Causes And Events Of The Feb Rev

Question 1

1st cause - world war 1 (munition crisis)

Answer 1

• Military ministers in Russia before 1914 assumed the war would be short
• 1914 & 15 - unable to supply ite own needs from its own resources- placed large orders with British and American manufacturers
• Many suppliers were unable to meet the deadlines set out in their contracts– shell shortage (September 1916 - Russians produced 4.5 million artillery shells compared to German levels of 7 million per month)

Question 2

Impact of munition crisis

Answer 2

• Highlighted the Tsar’s mismanagement and poor leadership within the war
• Damaged political confidence in the Tsar as leader

Question 3

1st cause - world war 1 (the army)

Answer 3

• Despite being the largest army of all the counties that fought during the war— weakness was lack of equipment
• Poor administration and deficient liaison between government departments for supplies - resulted in shortages

Question 4

Impact of the army

Answer 4

• Lack of equipment meant the army could not operate effectively

Question 5

1st impact- world war 1 (prohibition)

Answer 5

• Drink was a significant part of Russian culture
• Nicholas made another short sighted decision to introduce prohibition at the start of the war
• Aimed to stimulate the war effort by removing distraction

Question 6

2nd impact - progressive bloc and zemgor (how did they form)

Answer 6

• Duma members were unhappy with Russia’s performance in ww1 - also unhappy that Tsar refused to cooperate with non government organisations during the war like the union of Zemstva & The union of Municipial councils
• As a result they joined together to form the Zemgor

Question 7

Significance of the formation of the Zemgor

Answer 7

Showed that support for Tsar is gradually declining - loss of political confidence as he is refusing to accept responsibility or take steps to limit the damage done as a result

Question 8

2nd cause - progressive bloc and zemgor (the zemstvo union)

Answer 8

Guchkov’s octorbrists & Milyukov’s kadets hoped the government, in spirit of wartime unity would make it possible for them to continue to actively push for victory

1914 - formed the zemstvo union to undertake war relief work such as proving care to wounded soil users

Question 9

Significance of the zemgor

Answer 9

5% contribution to the wartime production but the enterprise and initiative it displayed was a sharp contrast to the lacklustre performance in the economic sphere of government departments

Question 10

2nd cause - progressive bloc & zemgor (progressive bloc)

Answer 10

• 300 Duma members met with Nicholas in 1915 and formed the progressive bloc
• Demanded the formation of a ‘unified government’
• Partnership between government and Duma
• Tsar to surrender to the Duma the power to appoint an dismiss ministers

Question 11

What did Nicholas do in response to the demands of the Progressive bloc?

Answer 11

He interpreted this as a challenge to his authority and rejected their demands and dismissed those who encouraged the acceptance of them

Question 12

3rd reason - Tsarina, Tsar & Rasputin (Tsarina)

Answer 12

Left in control of the country and was not popular with the people as she was German and some thought she was a spy

Deep rooted beliefs in autocracy meant she would not allow any members of imperial government to be stronger than her husband

Question 13

3rd reason - Rasputin

Answer 13

Rasputin’s influence over the Tsarina family as an insult as his lifestyle of debauchery brought shame to upper class society

Frequently slept with the wives of Russian court members and consumed alcohol and opium

Question 14

Events of the feb rev - 23rd

Answer 14

23rd feb - international women’s day, striking women textile workers in the Vyborg district, north of the city centre were joined by men from nearby engineering factories in protests against food shortages

Question 15

Events of feb - 24th

Answer 15

Textile workers strike spread to other industries and developed into a general strike involving more than 200,000 workers - soldiers were reluctant to act against the crowds

Question 16

Events of feb - 25

Answer 16

Demonstrations occurred in the city centre involving students as well as factory workers — more overtly political ‘down with the Tsar’

Question 17

Events of feb - 26th

Answer 17

Authorities put into operation plans to regain control of the streets

Known agitators were arrested - hundreds of demonstrators were killed in clashes with the military

Question 18

Events of feb - 27th

Answer 18

Faced with the likelihood of again being ordered to open fire on unarmed crowds, the soldiers at one barracks mutinied

The mutiny spread among other barracks

Army officers fled

Streets were throned with mixed crowds of workers, students and soldiers