1917 Feb Revolution Flashcards
What was the social situation like in Russia in 1917?
Unrest in towns/countryside, inflation, food shortages, workers demanded an end to the war, rent in Petrograd increased x3
How many working days were lost in 1916 to strikes?
3/4 million working days
Why did the peasantry resent the Government?
Never pro-war, lacked a sense of Russian identity
What class were majority of conscripts from?
Peasantry
How many men were in the army and how many were killed in 1914-17?
15m men in the army, 2m killed, 5m wounded/imprisoned
Why were people in the countryside unhapppy?
Women/children/elderly resented the extra workload they had to do e.g., farm work
What were soldiers wives known as?
Soldatki
What were Soldatkis given from the Government
An allowance whilst their husband served in the army, didn’t rise with inflation
What happened on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday in 1917?
Half of Petrograds workers striked
What amount of Petrograds workers were women?
20%
What did the socialists encourage workers to do on International Womens day?
Hold anti-government demonstrations
What happened on the 23rd Feb?
International women’s day - textiles women and engineering men in the Vyborg district striked against food shortages
What happened on the 24th Feb 1917?
Protest escalated into a general strike with more than 200k workers
What slogans were held on banners?
“Down with the Tsar”, “Down with the war”
What happened on the 26th Feb 1917?
Agitators were arrested, hundreds of demonstrators killed
What happened on the 27th Feb 1917?
Soldiers at one barrack mutinied - quickly spread to other barracks. Petrograd garrison mutinied
When was the Provisional Committee of the Duma created?
27th Feb 1917
Who dominated the Provisional Committee of the Duma?
Milyukov
What did the Provisional Committee of the Duma want?
Restore public order and establish a new Government.
Why was the Provisional Committees authority questioned?
Wasn’t democratically elected, Petrograd garrison were unwilling to listen to them - didn’t listen to orders to return their barracks
When was the Petrograd Soviet reestablished?
March 1917
Who reestablished the PS?
Socialist intellectuals, mostly Mensheviks
Were the PS successful?
Quickly won support of the citys workers and garrison
Why did the PS not rule?
Had a lack of administrative experience and had no intention of forming a Gov
What did the Duma committee and the PS create?
Provisional Government
How long would the Provisional Government rule?
Ruled until a new democratic constitution was created with the PS acting as a watchdog