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Russia: The Wild East

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Factual: History

A history of Russia, written and presented by Martin Sixsmith

Russia: The Wild East: Series 1

Russia: The Wild East: Series 1: Episode 21: Too Little, Too Late

Series 1

Episode 21

Episode 21: Too Little, Too Late

Too Little, Too Late

BBC Radio 4 - Russia: The Wild East, Series 1, Too Little, Too Late

Martin Sixsmith signals the first appearance of Trotsky. The Revolution gathers pace.

Martin Sixsmith plots the events that lead to the Russian Revolution, the roles of politicians, and of Trotsky and Lenin. Had reform succeeded, how different might Russia be today?

In the final week of the first part of BBC Radio 4's major new series on the History of Russia, the momentum is all towards revolution. 

After centuries of unbending autocratic government Nicholas II creates an embryonic parliament - an astounding leap forward. Unrest abates and the economy recovers. Martin Sixsmith reflects, "For a brief moment the vision of the Russian empire as a sort of British constitutional monarchy looked enticingly possible. Had it been offered earlier and more willingly - it might just have worked." 
Instead it is seen as too little too late. 

Sixsmith stands where the revolutionaries stood and paints this picture: "On the 18th of October 1905, a young Jewish intellectual with a small goatee beard, a thick head of black hair and intense dark eyes rose to address an unruly assembly of striking workers here in the Technological Institute in Saint Petersburg." That man was Lev Bronstein, better known by the pseudonym Leon Trotsky. He and Lenin were agitating for the whole Tsarist system to be swept away. 

After the assassination of his uncle, Tsar Nicholas retreats from public view for eight years, but remains under the influence of his wife and her faith in the maverick and dissolute holy man, Grigory Rasputin. When the Prime Minister is assassinated at Kiev Opera House, imperial Russia's last attempt at political liberalism comes to an irrevocable end. 


Producers: Adam Fowler & Anna Scott-Brown
A Ladbroke Production for BBC Radio 4.

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Russia: The Wild East

Series 1

Episode 21: Too Little, Too Late

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