The 1905 Revolution Flashcards
How long did the Russo-Japanese War last?
From February 1904 until September 1905.
What was the significance of the Russo-Japanese War?
One of the main triggers of the 1905 revolution.
What caused the Russo-Japanese War?
The Tsar’s decision to try to expand the Russian Empire by invading China - this brought Russia into conflict with the Japanese Empire.
What did the Russo-Japanese War lead to? (3)
- Military defeat
- Economic problems
- Exposed weakness of Russia’s leaders.
What military defeats did Russia have? (5)
1 - It inflicted humiliating defeats on the Russian army and navy
2 - the Russians were forced to surrender Port Arthur in January 1905
3 - the Russian Baltic fleet was defeated by the Japanese navy at the Battle of Tsushima in May 1905
4 - Japan had a highly advanced industrial economy and a well organised government
5 - Russian land forces lost a major battle at Mukden
How did the Russo-Japanese War expose Nicholas II’s incompetence?
He:
- refused to listen to bad news form the war
- appointed deferential generals with little experience of modern warfare
- trusted his religious advisers who promised him that that God would give Russia victory
- had little understanding of economics or modern military strategy
- rejected realistic assessments of the problems facing Russia from senior ministers such as Sergi Witte
What happened in Russia in January 1905?
Bloody Sunday:
- Father Gapon led 150,000 protestors to the Winter Palace to present a petition asking for better pay and conditions of work to the Tsar
- Local official called in the army to maintain control - the soldiers opened fire on the crowd
How many people were killed and wounded on Bloody Sunday?
- 200 killed
- 800 wounded
What were the consequences of Bloody Sunday?
4
1 - It helped to unite different groups against the Tsar
2 - It undermined the myth that the Tsar was a caring ‘Little Father’ to the Russian people
3 - Student protests
4 - National congress of zemstvos met in February 1905 to demand reform
How many workers were on strike by February 1905, in response to Bloody Sunday?
400,000
Who was Father Gapon?
- A radical Orthodox priest who played a leading role in organising the march to the Winter Palace
- He also wrote the petition that the marches intended to deliver to the Tsar
- He was sincerely concerned with improving the lives of the poor
What did Father Gapon do prior to the march on Bloody Sunday?
- He organised the Assembly of Factory and Mill Workers of St Petersburg
- The organisation quickly spread throughout the city
- By 1905, it had 8,000 members
- It had initially been a ‘Police Union’ established as part of Zubatov’s ‘Police Socialism’
May 1905 - almost all of the Russian Baltic Fleet were…
captured/destoryed at battle of Tsushima.
At the end of the Russo-Japanese War, Russia were force to…
negotiate a peace treaty - Treaty of Portsmouth, September 1905.
How did the Tsar respond to losing the Russo-Japanese War?
He increase military spending by 50%
