Russia AOS1 Quotes

Question 1

W.H. Chamberlain on the Significance of the Tsar & Tsarina

Answer 1

“The characters of the Tsar and Tsarina accelerated and made inevitable the doom of the Romanov dynasty.”

Question 2

Tsar Nicholas Upon Coming to Power

Answer 2

“I know nothing of the business of ruling”

Question 3

Mikhail Rodzinko on Rasputin

Answer 3

“The appearance in the royal court of Grigory Rasputin…mark the beginning of the decay of Russian society and the loss of prestige for the throne and for the person of the Tsar himself.”

Question 4

Kerensky on Being Prime Minister

Answer 4

“I want to take the middle road, but no one will help me”

Question 5

Michael Lynch on Lenin & Trotsky’s Role in the October Revolution

Answer 5

“If Lenin was undeniably the inspiration behind the October Revolution, Trotsky was indisputably the executive figure who organised the actual rising.”

Question 6

Saying Among Russian Government Officials

Answer 6

“The most powerful man in Russia is he who last spoke to the Tsar.”

Question 7

Steve Smith on Why the Tsarist Regime Failed

Answer 7

“The collapse of the autocracy was rooted in a crisis of modernisation”

Question 8

Vyacheslav Plehve (Minister of the Interior) on the Russo-Japanese War

Answer 8

“A little victorious war to stem the tide of revolution.”

Question 9

Le Matin Newspaper on Bloody Sunday

Answer 9

“They are almost all children, women, and young people…soldiers aim at the people’s heads”

Question 10

A Russian Commander During the Russo-Japanese War

Answer 10

“The Japanese are beating us with machine guns, but never mind: we’ll beat them with icons.”

Question 11

Father Gapon During Bloody Sunday

Answer 11

“There is no god any longer. There is no Tsar.”

Question 12

The October Manifesto (17th October 1905)

Answer 12

“Grant the population the essential foundations of civil freedom…no law shall take effect without confirmation by the State Duma”

Question 13

Tsar Nicholas on the Duma

Answer 13

“I created the Duma, not to be directed by it, but to be advised.”

Question 14

The Fundamental Laws (23rd April 1906)

Answer 14

“The All-Russian Emperor possesses the supreme autocratic power.”

Question 15

Pavel Miliukov Speech 14th November 1916

Answer 15

“WHAT IS IT, STUPIDITY OR TREASON?”

Question 16

Grand Duke Nikolai (Commander in Chief) During WW1

Answer 16

“I have no rifles, no shells, no boots!”

Question 17

Orlando Figes on the February Revolution

Answer 17

“Russia overnight was effectively transformed into ‘the freest country in the world’.” (Quote from Lenin)

Question 18

Tsarina Alexandra to Nicholas During February Revolution

Answer 18

“This is a hooligan movement…if the weather were very cold they would probably all stay home.”

Question 19

Mikhail Rodzianko to Tsar 26th February 1917

Answer 19

“The situation is serious. The capital is in a state of anarchy.”

Question 20

Provisional Government Notice 2nd March 1917

Answer 20

“Citizens! The Provisional Committee…has at present scored…success over the dark forces of the old regime.”

Question 21

Worker Protest Banners April 1917 Petrograd

Answer 21

“Down with Miliukov and Guchkov!” “Down with the Imperialist War!” “Down with the Provisional Government!”

Question 22

Soviet Order No.1 (1st March 1917)

Answer 22

“Orders from [the Provisional Government] may be executed only in cases where they do not contradict the orders…of the Soviet.”

Question 23

April Thesis (4th April 1917)

Answer 23

“No support for the Provisional Government; the utter falsity of all its promises should be made clear.”

Question 24

Menshevik Alexander Bogdanov on April Thesis

Answer 24

“This is the ravings of a madman!”

Question 25

General Kornilov During Affair

Answer 25

“It’s time to hang the German supporters and spies, with Lenin at their head.”

Question 26

Lenin 15th September 1917 on Gaining Majority in Soviets

Answer 26

“The Bolsheviks, having obtained a majority in the soviets…can and must take power.”

Question 27

Sergei Witte on the October Manifesto 1905

Answer 27

“The slogan of ‘freedom’ must become the slogan of government activity. There is no other way of saving the state.”

Question 28

Alexander Guchkov (Minister) on the Provisional Government

Answer 28

“The Provisional Government does not possess any real power…[it] exists only so long as it is permitted by the Soviet.”

Question 29

Petition to the Tsar 9th January 1905

Answer 29

“We are impoverished and oppressed…[our requests are] to reduce the working day to 8 hours…increase wages of unskilled workers…[hold elections] to the Consitutent Assembly…under universal, secret…suffrage.”