Key Topic 1: The Tsarist Regime and its Collapse 1914 -1917 COPY Flashcards
What happened at the battle of Tannenburg?
The Battle of Tannenburg in August 1914 was Russia’s worst defeat in World War One. In fact, the Russian army never fully recovered from the battle at Tannenburg. The commander of Russia’s Second Army - Alexander Samsonov - was badly let down by the commander of Russia’s First Army - Renennkampf, who had failed to advance his army to support Samsonov. Also, Russian telegrams were intercepted by the Germans, who surrounded and destroyed the Second Army.
What happened at the battle of Masurian Lakes?
The commander of Russia’s First Army, having failed to support Samsonov’s Second Army which was destroyed at Tannenburg, was then defeated himself by the same German generals. The Russians lost 125,000 men.
Explain the effects of the Kornilov Affair.
Kerensky (leader of PG) had to give weapons to the Bolsheviks to save his government from a military takeover. These weapons were later used by the Red Army against the Provisional Government in the October revolution. The PG had lost support of the army and the Bolsheviks were now the real power in Russia. Lenin encouraged Trotsky to prepare plans for seizing power.
What was the Tsar’s nickname at the start of his rule?
The ‘Little Father of Russia’
Which battleship (beginning with ‘P’) mutinied after Bloody Sunday in 1905?
Battleship Potempkin.
What did the Tsar set up in 1906?
The Duma
What was the approximate population of Russia by 1917?
170 million
What percentage of the population could speak Russian in 1917?
40%
What was the name of the railway that crossed Russia from West to East?
Trans-Siberian Railway
Give three reasons why it was a bad decision by the Tsar to leave the Tsarina in charge of Russia.
- Tsarina wasn’t trusted as she was German,
- She fell under the influence of Rasputin,
- She was also autocratic and didn’t listen to the people and gave the Tsar bad advice.
What was the ‘Progressive Bloc’?
A coalition of moderate conservatives and liberals in the fourth Russian Duma (elected legislative body) that tried to pressure the imperial government into adopting a series of reforms aimed at inspiring public confidence in the government and at improving the management of Russia’s effort in World War I.
Give a definition of a ‘mir’.
A peasant council
