DISSENT AND REVOLUTION: Russia Before The Revolution Flashcards
Who was the autocratic emperor of Russia in 1917?
Tsar Nicholas II, member of the Romanov dynasty
He was convinced of his divine right to rule
What ill-suited Nicholas for his position as Tsar?
He was shy in public
Found the intricate details of political affairs boring
Could be stubborn
Felt he needed to keep his ministers weak to preserve his own authority
What was disastrous for Russia in World War One?
Britain and France fought largely on the Western Front, leaving Russia to struggle alone on the Eastern front
Battle of Tannenburg in August 1914 left 300,000 dead or wounded
Soldiers sent to fight without suitable weaponry, clothing and footwear
In 1914 the infantry had 2 rifles for every 3 soldiers
Tsar declared himself Commander in chief of the army in September 1915
What was successful for Russia in World War One?
Decision of Tsar to go to war in 1914 was supported by anti-German sentiment
The Russian government mobilised 12 million men between 1914 and 1917
What did the government do to pay for the war?
Increased taxes and raised loans at home and from abroad
What was the worth of money by 1917?
Worthless
Prices rose more steeply than wages
Inflation for salt rose by 483% compared to pre-war
Why was there a shortage of men in the countryside because of war?
Millions conscripted into the Russian armies
What happened to supplies of food in the towns?
Fell due to a shortage of workers in the fields and because peasants began to hoard food instead of selling it
Why was Russian trade brought to a standstill?
Naval blockades of the Baltic and Black Sea ports
Loss of overland routes to Europe
What happened to the railway system under the strain of war?
Virtually collapsed
Railways were taken over to transport men and goods to the front
Railway locomotive production halved between 1913 and 1916
Foodstuffs for the cities were left to rot beside railway sidings
What happened to employment?
In many urban centres, unemployment soared as non military factories, deprived of vital supplies, were forced to close
Lock outs and strikes crippled industry
Death/starvation
300% rise in the cost of living
Rising death rates due to insanitary lodgings and inadequate diets
Thousands on the brink of starvation
What was discontent like by February 1917?
Near mutiny in regiments as temperatures fell to 35 degrees below zero in the winter of 1916 and 17
Talks in 1916 about a coup to force the Tsar’s abdication
How many desertions by the end of 1916?
1.5 million
