1917 February Revolution Flashcards
What were the political reasons why Russia was on the point of revolution by 1917?
- people thought joining a radical party was more patriotic than supporting the regime
- Tsarina in charge, constantly sacking ministers and being controlled by Rasputin
- shutting down of the Duma
- refusal to accept help from Zemgor
What were the economic reasons why Russia was on the point of revolution by 1917?
- most war costs went to the war and not the people
- inflation rose 300% while pay only rose 131%
- lack of jobs
- lack of food in the cities due to transportation issues
What were the military reasons why Russia was no the point of revolution by 1917?
- Nicholas went to the front lines, but lacked military experience
- peasants were trained to be officials —> used this training for revolution
- losses of land / factories
- continuous loss and lack of victories = reduced morale
- creation of NCOS (non-commissioned officers, peasants promoted to officer status)
What were the social reasons why Russia was on the point of revolution by 1917?
- spreading of rumours that tainted the autocratic image (eg Tsarina and Rasputin being lovers)
- strikes (mostly due to economic issues)
What happened on 23 Feb 1917?
- women in the factories came out to the streets to protest the lack / rationing of bread - they start throwing snowballs
- 100,000 on strike
- Putilov Iron Works
What happened on 24 Feb 1917?
- workers marched to the centre of Petrograd
- joined by sailors from Kronstadt
What happened on 25 Feb 1917?
- more than 200,000 workers on strike (half the capital’s workforce)
- spontaneous demonstrations, with no clear organisation by any political party
- state tried to remove demonstrators
- many shot (even women and children)
- cossacks supported police initially, but were wavering
What was Nicholas’ reaction to the first few days of chaos?
- received telegrams from Rodzianko (President of Duma)
- tied to ignore them, but then had to order the military to stop the demonstrators
- orders the Duma to be permanently dissolved but this is ignored by Rodzianko, who urges the Tsar to form a ‘new government’ - he only responds to this in his diary (‘fat-bellied Rodzianko’, ‘nonsense to which I will not even bother to reply’)
What happened on 26 Feb 1917?
- army is ordered to shoot demonstrators
- 50 casualties
What happened on 27 Feb 1917?
- demonstrations continued
- two garrisons of soldiers in Petrograd start shooting officers, mutiny spreads (significant)
- the Duma form a special committee, made up of main parties, to debate Russia’s future; they demand the Tsar’s abdication
- generals of the army’s High Command order their soldiers to support the Duma
What were the events at the Kronstadt naval base?
- simmering tension between the officers and the sailors
- they hear about the events in Petrograd
- illegal meetings are held, a new revolutionary committee is elected
- officers are killed and imprisoned
How was Nicholas forced to abdicate?
- his train was stopped on the way back to Petrograd
- railway blocked by revolutionaries
- generals send telegrams telling Tsar to abdicate
- his brother refused the throne, and his son was too weak
- Nicholas II abdicates
What happened after Nicholas’ abdication?
- tsarist symbols are turnt down
- called the ‘honeymoon of the revolution’
Describe Order Number One
28 Feb 1917
Signed by the Petrograd Soviet (socialists)
A charter of soldiers’ rights which brings the army under the control of the Soviet (grab for power)
Makes a case for social equality and clause 4 = direct challenge to the Duma
Listened to by soldiers, but only in Petrograd
What happens on 1 March 1917?
The leaders of France and Britain formally recognise the Provisional Government as the official government of Russia
