceptable, if not punished, other countries will follow suit
Napoleon invaded and supplies were not flowing smoothly, so he asked for a quick war
Russia avoids its edge and collapses
Villages along the road were burned down
Consistently consume to the end
Resolutely not to negotiate
Alexander I: As long as there is a French soldier on Russian soil, there will never be peace talks
Time is not working against Napoleon
Russia’s two fundamental advantages
The land area is very vast
After the Russian main force took the initiative to retreat to the hinterland, Napoleon's army was dragged into an endless extreme march.
national character
The Russian people's endurance and obedience to authority are fully demonstrated
Otherwise it would be impossible for ordinary people to implement the scorched earth policy on a large scale
What did defeating Napoleon bring to Russia?
Leo Tolstoy
In fact, this war was raised to the level of nation and belief, and it was considered a victory for the entire nation and religious belief.
War and Peace
Russia's influence on Europe
For Russia, the most intuitive consequence of this war was that Russia’s military and political influence penetrated deeply into Europe for the first time.
The victory of the Anti-Napoleonic War made Russia from a peripheral country in Europe to the protagonist of European politics, reaching a position unprecedented in history.
swing back to conservative state
Russia's own development path has moved further away from Europe
After the victory, instead of further westernizing Russia, it actually became more conservative
Stirred Russia's Messianic Complex
Western things are nothing great, tradition is the key to making the country strong
Changes after Alexander I's victory
In China, Dali emphasizes so-called discipline and order and purges liberal ideas
He often regards himself as the savior, and the whole person begins to tend towards mysticism.
He believed that defeating Napoleon was a special gift from God to him
shoulder a special religious mission
holy alliance
Unite the monarchs and governments of several countries to prevent the spread of liberal ideas
Not only does Russia become more conservative, it not only wants to suppress domestic liberal ideas, but it also wants European countries to return to a conservative state.
Many Europeans don't buy it
The Treaty of Alliance is extreme mysticism and nonsense.
It was the Russian Czar’s naked suppression of European freedom.
Driving in reverse
Decembrist Revolt
The young officers stationed in France realized the autocracy and backwardness of Tsarist Russia
Form a secret society and prepare to launch an uprising to change Russia's backward autocratic system
European Gendarmerie: How influential was Russia at its peak?
peak period
The victory over Napoleon lasted for more than 30 years until the middle of the 19th century. It was Russia's peak period for more than a thousand years.
Not counting the Soviet Union
Russia's peak is not reflected in its strength, but in its influence, or its power in international politics
international influence
After the victory of the Anti-Napoleonic War, the entire European continent restored a conservative international political order, and Russia was the supervisor of this order. It had the right to suppress any problems that arose.
The Soviet Union did not do this even at its peak
The peak moment of the European Gendarmerie was 1848
The Communist Manifesto was published in the same year
diplomacy
Calculation is not the main feature of Russian diplomacy
The biggest characteristic of Tsarist Russia in diplomacy was that it was very good at creating and exploiting the fear of its opponents.
The victory against Napoleon was repeatedly announced and strengthened
Successfully fostered a fear of Russian power in European countries
Arouse the opponent's fear of other forces
Constantly frightening the monarchs of European countries with European revolutions
The more afraid you are, the more dependent you become
The Second Opium War also used it many times against the late Qing government.
The conservatism of Tsarist Russia
marx
Because it does not understand the historical movements of people in Western European countries, it always leads to dead ends.
The Tsar goes against the general trend of the world. This kind of hegemony will definitely not last long.
At the peak of Tsarist Russia, it looked extremely powerful on the outside. In fact, the country became more and more conservative and closed. Its peak was also a period of stagnation.
The growing conservatism of the entire country
Crimean War: Why Russia at its peak failed miserably
industrial development gap
The most common explanation: Russia’s isolation and backwardness
Reasons for Russia's defeat
Russia's backwardness was not the main reason for its defeat
From a purely military perspective, the development generation gap between Russia and Britain and France did not really increase the results of the two sides.
maritime
Russia sank a third of its ships and blocked the road
land
Anglo-French collaboration is bad
Russia's fight isn't bad
The Turkish Army is grossly underestimated
Consumed a large number of Russian troops
The general trend forces it to admit defeat
The real reason for the failure of the Crimean War was complete strategic and diplomatic isolation
If you don’t admit defeat, Prussia and Austria will also join the war.
Russia's Blind Confidence
Russia has greatly overdrawn its advantages
European gendarmes spread hatred everywhere
Liberals hate it
The Conservative government hates it too
Too domineering
Russia only sees its pinnacle status, not this isolation
The origin of the Crimean War was that Russia wanted to completely take over the Ottoman Turkish Empire
Next article
How the defeat spawned social and ideological divisions in Russia
The failure of the Crimean War created a conflict between Westerners and traditionalists in Russia, which led to the emergence of a large number of various ideological trends and their rapid development and iteration.
Russian society soon entered a so-called period of great change
The transformation of Russian serfdom
The social structure began to undergo major changes
invisible changes in social thought
Most of the actions of the October Revolution can be explained from this
Opposition and conflict
two opposing ideological camps
Western school
I was originally very dissatisfied with Nicholas I's conservative and closed approach.
If Russia wants to catch up again, it must return to the route of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great and redouble its efforts to learn from the West
traditionalist
Russia cannot learn from the West, but must return to tradition
reason
Russia and the West are in opposition, so Russia should not learn from the West
The Crimean War was when the West united to fight Russia
must be found and strengthened from Russian tradition
The war proved that Russia's real advantage lies not in weapons and training, but in national cohesion, popular collectivism and hard work. These advantages are not available in the West.
The conflict, tearing and mutation of these two groups basically dominated the subsequent development and changes of Russian social thought.
Even the various ideological propositions during the October Revolution can reflect the influence of these two groups.
Tsarist authority
The Tsar has always had supreme authority, and the people are unconditionally loyal to him and cannot challenge it.
Even if society wants to resist the Tsar, it has to rely on rumors. The Tsar is a fake and fake.
Strange phenomena in Russian domestic politics
On the surface, it is still an omnipotent autocratic rule.
In fact, the tsar's control over many aspects of the government was rapidly declining.
Alexander II was assassinated with a bomb by funders on the streets of St. Petersburg
The Tsar no longer has that absolute authority
Pan-Slavism
Slavism is aimed at Russia and emphasizes returning to tradition
Pan-Slavism Targeted Abroad
To unite the Slavic peoples living in other countries and encourage them to strive for independence and liberation, with Russia acting as their leader
Annexing Central Asia: Why Tsarist Russia’s expansion strategy succeeded
strategic change
From an external perspective, the failure of the Crimean War only changed the direction of Russian expansion.
Now that it has suffered a major blow in the direction of Europe, it will turn its attention to Asia.
The huge pendulum swinging between east and west moves to the east again
Conquering Central Asia is of great strategic significance
southward
Can directly threaten Persia, today Iran
At the same time, it can put pressure on India
east
Threaten China
west
Outflanking Ottoman Türkiye's Backyard
Compensatory psychology
The disastrous defeat in the Crimean War stimulated Russia
There is an urgent need to find psychological compensation in Asia
In Europe we are flatterers
In Asia, we are the masters
Objective: historical background
The decline of the Qing Dynasty in the mid-to-late 19th century
While the Qing Dynasty was able to protect Central Asia, these nomadic tribes were unwilling to be controlled by Russia.
After the decline of the power of the Qing Dynasty, in the power vacuum zone, the ability and willingness to resist Russia were greatly reduced.
The gap between East and West under the industrial revolution
Dimensionality reduction strike
A battle only requires two to three thousand men and a dozen cannons, and they are basically invincible.
Subjective: strategic calculation
three o'clock
Prioritize expansion goals clearly
First take the Kazakh grassland and stabilize it, then annex other Central Asian countries
Path selection to achieve goals
step by step
Four lines of forts
The difference between a fortress and the Great Wall
The Great Wall is completely defensive in military terms; the fortress is for offense.
The fort's earthworks were much cruder, mostly using local wood
Russia has absolute firepower advantage
Good at borrowing other strengths
Good at exploiting conflicts among conquered people
The conquest of Central Asia is inseparable from the brutal and bloody brutality of Tsarist Russia
massacre
How Tsarist Russia plundered the territory of the Qing Dynasty
The territory that Tsarist Russia seized from the Qing Dynasty without a war far exceeded that of countries such as Britain, France, and Japan that actually launched a war of aggression against China.
In the eyes of the decision-makers of the Qing government
There is no doubt that Western powers such as Britain and France are the primary threat
Tsarist Russia was certainly second to them, a minor threat at best
Waging psychological warfare against the Qing government
Use the help of Britain and France to increase pressure on the Qing government
Find ways to make the British and French invasion of China more intense
Tsarist Russia suggested to Britain and France that attacking Guangzhou was of little significance, and suggested directly attacking Tianjin from the sea, which would fundamentally shake the Qing government's war determination.
Acting as a protector in front of the Qing government
Capital and military penetration
In addition to directly taking away large areas of territory from the late Qing government, there is another way of aggression, which is to gradually reduce some areas to its sphere of influence through capital and military penetration, and then annex them when the time is right.
Russo-Japanese War: Why Russia Lost to Japan
This war failed
led to the revolution in Russia
More than half a century of eastward expansion was blocked, and the strategic focus shifted back to Europe.
institutions and military
The simplest explanation is institutional reasons
Tsarist Russia’s autocratic system was the root cause of Russia’s military failure
The two things that are generally believed to be the most fatal to the Russian army
At the beginning of the war, it was attacked by the Japanese navy Chen Gong, and the Russian army lost sea control.
The Russian army is insufficient in strength
Blind confidence
Dig deeper into the reasons
Blind self-confidence prevalent within Russia
Japan is not worth mentioning at all
Internal Russian Army Fighting with Japan
Likened to the European army's operations to suppress colonial uprisings at that time
strategic flaws
When there is no essential distance at the execution level, the quality of strategic thinking is decisive.
The 1905 Revolution: Why it was a preview of the October Revolution
Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese War directly resulted in the domestic revolution of 1905
In Russian history and cultural tradition, defeat and revolution have a considerable connection
marx
The power and superficial glory of the tsarist government brought by the vulgar and patriotic public through external conquests were enough to make up for the oppression they received, but if external expansion failed, domestic pressure would suddenly become apparent.
Preview of the October Revolution
Here we focus on why it’s important, not why it broke out
During the revolution of 1905, organizations such as trade unions had already played the role of government in many places. The police chief of Petersburg directly called them the second government.
Shaken the Tsarist autocratic regime
The revolution of 1905 fundamentally shaken the entire tsarist autocratic system that had lasted for hundreds of years.
Transformation of ordinary people
On January 22, 1905, a petition gathered in front of the East Palace in St. Petersburg
Hope the tsar would introduce change and touch their plight
The Tsarist Guards opened fire. Officially, 130 people were killed and hundreds injured.
bloody sunday
After that, the tsar's paternal image among the people was gone forever.
The Tsar was no longer a religious, divine being
elite defection
In the eyes of the elite, Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese War fully demonstrated the country's backwardness.
The only way to avoid revolution is to reform the tsarist autocracy and modernize Russia
famous politician
Count Werther
Consensus of all parties: Tsarist autocracy cannot continue
Whether it's constitutional change or outright overthrow, the Tsar can't go back to the past.
The most important features of the 1905 revolution
Under the Russian autocratic system, the Tsar was actually the only link connecting different classes and interest groups in the country.
After this revolution, the tsar, the only link, became the most concentrated point of stress for domestic conflicts.
All the problems and contradictions in the Russian Empire, whether caused by the tsarist system or not, became the tsar's responsibility and mistakes.
The Stolypin Revolution: Why Russia’s Last Attempt to Survive Failed
Stolypin revolution
The actual implementation did not take long, but the results were indeed very significant.
To extend the life of the Russian Empire under the Tsar for the last time
Comments on Stolypin
During the Soviet period, he was criticized as a reactionary official who brutally suppressed the masses.
Stolypin's tie
noose on the gallows
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, both officials and the public began to praise his political achievements.
In 2008, Russian state television selected him as the greatest Russian
initiatives for change
The focus is on rural transformation
The majority of Russians are peasants
Rural areas are the most conservative and backward places
If the countryside cannot be transformed, it will be impossible for Russia to truly get rid of its backwardness.
Accurately grasp national conditions
The traditional economy of the Russian countryside
The main body is the collective rural communes
mill commune
relatively primitive collective economy
Take root deeply
Russian peasants became serfs, and then the serfs were emancipated, which remained unchanged for hundreds of years.
measure
Break this collective economy, privatize land, liberate rural productivity, and quickly form a group of rich peasants
It will definitely involve a lot of interest redistribution, social conflicts will be intensified, and conservatives will begin a comprehensive counterattack
Reasons why change fails
common explanation
Time for change is too short
Change means redistribution of benefits
In the early stages of change, turbulence is basically inevitable. In the middle and later stages, stability will be brought about as the dividends of change expand.
Stolypin had this prediction
Give the country 20 years of internal and external stability, and Russia will become unrecognizable to you.
Russia’s conservative forces are strong
Russian society has always had a relatively strong conservative tendency, and changes without exception have aroused strong resistance from domestic conservative forces.
Stolypin's reforms mainly targeted rural areas where conservative forces were based, and the backlash was the most intense.
There are problems with the methods of change
Change is too rough and lacks coordination
There is unfairness
fundamental problem
In traditional Russian society, only the Tsar enjoys supreme authority. When he comes to influence the distribution of interests and suppress with high force, the people may still reluctantly accept it.
This is not the case for Stolypin using his position as prime minister to push forward changes with an iron fist.
This change could only be promoted by the Tsar with the highest authority, but Nicholas II was unable to do so in terms of ability and will.
Lei uses his position as prime minister to promote this, which is a big gamble in itself.
The focus of Lei's reforms was economics, but the real core issue in Russia at that time was not economics, but politics.
World War I: Why Russia Joined
All major countries were responsible for the outbreak of World War I
Had it not been for World War I, Russia’s internal conflicts would not have developed to the point where revolution was necessary.
Russia participated in the war more proactively
During World War I, the competition between the great powers became more and more rigid, and they all formed alliances. The participation of any country in the war would cause its allies to automatically join the war.
When the crisis got out of control in 1914, a chain reaction occurred in this alliance system, which is why the major powers started an all-out war.
The impact of joining World War I on Tsarist Russia
The outbreak of war at this time would be very detrimental to Russia
politically disadvantageous
Once it fails, social revolution will inevitably break out in an extreme way, and all problems will be blamed on the tsarist government
military perspective
One year before the outbreak of World War I, the Russian government had just passed a huge military expansion plan
The Russian army will be capable of fighting a major war by around 1917
Why did Russia take the initiative to participate in World War I?
Russia chose the Balkans as the focus of its expansion
After the Russo-Japanese War, Russia’s eastward expansion momentum was basically completely curbed.
The center of gravity of the great pendulum swings back to Europe
In this way, Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which also paid attention to the Balkans, once again came to the fore, and defeating the Austro-Hungarian Empire became increasingly attractive to Russian decision-makers.
After the Russo-Japanese War, the influence of Slavicism expanded rapidly, and many people even advocated returning to the path before the Westernization reforms of Peter I.
Alan Palmer: When Eastern European nations suffer a setback, they tend to retreat to their past glory for comfort.
psychological fortress
The trend of thought has not only become stronger, but also more extreme.
The fundamental reason why Russia took the initiative in participating in the war was not because it was belligerent or because it misjudged the situation, but because it was too weak politically and could no longer act according to normal logic.
World War I: Why Tsarist Russia failed miserably
The most direct reason is of course the military itself
It can be said that there is a qualitative gap between the Russian army and its opponent, the German army.
in war
The Russian army suffered 3 million casualties, 3.9 million prisoners, and 4.8 million prisoners
German and Austro-Hungarian casualties totaled 4.3 million
Austrian casualties were 2.8 million
German casualties were 1.5 million
industrial capability
Incomparable to Germany
Germany's coal output is more than seven times that of Russia, and its steel output is more than three times that of Russia.
food supply
Russia conscripted a large number of skilled workers from industrial enterprises into the army, causing a sudden decline in military production. The situation in agriculture was similar.
Of the 15.8 million troops, 66% are farmers
At the same time, a quarter of the horses used in agricultural farming were also requisitioned.
systemic failure
The shortfall in military rations reaches 60~70%
Simply put, the state machine of Tsarist Russia was simply unable to cope with an extreme test like World War I, and the entire machine basically failed later on.
February Revolution: How the Tsarist Regime Ended
When the February Revolution broke out in 1917, Russia's domestic crisis, especially the food crisis, had reached a certain limit.
When the center of power that controls everything actually fails to function, it becomes the focus of all contradictions in Russia.
By the fourth year of World War I (1917), the fall of the Tsar and the revolution had become almost everyone's expectation
The beginning and end of the February Revolution
The entire February Revolution was successful in just 9 days.
A total of more than 100 people died, which can basically be regarded as a bloodless revolution.
interesting facts
Overthrowing the Tsar was not the primary goal of the revolution in the first place
After the outbreak, no force actually proposed to overthrow the Tsar.
The main slogan is Down with War and Give Us Bread
The question of leadership in the February Revolution
The revolutionary process was so fast that all the factions did not fully respond.
The tsarist regime can be said to have been overthrown by revolution, but it can also be said to have collapsed on its own in the revolutionary wave.
In other words, they were abandoned by all the forces in Russia
Out of control in revolution
This revolution was actually a great loss of control of social order.
From a political point of view, the February Revolution actually has a relatively strong relationship with the anarchist ideological trend in Russia.
Leo Tolstoy is one of the representatives of anarchism
anarchist ideology
Advocates the abolition of all states and governments and the realization of absolute freedom
Believes that all groups should be free associations between people
against all authority
Advocates complete equality among all classes and property belongs to the collective
It has a lot to do with the Russian Orthodox faith, rural communes, collective economic traditions, etc., and its roots are particularly deep.
Russia has long been in a state of contradiction
On the one hand, the Russian people believe in authority very much and submit to the authoritarian rule of the Tsar.
On the other hand, there is a tendency to demand absolute freedom, complete equality, and equal distribution of property.
Once tsarist rule weakened or disappeared, this deep ideological appeal would explode
Soviet Union-Russia (1917~1991)
Theme: Why the October Revolution was successful
background
Key Information
After the February Revolution, the Bolsheviks had just been allowed to operate openly, with a total of 23,000 party members
There are only about 2,000 in Petrograd
Until the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks did not really have their own army
In the party competition, the Bolsheviks were initially in a clear minority
8 months to seize power
The guidance of Marxist theory
The Bolshevik Party's resolute fighting will and strong organizational ability
In 6 months, the number of people expanded tenfold
Lenin, as the leader of the October Revolution, played a particularly key role in it
Key Figure: Lenin
After the February Revolution, Lenin was the only leader to propose seizing power
He saw that the power vacuum in Russia at that time was a window of time, which was extremely rare. In this situation, various forces were changing most rapidly, and nothing was impossible.
Original quote: Our revolution happened to have a lucky timing. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.
strategic coordination goals
Once the goal is determined, the action is very determined
All activities are centered around this goal and are competing for time
He grasped the most urgent needs of Russian society, made bold promises, and won the hearts and minds of the people.
peace, land, bread and freedom
Soviet
Full name: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
The Soviet was originally an organizational form, mainly composed of directly elected representatives of workers and farmers. Later, it was recorded as directly elected representatives of the army.
Representative of power
Soviet
Mainly represents the grassroots level of Russian society, especially the grassroots level in cities.
provisional government
Belongs to upper level organization
Neither of these two parts can command the other, they are equivalent to the two main bodies of power in Russian politics.
Lenin: All power goes to the Soviets
good at compromise
Lenin was very good at uniting the majority of forces through compromise
He has always insisted that all political power should belong to the Soviets, not to the Bolsheviks.
At the beginning of the founding of the Soviet Union, what kind of hidden dangers were laid?
In fact, some of the hidden dangers that later led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union had already been laid in the early days of the Soviet Union.
The way the Soviet Union named these republics and subsequent practices actually reinforced their awareness of them as independent countries rather than part of a federation.
More than 60 years later, it was this understanding that played a key role in the collapse of the Soviet Union
From Soviet Russia to Soviet Union
Unified plan
Incorporate these areas directly into Soviet Russia and restore the practices of Tsarist Russia
Lenin: Let these places form a large federal state on an equal footing with Soviet Russia
In the early days of the Soviet Union, it eventually adopted the federal system advocated by Lenin.
It was in line with the actual conditions at the time, and was also an attempt to solve the original ethnic issues in Tsarist Russia.
Hidden dangers of the collapse of the Soviet Union
soviet constitution
Other federal countries generally do not have such a provision: republics that join the Soviet Union have the right to freely withdraw from the union.
Legally implicit possibility of disintegration of the Soviet Union
The only federal country in the world that names its federal subjects after nationalities is the Soviet Union.
The structure of a federal country is relatively loose
Naming federal subjects after ethnic names may strengthen the local ethnic group’s sense of independent national identity.
It doesn’t matter if it’s called a state or a republic.
Strengthen the consciousness of independent country
The political construction of the Union Republics is actually moving in the direction of nationalization.
There are also problems with subsequent steps
Especially on the issue of cadre training and appointment
Requests that the named nation hold key leadership positions in its republic
How the Soviet Union Achieved the Miracle of Industrialization
why can
The Soviet Union completed the transformation from an agricultural country to an industrial country mainly through two five-year plans, and achieved a leap in the Soviet Union's industrial ranking in the world.
At the beginning of the first five-year plan, it accounted for less than 4% of the world's total industry
After the completion of the second five-year plan, this ratio reached 13.7%, ranking second in the world, second only to the United States.
Every time the Russian state does big things, these two characteristics will be reflected.
A highly centralized power center to forcefully promote
People will be asked to be patient for the country
The Soviet Union could buy the equipment and technology it needed from the West
This was so important for Soviet industrialization
learn from the west
Stalin: Soviet industry was completed with the help of Western countries such as Germany, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Sweden.
Germany's help came first
The United States helped the Soviet Union the most in its industrialization
History background
In the year when the Soviet Union's First Five-Year Plan was proposed, an economic crisis broke out in the world's capitalist countries and there was a massive surplus of industrial equipment.
Seize the opportunity to introduce large quantities of
The Soviet Union’s imported machinery and equipment accounted for half of the world’s total machinery and equipment exports
At its peak, 78% of the United States’ annual equipment exports were contracted by the Soviet Union.
The involvement of American businesses was indeed an important factor in the miracle of Soviet industrialization
Raising funds for industrialization
Sacrifice agriculture
Stalin
Agriculture must first make sacrifices for industry, and then offset agriculture after industry develops.
Charge high taxes on farmers and require agriculture and rural areas to make sacrifices for industrialization
Farmers not only have to pay ordinary taxes to the state, but also pay additional taxes
Farmers' enthusiasm is frustrated, and agriculture is in a long-term slump
Until the height of Soviet power, agriculture failed to fully recover.
gold purchase
Mine it yourself
Foreign guests store
The strange way the Soviet Union originally collected gold
After 5 years of operation, I earned about 100 tons of gold.
After the First Five Year Plan, exchange gold and silver for grain and flour
World War II: How the Soviet Union Defeated Germany
Soviet heavy industry
The most common answer is the victory of Soviet heavy industry
Insufficient answer
In the first and second years of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, quite a few heavy industrial areas in the Soviet Union had been occupied
U.S. aid
The important factor is U.S. aid
Shortly after the victory of World War II, the Cold War broke out. The United States did not mention it, and the Soviet Union did not mention it.
Judging from the materials produced by the military industry, the explosives provided by the United States are equivalent to 53% of the total production of the Soviet Union. %, aviation gasoline 23%, and important metals such as aluminum and steel.
Stalin
The most important thing in this war is machines, and the United States is a machine-making country.
If we didn't have the machines we got through Lend-Lease, we would have lost the war
All for victory
As the most cruel game of mankind, war always depends on the material basis, but it never only depends on the material basis.
The fact that the Soviet Union was still able to operate efficiently under such extreme circumstances shows that this large system is very resilient.
The total strength of the Soviet army before the war was 5.4 million. During the 12 days of the German offensive, the losses reached 600,000.
In half a year, the Soviet army lost more than 5 million people, accounting for 90% of its pre-war total strength, including 3 million prisoners.
The disastrous defeat at the beginning of the war showed that the Soviet army's combat capabilities were not on the same level as the German army at that time.
High-strength national will overrides all other considerations, and the entire system operates in a highly centralized and coordinated manner.
Find a war logic that can maximize your own advantages, and then impose this logic on your opponent
Forcing the German army to fight with themselves
mortar
The Soviet Army’s Favorite Weapon
Barrel and rifling were rejected
T-34 tank
At the height of World War II, the average survival time of Soviet tanks on the battlefield was only 7 to 9 minutes.
Who cares about the paint on the tank’s exterior?
Germany produces tanks with meticulous attention to detail
During World War II, the Soviet Union produced 70,000 T-34 tanks and 5,000 German Panther tanks.
In addition to its material foundation, the key to the Soviet Union's victory in World War II was that it maximized its own advantages through coordination and organization.
The Soviet Union had something to do with the outbreak of the Cold War
Origins of the Cold War
Three international explanations
provoked by the United States
provoked by the Soviet Union
The mistrust between the United States and the Soviet Union was deeply rooted, and a series of miscalculations and interactions between the two sides led to
new perspective
An important reason for the outbreak of the Cold War was the need
World Pattern Issues
At the end of World War II, the United States made it clear that it needed to establish a world system led by itself.
The Soviet Union exists, and confrontation is difficult to avoid
The emergence of the Cold War was conducive to consolidating the United States' leadership position in the West and conformed to its strategic needs
It also meets the needs of the Soviet Union
Distinguish spheres of influence
The state of the Soviet Union at that time: simply put, both strong and weak
The Soviet Union had the most powerful army in the world at the time, and its overall military strength was second only to the United States.
The war also caused huge losses to the Soviet Union
With a population of less than 200 million, more than one tenth was lost
More than half of the traditional industrial areas were in ruins
In the five years after the war, the Soviet Union's industrial output was only 20% of that of the United States, and its agricultural output was 50%.
The Soviet Union is paying attention and quickly determines its sphere of influence.
Molotov: If capitalist countries want to reach an agreement with us, they must distinguish their spheres of influence
The concept of spheres of influence is very important and is a key point in understanding Soviet postwar policy.
camp
Stalin
This war is different from previous wars. Whoever liberates territory will implement their own social system wherever their troops go. It couldn't be otherwise.
The division of spheres of influence was intended to maximize the buffer zone between the Soviet Union and the West, for the sake of Soviet security
The respective internal affairs considerations of the United States and the Soviet Union
In fact, the outbreak of the Cold War was closely related to the needs of the United States and the Soviet Union
USA
Through this highly ideological confrontation, we will eliminate the influence of communism and other leftist ideas in the country.
At that time, there were already many people in the United States who sympathized with communism.
Soviet Union
World War II was the most severe test that the Soviet Union experienced, but the domestic social environment was relatively relaxed during the war.
In wartime, everything is for victory, with few restrictions
The war brought about an unprecedented movement of people
After the founding of the Soviet Union, internal control was very strict, and most people did not know what it was like outside.
At the end of World War II, millions of people fought abroad and went deep into the heart of Europe, and even interacted with Europeans and Americans.
Facing the various domestic impacts brought about by the war, the Soviet Union also needed to conduct an internal purge to eliminate potential risks.
The Cold War met the Soviet Union’s internal needs
The two-way rush between the United States and the Soviet Union eventually led to the outbreak of the Cold War
The Cuban Missile Crisis: Why it set the tone of the Cold War
Cold War tone
written answer
sharp ideological opposition
Distinct geopolitical rivalry
Berlin Wall
An arms race of unprecedented scale
The fundamental meaning of the Cold War is that although the United States and the Soviet Union were in a life-and-death confrontation, the armies of both sides would not directly go to war, so it was a cold war.
cuban missile crisis
The Soviet Union secretly transported missiles into Cuba and aimed them at the United States, but the United States discovered them
Why didn’t the Cold War turn into a hot war?
One obvious feature of this crisis is that although the United States and the Soviet Union were at war with each other during the crisis, they both demonstrated a common desire to avoid a nuclear war.
It’s definitely not something that can be analyzed by simple logic like who loses, who wins, or who gives in first.
Cuban missile crisis marks the end of an era
Big countries can no longer easily threaten each other with force.
Because any crisis can lead to mutual destruction
Both serves demonstrate very strong game control capabilities.
After the crisis, the United States and the Soviet Union began to strengthen communication and began to establish some crisis management and control mechanisms. Even when the struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union was at its fiercest and relations were at their worst, these channels remained open.
In order to ensure that the cold war between the two sides does not turn into a hot war
The Cuban Missile Crisis not only formed a consensus between the United States and the Soviet Union that nuclear powers cannot go to war, but also stimulated the creation of mechanisms and objective strength foundations to ensure this consensus.
Established the tone of the Cold War
Why did the Soviet Union lose the Cold War?
The Soviet Union's chances of winning the Cold War were unlikely from the start
The Soviet Union developed its economy and technology while basically separated from international economic entities, which greatly reduced its possibility of winning the Cold War from the beginning.
The level of industrialization and development, the Soviet economy has always been semi-closed, with limited interaction with the outside world.
Unbalanced economic development structure
There have always been two serious problems behind the seemingly strong Soviet economy.
structural imbalance
Heavy industry is too heavy, light industry is too light
The proportion of energy economy is surprisingly high
Rapid growth in the 1960s and mid-1970s, a large part of which depended on oil and natural gas
There is also a serious imbalance between industry and agriculture
Food needs to be imported that year, and a large amount of national reserves of gold must be used each time
low efficiency
The same unit of output value consumes nearly twice as much as the United States.
Taken together, these two problems show that the Soviet economy as a system has very high operating costs.
national operating costs
The Soviet Union was operating for the sake of military affairs, and it could be said that it did not care about the cost.
The direct military accounted for 12% of the Soviet Union's GDP initially, and it could reach 60% indirectly.
The cost of operating this large Soviet system was much higher than that of its opponents.
"War and Change in World Politics"
The demise of great empires in history was often due to their own operating costs getting higher and higher and their profits getting lower and lower. In the end, they were crushed by their own costs.
The collapse of the Soviet Union was, ultimately, a systemic failure.
Choice: Exploring Russia’s Development Path
Pains on the road to Westernization
In the first few years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia positioned itself as part of the West and clearly followed the path of Westernization both politically and economically.
After disintegration, he joined the Group of Seven Western Leaders.
The West is neither willing to truly accept nor provide assistance
Russia has never belonged to the West
In terms of real interests, the Soviet Union no longer exists, so why does the West still spend money and effort to help Russia?
What has the greatest impact on ordinary Russians is Russia’s own economic policies
After the disintegration, privatization and transformation were chosen, but this process was very hasty.
shock therapy
major issues
National assets are vastly undervalued
1.5 trillion, 1w per capita
Highly uneven access to information
People with insider information start making large purchases
Return to Russian traditions
back to tradition
Not the West, not the East, just itself
Yeltsin died in 2007 and his funeral was held at the Orthodox Cathedral in Moscow
Putin
Russia cannot become another United States or Britain. These countries have a deep historical tradition of liberal values.
Russia is different, it has its own political tradition
For Russia, strong government is not an anomaly that it must get rid of
Rather, it is a source of order