1) The Conditions Of Russia Before The Revolution Of Feb/march 1917 Flashcards
What is the duma
An elected Russian assembly with law making functions
What is a manifesto
Published declaration of policy or aims
Usually promotes new ideas with prescriptive notions for carrying out changes
What were some key points to tsar Nicholas life as a tsar
Believed he had divine calling to be tsar
Had moral correctness of autocracy instilled in him from a very young age
Reactionary and arch conservative
Personality ill suited for position - disorganised and ignorant
How long had the Romanov dynasty been in power
Since 1613
What had tsar dismissed soon after he came to power
Dismissed zemstov petition for elected National Assembly as a “senseless dream”
What class was growing opposition to the tsar coming from
Middle class - well educated and denied power
Social democrats (Karl Marx ideals)
Liberals - want reform - turn tsar into constitutional monarch like Britain
What happened in 1904 that undermined the tsars authority
Lost war with Japan
What happened in 1905
Bloody Sunday
Peaceful demonstration of workers were attacked by Cossacks in a bid to assert the tsars authority
January massacre of workers who were just marching to winter palace
What is Okrana
Secret police force of Russian empire
What is autocracy
Rule by one person who has no limits to power
What is divine right
Refers to monarch appointed by god and answerable to god alone for actions
What is zemstva
Elected councils responsible for local administration of provincial districts
What did liberals want
Groups who favoured moderate reform and constitutional monarchy
List some liberal groups
Kadets
Octoberists
What did social revolutionaries want
Formed in 1901
To organise and improve the position of peasantry
Extremely terrorist elements- political assassination
Moderate elements - support doen trade unions and members of middle class
Suffered lack of discipline
What did social democrats want
Based on Karl marxs theories
Based support on rapidly expanding industrial working class
Consequences of Bloody Sunday
Strikes and riots
Committees set up called soviets
What did Nicholas publish after the revolution
October manifesto
Promised to create a duma
causes many middle class to support him (octoberists)
1906- agreed to state duma
However minimised their influence
Discuss rasputin and his importance to the tsar and family
Faith healer who had been able to ease the pain of their only son who suffered from haemophilia
Influence over tsar extended to interfering in government appointments
Known for womanising and drunkness
Damaged tsars reputation
What is Russification
policy of enforcing Russian culture on the vast numbers of ethnic minorities that lived in the Russian Empire.
What is pan slavism
Belief that slav races should be united and look to Russia As supreme leadership
Reason for Russia joining war
What was the response of the people when tsar decided to go to war in 1914
Popular initially and supports by anti German sentiment
State duma dissolved itself- declaring it did nothing want to burden the county with unnecessary politics
What happened to the spirit of national after battle of tannenburg
Left 300,000 dead or wounded
Thousands prisoner
Russian army in temporary retreat
Clear war would not end in quick victory
What was the issue with soldiers in 1914 and 15
Two rifles for every three soldiers
Artillery limited to two or three shells a day
Rely on weapons from fallen comrades
By the end of 1916 what was Russia’s army like
Loss of experienced officers
Heavy casualties
Deteriorating economic and political situation
Morale fell - 1.5 million desertions by end of year
What was the Brusilov offensive
Russia’s attempt to push westwards from the Ukrainian and break through the Austro hungry lines
What did tsarist government do on July 1914
Tsarist government set military zones
Civil authority suspended
Military assumed command
What was the reaction to the military zones
Liberal zemstva believed that civilians are needed to play a major part in running the war
Established a medical facility
What happened in June 1915
Discuss the importance
Zemstva and multiple Dumas had joined to form zemgor
Chairman Prince Lvov claimed right to help tsarist government in war effort
Tsar Nicholas shunned it and this made it turn into a focus for liberal discontent
What had Nicholas been given the chance to do between 1914-17
Chance to institute political reform and save us own position by transferring responsibility for war effort to civilian government
What is the ‘progressive block’
Duma deputies who demanded that the tsar change his ministers and establish
A government of public confidence
Asking for Constitutional monarchy
What was the biggest mistake the tsar made during the war
Making himself commander in chief of the Russian army and navy
He did not posses the military experience to turn war effort around
Made himself by he key individual to blame and take responsibility for all raging disasters of war
What was the biggest problem for Russia by 1917
Soldiers were celebrating with a suitable what do you also like in basic warm clothing and footwear

Why was Alexandra seen as an issue by 1917
She was German and accused of sabotaging the war effort
When and why was Rasputin die
Dec 1916
Unpopular and damaging the tsarist monarchy
So was murdered
Social and economic problems in jan feb 1917
30,000 workers strike in Moscow
145,000 strikes in Petrograd
Because rise in cost of living, deaths and starvation
Loss of confidence in tsarist regime
