Condition of Russia pre-revolution

Question 1

How was Russia ran?

Answer 1

Autocratic Tsar Nicholas II, who ruled by imperial edicts or ‘ukase’

Question 2

Who did the Tsar depend on during his rule?

Answer 2

Nobility and imperial bureaucracy

Question 3

How big was the Russian army?

Answer 3

Biggest army in the world - 12 million by WW1

Question 4

Evidence of police state?

Answer 4

Curbs on freedom of speech, the press and of travel. There was also significant censorship and strict surveillance using the Okhrana

Question 5

Powers of the Okhrana?

Answer 5

Unlimited power to carry out raids, arrest and ensure the imprisonment or exile of anyone suspected of anti-tsarist behaviour

Question 6

Critics of the tsarist regime?

Answer 6

The Liberals (favoured moderate reform and a constitutional monarchy), the Social Revolutionaries (wanted to improve the lives of the peasantry - had significant internal divisions), the Social Democrats (based on theories of Karl Marx, split in 1903)

Question 7

What split the social democrats?

Answer 7

Lenin wrote in favour of a strong disciplined organisation of professional revolutionaries against Julius Martov, who wanted a broader party.

Question 8

Key chronology of tsarist Russia?

Answer 8

Jan 1905 - ‘Bloody Sunday’

Oct 1905 - St Petersburg Soviet is formed, Tsar’s October Manifesto authorises elections to State Duma

April 1906 - The Fundamental Laws reaffirm the autocracy

1906-11 - a programme of agrarian reform is attempted

1906-15 - Four State Dumas meet but their influence in controlled

1914 - WW1 begins

Question 9

How was the Tsar educated?

Answer 9

Had been tutored by Konstantin Pobedonostsev - instilled autocratic ideals in Nicholas

Question 10

Character of Tsar Nicholas?

Answer 10

Struggled to make clear political decisions, stubborn, wanted to keep his ministers weak to preserve his own authority

Question 11

Why was Rasputin harmful?

Answer 11

His reputation for womanising and drunkenness damaged Nicholas’ reputation with the people he relied upon - civil servants, Orthodox bishops and army officers

Question 12

What was the Romanov tercentenary?

Answer 12

In 1913, they organised a celebration for the tercentenary of Romanov rule - Nicholas declared ‘my people love me’ after seeing the celebrations

Question 13

The economic and social state of Russia

Answer 13

Massive inflation caused by huge loans to pay for the war - 300% rise in cost of living

Supplies of food fell due to a shortage of workers in the fields

Railway system virtually collapsed under strain of war

In urban areas, unemployment soared as non-military factories closed due to lack of supplies.

Question 14

The Russian war effort

Answer 14

Humiliating defeat at Battle of Tannenburg in August 1914 - 300,000 dead or wounded, thousands taken prisoner

Reports of military incompetence fueled discontent in the capital

Although the Russian government managed to mobilise 12 million men, it was unable to provide weaponry, uniform and footwear

By end of 1916 (after attempted Brusilov offensive), 1.5 million soldiers had deserted

Nicholas’ decision to go to the front line in September 1915 was damning to his reputation - failure could now be directly blamed on him

Question 15

What were zemstva?

Answer 15

Elected council responsible for the local administration of provincial districts

Question 16

What was the Zemgor?

Answer 16

All Russian Union of Zemstva and Cities - set up in June 1915.
It was headed by Prince Lvov and claimed the right to help the Tsar’s government in the war effort. The Tsar shunned it and turned it into a focus for liberal discontent.

Question 17

What was the Progressive bloc?

Answer 17

An organisation of over half of the Fourth Duma deputies (Kadets, Octobrists and Progressives), which tried to act as a civilian government in August 1915. They demanded a constitutional monarchy - Nicholas refused any such thing.

Question 18

When and why did Nicholas become Commander-in-Chief?

Answer 18

In September 1915 after defeats in Galicia on the Austro-Hungarian front

Question 19

Why was Alexandra accused of sabotaging the Russian war effort?

Answer 19

Many changes of ministers in 1915-16, including 4 Prime Ministers, 3 Foreign Secretaries, 3 Ministers of Defense and 6 Interior Ministers

Accused of having an affair with Rasputin

Question 20

Who warned the Tsar about his unpopularity?

Answer 20

Mikhail Rodzianko, President of the Fourth Duma

Question 21

Evidence of inflation?

Answer 21

Salt - 483% increase
Meat - 232% increase

Question 22

How many workers went on strike in January 1917?

Answer 22

30,000 in Moscow and 145,000 in Petrograd

Question 23

What did Aleksandr Guchkov (one of the founders of the Progressive bloc) do?

Answer 23

Engaged in talks with senior army officers in 1916 about a possible coup to force the abdication of the tsar

Question 24

What did Prince Lvov do in January 1917?

Answer 24

Indirectly asked the Tsar’s uncle whether he would be prepared to take over the throne.

Question 25

Why was there less direct challenge from the left?

Answer 25

Most leaders were in exile and there were differences in opinion among socialists about whether or not they supported the war effort. (Lenin only had the support of around 10,000 radical socialist agitators)

Question 26

How did WW1 decrease morale? (injured people)

Answer 26

Those injured in the war did not feel supported - only 100,000 beds for 4 million people in need of hospital treatment

Question 27

How many Russian soldiers are lost in the first three weeks of fighting?

Answer 27

200,000 out of 1.5 million active personnel

Question 28

How many Russian soldiers are lost in WW1 overall?

Answer 28

8 million out of 15 million

Question 29

Evidence that Russia could not adequately supply its soldiers?

Answer 29

Only 4.5 million rifles for 6.5 million men mobilised

Question 30

Evidence of supply problems in Petrograd?

Answer 30

Petrograd only received 1/3 of the food and 1/2 of the fuel its citizens required