From War to War 1904-14 Flashcards
Why did Russia go to war with Japan?
- To pursue an expansionist policy in the Far East
- To obtain an ice-free port
- To distract attention from the domestic problems
What happened to the Russian baltic fleet?
Travelled for 8 months to Japan only to be destroyed straight away
What was one of the main reasons Russia lost to Japan?
Because the military commanders had not prepared effectively
What 3 main opposition classes did the tsarist government face in 1905?
The workers, peasantry and the reformist middle class
- revolt ended up being accidental rather than planned
- a result of economic factors rather than political ones
During Bloody Sunday what was the marchers intentions?
To present a loyal petition to the tsar begging him to use his royal authority to relieve their desperate conditions
What did Bloody Sunday damage?
The traditional image of the tsar as the ‘Little Father’
What was the immediate reaction to Bloody Sunday?
Widespread outbreak of disorder, strikes, terrorism
What did the unrest and governments difficulty in containing it cause the nationalities to do?
Assert themselves:
- Georgia declared itself an independent state
- Poles demanded autonomy
- Jews pressed for equal rights
What was the Union of Unions?
Led by the Kadets with the aim of organising a broad-based alliance that would include the peasants and factory workers
- called for a constituent assembly
What was the Potemkin mutiny?
Crew of this battleship were fed up with the conditions so ended up attacking the officers and taking over the ship
What were the Soviets?
Began as organisations to represent the worker’s demands for better conditions
- their potential for political agitation was immediately recognised by revolutionaries
What did the October Manifesto promise?
- creation of the duma = appease liberals
- civil rights
- legalising TUs
How were the peasants appeased after 1905?
November manifesto reduced and eventually abolished redemption payments
How were the workers dealt with after 1905?
Government felt they could crush the soviets
- headquarters stormed and leaders arrested
What is a notable feature of the 1905 revolution?
How much of a minor part was played by the revolutionaries
What indicated that groups such as the peasants and liberals were not ready for a revolution?
Their readiness to accept the government’s political and economic bribes
What did 1905 show would prevent a revolution?
As long as the government kept its nerve and had the armed forces on its side
How had the governments own responsibility led to 1905?
- repression
- taxation
- incompetent leadership
What was Stolypin’s guiding principle?
‘suppression first and then, and only then, reform
- but considered reform should be introduced as a way of reducing social bitterness
How were the peasants ‘de-revolutinaised’
Their fear was that the government was about to seize their land due to not keeping up with payments = gov announced repayments would be cancelled
What was Stolypin’s ‘wager on the strong?’
To create a later of prosperous, productive peasants = kulaks
What did tsarist tax returns show about Stolypin’s reforms?
Show a significant minority of peasants were paying increasingly higher taxes in the 1890s = a sign their farming was producing high profits
Why were peasants slow to respond to Stolypin’s reforms?
Due to their deep conservatism
What limited the power of the Duma?
- Gov. negotiated a loan from France = duma couldn’t exercise financial hold over the gov
- Fundamental laws
