Causes of the 1905 revolution

Question 1

How did the Russo-japanese war come to fruition?

Answer 1

• Russia was an expansionist power, sought to extent its influence in SE europe
• Attracted in Manchuria, its mineral wealth and ‘warm water’ seaport at port arthur
• Rivals for Manchuria were Japan
• In 1895, following its victory over China in the sino-japanese war, Japan seized port arthur
• In 1898, Russia gained control over port arthur
• In early 1904, without warning, russia attacked

Question 2

What were the events of the russo-japanese war?

Answer 2

• Japan laid siege to port arthur early in the war, January 1905, it surrendered
• Feb 1905 - Russian land forces lost the battle at Mukden
• With Russia’s main naval fleet trapped in Port arthur, Nicholas ordered Russia’s baltic fleet to sail around the world to battle the Japanese
• After 8month voyage, it was annihilated only a handful of its 52 warships escaping capture
• The war ended by the treaty of Portsmouth (Sept. 1905) under which Russia agreed to abandon port arthur and its ambitions in Manchuria

Question 3

What was the impact of the loss of the Russo-jap war?

Answer 3

• Liberals were angered over the mishandling of the war, hostility towards the regime intensified
• Liberals challenged regime boldly - League of liberations banquet campaign set up in late 1904 reflected assertiveness
• Unemployment and food prices rose

Question 4

What happened at bloody sunday?

Answer 4

• In Jan 1905 - 150,000 unarmed protestors gathered at St Petersberg, with the intention of heading to the Tsar’s winter palace
• Before they got there, intercepted by Russian army units opened fire
• 200 killed
• 800 wounded

Question 5

What were the goals of the demonstrators of bloody sunday?

Answer 5

• The marchers were industrial workers
• Present petition to Nicholas - issue of working conditions, legislation of trade unions, higher wages and an 8 hour working day, freedom of speech and political reform

Question 6

What happened in the aftermath of bloody sunday?

Answer 6

• Massive waves of protest spread across Russia
• Nearly half a million workers went on strike
• Strikes led to the closure of unis for the remainder of the academic year

Question 7

What reasons were there undress among the peasants?

Answer 7

— poverty & desperation, environmental factors were a reason for rural poverty, in the northern districts of European Russia, the soil was poor and the growing seasons short, while in the ‘black earth’ region to the south of the climate was errratic, leading to periodic crop failures and famine
— poor methods of productive, strip farming as inefficient for a number of reasons; time was wasted moving from stip and strip, some land was wasted because it was left uncultivated to mark the borders between strips

Question 8

Why was there unrest among the workers?

Answer 8

— strikes, army was called to deal with strikers almost 300 times in 1901, increased to over 500 the following year
— strikes were due to poor living and working conditions, pay was low, working hours were long averaging around 60 a week, factory discipline was harsh usually enforced through a system of fines with little provision made for health scant safety so workplace injuries were frequent , workers were housed in overcrowded slums