Chapter one - The condition of Russia before the revolution of February 1917 Flashcards

1
Q

Why was Nicholas so conservative?

A

His father was very conservative and he was raised in a very sheltered environment. His tutor Pobedonostev was very conservative

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2
Q

What was his personality?

A

Obstinate, indecisive
Relied on repression of discontent
No interest in politics

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3
Q

When was bloody sunday?

A

9th January 1905

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4
Q

When did the Tsar become commander in chief?

A

September 1915

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5
Q

When was the October manifesto?

A

17th October 1905
Full of empty promises
Missed opportunity to gain support of liberal intelligencia

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6
Q

When was the first Duma?

A

April - July 1906

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7
Q

When was the second Duma?

A

Feb - June 1907

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8
Q

Did the Tsar like the Duma?

A

No. He said ‘Curse the Duma. It is all Witte’s doing’

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9
Q

What were the conditions like for workers?

A

Common injury and death
Lived in rooms separated by curtains

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10
Q

How were the nobles living?

A

Less than 1% of population but owned 25% of land

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11
Q

Number of strikes?

A

1908 - 892
1914 - 3534

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12
Q

How many workers were literate by 1914?

A

64% compared to only 40% of total population

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13
Q

How many strikes were political?

A

2401

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14
Q

What was the Lena Goldfields Massacre?

A

April 1912
Protests about conditions, low wages, and 14 hour days.
200 were killed by troops

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15
Q

What were Stolypin’s reforms?

A

Encouragement of peasants to leave their mir, and consolidate their strips of land into a single unit

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16
Q

Why did Stolypin’s reforms fail?

A

The communes weren’t always backwards and those separators used poor farming methods in order to make a quick profit

17
Q

What was some agrarian progress?

A

Grain production grew by 1.1 million tonnes each year
Investment in agricultural machinary rose at an annual rate of 9%

18
Q

Growth of st Petersburg in millions?

A

1897 - 1.26
1914 - 2.2

19
Q

Increase in production of coal?

A

In millions
1900 - 16.1
1916 - 33.8

20
Q

Keeping the country an autocracy?

A

Progressive block’s advice to make a constitutional monarvhy would have taken pressure off the Tsar

21
Q

Liberal criticism of the Tsar?

A

November 1915 - Guchkov - The government was revolutionising the people, and the outcome would be a ‘sad, unavoidable catastrophe’

22
Q

What did the Bolshevik’s gain control of?

A

Trade unions in St Petersburg and Moscow, like the metal workers union

23
Q

What was the circulation of the Bolshevik paper?

A

40,000 copies

24
Q

How strong were the liberals?

A

Kadets and Octobrists were divided and no real threat
Feared anarchy and did not support the strikes

25
How strong were the revolutionaries?
Sr's obsessed with the issue of double agents - the okhrana Lenin was still in exile
26
When did the Tsar mobilise his armies?
July 1914 in support of Serbia
27
The first big loss?
Battle of Tannenburg in East Prussia in August 1914 800,000 dead or wounded Thousands taken prisoner
28
What forced a Russian retreat?
Defeat at Masurian lakes in September 1914
29
How many troops were there?
12 million
30
What was the rifle situation?
1914 - 2 rifles for every three people
31
What was the shell situation?
1915 - limited to 2 - 3 shells per day
32
What were the Russian succeses?
Tied down Germany on the Eastern front for three years 1916 - manafactured more shells than Germany
33
What was the union of the Zemstva?
Tried to provide medical facilities but were neglected by the state
34
What was the Zemgor?
Joining of the zemstva and municiple dumas to help the government in the war effort in July 1915 This was shunned by the Tsar
35
What led to the Tsar leading the army?
Defeat at Galicia in September 1915
36
What was the constant changes of ministers under the Tsarina?
4 Prime Ministers 3 Foreign Secretaries 3 Ministers of Defence 6 Interior ministers
37
War losses in 1916?
Brusilov offensive - June 1916 1.5 million desertions by the end of the year
38
Difficulties at the home front?
Food, goods and raw materials in short supply Led to many factories closing down so thousands were out of work Peasants feared conscription