Opposition to the Tsarist Rule, 1914-17 Flashcards
The immediate impact of WW1:
- Gave tsarism a major boost; people felt patriotic
- Tsar raised taxes which was approved by a huge majority
- Tsar gained popularity
- Early successes followed by a series of defeats
Explain how the military defeats led to growing discontent.
- Sadness at the heavy loss of Russian men
- Anger at German occupation of lands
- Blamed the tsarist govt. as there weren’t enough weapons and supplies
- Russian citizens formed voluntary groups to get supplies to the soldiers
Why was Nicholas Ⅱ determined to take command of the navy and army?
He believed that it was his sacred duty to defend his country now that it had been invaded.
He felt this way he could focus his govt. and the military in defense of Russia
Economic effects of the WW1:
- The cost of the war was enormous
- The govt. had introduced prohibition in 1914: the govt. had to look elsewhere by putting up other taxes and getting loans from other countries. The national debt increased
- The regions captured by Germans in the war included some of the most important economic areas. Germany also blocked its access to Europe
- The military demanded a ban on grain exports from Russia
- Over 15 million people were sent to the war
- Printing money led to inflation
Social effects of the WW1:
- Russia was able to increase its supply of weapons and ammunition by switching industrial production with military needs
- Grain requisitioning; the railway system prioritized getting supplies to the soldiers in the west
- Food sat in wagons rotted as there were no trains to take it across Russia to cities
- Prices rose faster than wages
- The countryside lost so many men of working age to the army that there were twice as many women as there were men
- The number of jobs fell sharply because the factories lost their overseas market an couldn’t access raw material by rail to keep production growing
Political effects of the WW1:
- The fourth duma was suspended in 1914.
As the war got worse, the duma deputies demanded that the Tsar’s failing govt. should be replaced by the duma deputies in a ministry of national confidence. - The Tsar refused and the Progressive Bloc was established. When the duma resumed in 1916, it continued to be critical of the govt. and influence of Rasputin
The reasons the Tsarina contributed to the February revolution of 1917:
- The tsarina was dedicated to the idea of autocracy as the only way Russia should be governed. She refused to deal with the duma.
- Alexandra was German and deeply unpopular with the Russian people
- Alexandra became obsessed with Rasputin which weakened the authority of the royal family and offended the nobles.
Rasputin’s influence on Tsarina:
Alexandra’s gratitude towards Rasputin turned into a dependence on him. No one in the royal court had access to Alexandra then Rasputin. She took his advice, appointed new ministers, and even wrote to Nicholas about him and what the Tsar should do next in the war
Opposition to Rasputin and the Tsarina:
Rasputin was hated by the royal court and the govt. He made the royal family look bad.
Cartoon
Rumors: affair and Tsarina’s betrayal
December 1916: a group of aristocrats murdered Rasputin-people rejoicing
Long-term causes of the 1917 revolution:
The same as those for the 1905 revolution
Immediate causes of the 1917 revolution:
- Discontent with the tsarist govt. had intensified over the winter of 1916-17.
- There was despair at the unsuccessful leadership of the armies.
- Food shortages hit cities as railway transport prioritized the army.
- Peasants also sold less of their grains because there was little to buy with the money they made.
- Factories had been turned over to war production or had gone out of business.
- The severe winter of 1916-17 led to a shortage of food and fuel, the tsar being away from the capital couldn’t control these.
- The govt. introduced bread rationing.
The International Women’s Day march and worker strikes - The Tsarina as regent
Army mutiny:
26th February: Pavlovsky regiment began a rebellion against their army officers
Soldiers joined with workers to capture the weapon’s store: 40000 rifles and 30000 revolvers
They also broke into prisons and released political prisoners
Not all soldiers mutinied but those who did came from different regiments and from troops sent into the city from outside Petrograd.
Workers and soldiers joined together as police stations were attacked, while battles were taking place in the streets against the police force
The no. of soldiers who mutinied reached 150000 which was equal to the whole military defense force of Petrograd. The mutiny made the fall of the tsar certain
Soldiers from outside Petrograd could be called to restore order…
Principals set out in the manifesto by the Provisional Government:
- All political prisoners and exiles to be freed or allowed to return
- Freedom of speech, press and to hold meetings
- No class, religious, or nationality discrimination
- Preparations to be started for electing a Constituent Assembly
5, All police orgs. to be replaced with elected people’s militia - Local govt. to be elected
- Military units that took part in the revolution shouldn’t be disbanded or sent to the front
- Off-duty soldiers to have the same rights as civilians
Why did the Provisional Government issue a manifesto?
The police authorities and local town and countryside councils collapsed. This was a major issue because the government needed to run Russia through these local structures. At the same time, Russia was still at war
