Impact of the First World War - Russia at War

Question 1

Impact of the First World War

Answer 1

Inflation

Food supplies

Transport

Army

Question 2

Inflation

Answer 2

17,000 Million roubles spent on War

Increased Tax, Loans, Borrowing from abroad

Gold standard abandoned (Based gold in coins)

Average earnings doubled, price of food and fuel quadrupled

Question 3

Food Supplies

Answer 3

Manpower diverted to War Effort - 15 Million men taken from the countryside

By 1917, 36.7 Million men conscripted into the army. Took men away from farming

Requisitioning of farm horses and supplies. e.g. Chemicals for fertilisers used to munitions

Peasants hoardered food

Army were first in queue for food supplies

Question 4

Transport

Answer 4

Mobilising army put a strain on the supply chain

Integrated network caused delays across the country if lines were blocked

Archangel, supplies sank into ground due to build-up

Trucks tipped down embankments to make way for others

Moscow - Wagons of food declined from 2,200 to 700. (1914 - 1917)

Question 5

Army

Answer 5

Lack of ammunition, uniforms and equipment

Shipment of resources was poorly organised

Desertions were prominent

Nicholas assumed leadership of the army

Question 6

Military Achievements

Answer 6

August 1914 - Patriotism for the Tsar and the Russian army

August 1916 - Brusilov offensive. Romania joined Russia

Question 7

Military failures

Answer 7

1914 - Battle of Tannenburg, 30,000 men died

1915 - Nicholas took control of the army. This was a failure - ‘Not capable of running a post office’

1916 - Major desertions in army, 1.6 Million died

Question 8

How many roubles were spent on war?

Answer 8

17,000 million roubles

Question 9

What happened to the state of earnings and the price of food

Answer 9

Wages x2, Fuel and food x4

Question 10

How many men were diverted from the countryside to the war effort

Answer 10

15 Million men

Question 11

By 1917, how many men had been conscripted into the army

Answer 11

36.7 Million