Student Organizations

Departmental Events

Washington College in Chestertown

Highlights

Archive

Our Staff

From February to October 1917: Competing Visions of the Russian Revolution

The beginning slide to the lecture presentation.

Credit: Kathryn Bedard

Dr. Thatcher at many times moved about the room as he discussed the different interpretations of the Russian Revolution.

Credit: Kathryn Bedard

Audience members watch Thatcher as he changes the slides as well as the topic.

Credit: Kathryn Bedard

An example of some of the slides used during the presentation.

Credit: Kathryn Bedard

Another slide used during the lecture.

Credit: Kathryn Bedard

November 02, 2017

In this lecture, Ian Thatcher discussed the historical importance of the Russian Revolution as its interpretations and meaning have changed throughout the past century.

Using examples from books such as “October: The Story of The Russian Revolution” by China Mieville and “The Russian Revolution: A New History” by Sean McMeekin, Thatcher examined the various ways in which we have come to understand the Russian Revolution both as to why it started and what it means to history.

In cases such as Mieville’s work, the Russian Revolution ended on a hopeful note for the peasants of Russia while McMeekin argues that the Revolution should not have happened and that the Tsar regime was much better than it was made out to be.

The Conrad M. Wingate Memorial Lecture was established in honor of Conrad Winegate by his family (he was class of 1923) as he died at the age of 27. Some of this memorial foundation money goes not only to the lecture but also to support students in their undergraduate research.