February revolution Flashcards
Date of February revolution?
1917
What was the catalyst for the revolution?
Shortage of bread
Summarise how the revolution happened
o Half of the capital’s workforce on on strike
o Almost all major factories closed
o New bread rationing, round-the-clock queues
o Women’s march
o Calling for end to Tsardom
o No obvious political party
o Duma president sent a telegram to the Tsar and warned him of the situation, Nicholas ignore it and dissolved the Duma the next day
o Tsar ordered for order to be restored using military force, mutiny began
o revolutionaries set up a Soviet
o Nicholas left military headquarters and offered to share power with the Duma but it was too late
What does the emergence of the soviets suggest?
o Suggests some sort of organisation by socialist leaders
What did ‘Order No. 1’ promise”?
o A charter of soldiers’ rights
o Weapons not controlled by officers
o Military commission of the Duma to be obeyed, only if it agreed with Soviet’s orders
What led to the Tsar’s abdication?
o His train was diverted by rebellious railway workers
o Pressured to abdicate by Chief of General Staff
o Tsar agreed to terms and him and his family were placed under house arrest
What did Mikhail do after the Tsar’s abdication?
Relinquished political authority to a ‘provisional government’
What was the provisional government?
o Comprised of those who had formally favoured constitutional monarchy
o Original intention was that it would be temporary and elections held as soon as possible
What was the Petrograd soviet and how did it view the provisional government?
o Mass of workers, soldiers and peasants
o Thought the provisional government was a self-appointed committee tainted by their previous association with tsardom
Why didn’t the Petrograd Soviet assume direct control?
o Lacked confidence
What promises by the Provisional Government did the Petrograd Soviet accept?
o General amnesty for political prisoners
o Civil liveries
o Abolition of legal disabilities based on class, religion and nationality
o Freedom to organise trade unions and to strike
o Election of a Constituent assembly
How did Order No. 1 ensure there would never be equal power in the Dual authority?
Soviets had the power of soldiers, military power has been demonstrated as one of the most important
Examples of points of disagreements within the Dual authority?
o Provisional government tried to discipline army deserters and restore order in towns and countryside
o Soviets encouraged peasants and workers to defy authority
o Continuation of the war V end involvement in war
What was announced on April 1917 and what was the outcome?
o that fighting in war would continue
o unleashed storm of protest
o Members of the provisional government resigned due to pressure from soviets
What happened with elections for a constituent assembly?
o Constantly postponed since it was clear the SRs would win support of peasants
