Key Events 1906-16

Question 1

First Duma

Answer 1

• April-July 1906
• Radical but dissolved by Tsar
• Results in violent protest suppressed by govt. forces

Question 2

Second Duma

Answer 2

• Feb-June 1907
• SRs and SDs
• No real reaction from people (scared of govt. suppression)

Question 3

Third Duma

Answer 3

• 1907-1912

- Majority conservative

Question 4

Fourth Duma

Answer 4

• 1912-1914
• Suspended due to WW1
• Generally conservative

Question 5

World War One (battle/stats/significance of loss)

Answer 5

• Battle of Tannenburg
  
  • 28 Aug 1914
  • 70,000 killed
  • 100,000 captured
• Brusilov Offensive
  
  • June-Sept 1916
  • 500,000 Russian casualties
  • 1.3 million Central Power casualties
• By 1917: 9.1 million killed
• Conscription and front line seen as death sentence
• Leads to mutinies
• Viewed by people as not caring about the soldiers/people

Question 6

Political

Answer 6

• Tsar’s image weakened
  
  • Took control of the front (sept 1915) and became liable for any future losses
• Tsarina left in charge
  
  • Was German and not trusted (relationship with Rasputin heighted distrust)
• Rise of political opposition
  
  • Failures of war have legitimacy to claims of groups like the Bolsheviks and SRs

Question 7

Economic

Answer 7

• Inflation
  
  • 1.5 billion roubles spent on war
  • Loans and taxes were increased
  • Printing of additional money
• Shortages
  
  • Food and resources given to army first and then the people

Question 8

Social

Answer 8

• Failure of the Russian transport system
  
  • Lack the needed rail transport for goods
  • Cold winter in 1916-1917 led to snow blocking tracks and engines broke down
  • Lynch describes an entire port in Archangel sinking because it was too heavy with un-transported goods.
• Peasants
  
  • Most soldiers drafted were peasants
  • Sent without equipment
  • Peasants hoarded food which exacerbated food shortages in cities
• Workers
  
  • Lack of food, goods, plus high work demands led to strikes
  • Inability to transfer resources led to factories being shut down resulting in workers being dismissed

Question 9

The Fundamental Laws

Answer 9

• 23 April 1906
• Confirmed Tsar’s power after Dumas
• Tsar had to approve all laws
• Could make laws without Duma
• Tsar retained control over military, foreign affairs

Question 10

Stolypins

Answer 10

• Land reforms pushed outside of the Duma
• Oct 1906
• Transfer land ownership from mir to individuals as a reward for hard work
• Created new class called Kulaks
• Created divisions, tensions and didn’t result in an increase of agriculture

Question 11

Lena Gold Fields Massacre

Answer 11

• 4 April 1912
• Siberia, Lena Goldfields
• 500 miners killed by govt. forces in response to their strike for better conditions
• Triggered more strikes
• Repeat of Bloody Sunday and evidence Tsar had not changed
• 9000 strikes between 1912-1914, involving 3,000,000 workers. (Figes).

Question 12

Assassination of Rasputin

Answer 12

• 16 Dec 1916
• Killed by Prince Yusupov over concern of the effect of Rasputin on the Tsar’s image
• He damaged the reputation of the Tsar and Tsarina
• Weakened pro-tsarist arguments
• Rasputin was “the centre of a national scandal” (Smith)