Chapter two - The February revolution of 1917 Flashcards
When did it begin?
Monday 14th February
100,000 workers from 58 different factories went on strike
News that bread would be rationed from the 1st March brought violent exchanges
What happened to the workers of Putilov steel works?
20,000 locked out after pay talks collapsed on the 22 February
What happened on international women’s day?
23 February
90,000 workers on strike and 50 factories closed
240,000 out on the streets - order was only retored by a desperate police force in the early evening
What happened on the 24th?
200,000 workers on strike
The 25th?
250,000 - over half the capital’s workforce - on strike
Shalfeev - in charge of the mounted police - was beaten and shot
Cossacks refused to attack strikers
How was the Tsar warned?
26 Feb
Duma President sent him a telegram but he ignored it and ordered the Duma to dissolve the next day
What happened when soldiers were ordered onto the streets?
27th Feb
40 demonstrators killed
A mutiny began - 66,000 soldiers plus 40,000 rifles
Police headquarters attacked and prisons were opened
What did Nicholas finally do to try and stop the riots?
28th Feb
Headed back to Petrograd
Sent telegram to Rodzianko offering to share power with the Duma, but was told he was too late
What did order NO.1 promise?
All units to elect a deputy to the Soviet and agree to the political control of the Petrograd Soviet
Military decisions of the Duma to be obeyed if they had the support of the Soviet
When did theTsar abdicate?
2 March
Who was part of the provisional government?
The liberals, moderate socialists and kadets
Who was part of the Petrograd Soviet?
Socialist intellectuals, Mensheviks and SR’s
What happened when the provisional government tried to restore order in the countryside?
Soviets encouraged workers and peasants to defy authority and assert their rights
What was in Milyukov’s announcement?
April 1917 - the government would continue fighting until just peace had been won
This unleashed protest that forcedMilyukov and Guchkov to resign
How many members did the Petrograd Soviet have?
By 10th March it had 3000 members
How was the war a problem for the Provisional Government?
The minister of war Milyukov wanted to defend Russia and make territorial gains such as controlling the straits of the Black Sea. This outrages the Soviets and he was forced to resign. 5 May five socialist leaders joined the coalition government, including Chernov. They were now associated with the conduct of the war
What was the summer offensive?
June 1917 - rate of desertion was extremely high + soldiers killed their officers rather than fight. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers were killed and even more territory was lost.
How was land a problem for the provisional government?
May 1917 - peasants began land seizures. PG wanted to wait until a meeting of the Constituent assembly to redistribute the land. SRs joined PG in May but land reform was put off until the CA met. There were 237 cases of land seizure in July
How was national minority demands a problem for the PG?
Finns and Poles called for outright independence. Ukraine contained the most valuable farmland and was very near the Front, but they demanded self government. Moderate socialists made concessions which outraged the liberals.
How many factories closed?
568 factories closed between February and July with the loss of 100,000 jobs
How was the food crisis and issue?
Harvest of 1917 was very poor and grain prices paid to peasants increased by 100% in August
How did the price of bread increase
Between 1914 and 1917 - 500% for black bread and 300% for white bread
What was the army’s reaction to the Tsar’s abdication?
Generals renounced his authority when he tried to return on the 28th which directly provoked his abdication. However this influence could be given to the Duma as senior members Guchkov and Shulgin were in the train carriage when he abdicated.
