2 - The February Revolution

Question 1

What triggered the February Revolution of 1917?

Answer 1

• The poor winter weather lead to scarce food supplies in towns and cities, causing prices to rise and rationing to be implemented, causing further discontent.
• Workers had insufficient wages with inflation
• The people felt like the Tsar was not interested in the country and its population, and were blaming him for the Russian failures at war and leaving his German wife in charge on the Home Front.

Question 2

What happened on the 18th February 1917?

Answer 2

There is a strike at Putilov engineering works, workers want higher wages due to inflation.

Question 3

What happened on the 23rd February 1917?

Answer 3

International Woman’s Day is organised by socialist groups, many women join along with about 100,000 other strikers on the street.

Question 4

What happened on the 25th February 1917?

Answer 4

There are strikes all over the city, with 300,000 demonstrators. There are no newspapers, public transport and the police start to show signs of sympathy.

Question 5

What happened on the 26th February 1917?

Answer 5

The Tsar instructs the army to restore order but many deserted. Some shots are fired but there were no printers to produce the Tsar’s orders.

Question 6

What happened on the 27th February 1917?

Answer 6

Buildings, shops and restaurants are looted. Most of the garrison join the strikers.
The Tsar orders the duma to dissolve. 12 members refuse and form a provisional committee.
The Petrograd Soviet of soldiers, sailors and workers deputies have their first meeting and run the country with the Provisional Committee.

Question 7

What happens on the 1st March 1917?

Answer 7

The Petrograd Soviet issue order number one, all authority is transferred from army officers to the elected reps of the soldiers.

Question 8

What happens on the 2nd March 1917?

Answer 8

The Tsar decides to return to Petrograd to settle things but is stopped in Pskov, a hundred miles outside Petrograd, where he was told by generals that his presence would not do any good and he was advised to abdicate.
The Tsar reluctantly abdicated - His son, Alexei, could not take the throne due to his haemophilia and his brother, Grand Duke Michael, declined the throne.

Question 9

What happens on the 3rd March 1917?

Answer 9

The provisional committee renames itself the Provisional Government and becomes responsible for running the country.