The 1917 Revolutions

Question 1

What areas could you discuss when looking at how stable Russia was in the period from 1906 to the outbreak of WW1?

Answer 1

Economic, political and social

Question 2

Why was Russia in a lot of danger economically from the period of 1906 to the outbreak of WW1?

Answer 2

• Took out a loan from France, reliant
  on another country.
• As a result of stolypin’s reforms,
  Russia = very reliant and
  independent in farming showing
  instability given a bad season =….
• Agricultural production increased,
  lots more peasant households
  becoming independent farms. 64%
  increase in produce.
• However this got worse in 1914
  given peasants started to move to
  more urbanised areas.
• Stolypin’s reforms improved
  industry 17.8% factories < 100
  workers, 41% 1000 workers +
• Overall economic growth 8.5% in
  period, sluggish compared to west.
• Trans -S Railway incomplete.

Question 3

How stable was Russia politically in the period of 1906 to the outbreak of WW1?

Answer 3

• Creation of Duma initially caused
  some difficulties.
• First Duma 1906: limited by
  fundamental laws of which gave tsar
  large control, restricted the Duma’s
  legislative ability, met in mood of
  bitterness.
• Second Duma, Radical + anti gov,
  hostile towards Stolypin and his
  reforms and criticized army
  organisation.
• But opposition group lacked
  support, making tsar gov actually
  more stable, and many of leaders
  were still exiled.
• Ultimately Fund laws reduced
  challenge that the tsar faced shown
  in 3rd and 4th duma.

Question 4

How stable was Russia Socially in the period of 1906 to the outbreak of WW1?

Answer 4

• Long way behind European powers
  in terms of infrastructure.
• 1914 just over 1000 towns but only
  200 had pipes and 38 had sewage
  systems.
• Outbreak of Cholera in St
  Petersburg caused over 100,000
  deaths.
• Rising inflation, static wage levels,
  poor working conditions fueled
  urban discontent.
• Lena goldfields incident 1912
  helping rising discontent, lots of
  miners die.
• Large number of strikes.

Question 5

What were the reasons for Russia’s involvement in WW1?

Answer 5

Russia’s chief concerns:
- Growth of a united Germany.
- Formation of Austro-Hungarian
empire.
- The decline of the Ottoman empire
threatened Russian interests in the
Balkans where Russia saw herself as
the defender of Slav nationalism.

Question 6

What were the consequences of Russia’s concerns of Germany and WW1?

Answer 6

• Russia draws away from Germany
• Alliances with B+F
• competes with Austria Hungary for
  influence in the Balkans.
• The Serbia question and the balkan
  wars heighten tension (wether
  Serbia will become part of Austro-
  Hungary.

Question 7

What were the factors interesting Russia about the Balkans?

Answer 7

• Russia’s role as champion of Slav
  culture.
• Commercial interest in the area.

Question 8

What was the immediate effect of Russia being at war?

Answer 8

Enhanced the popularity and the status of the tsar and weakened the anti-war Bolsheviks.

Question 9

What 4 factors can be looked at when discussing how WW1 contributed to the downfall of the Tsar?

Answer 9

Military failures, living conditions, Tsarina and Rasputin, failure to make political reforms.

Question 10

How did the military failures of WW1 contribute to the downfall of the Tsar?

Answer 10

• 26th August - 13th Sept, Russia
  defeated by Germany at
  Tannenberg and Mansurian lakes, >
  1 mill casualties.
• Issues at high command, Nicholas
  reluctant to take advice form his
  own gov regarding foreign affairs
  and military.
• Lack of unity amongst soldiers and
  lower ranking officers, socially
  polarised by class.
• Threat to Tsarism, Nicholas directly
  responsible for defeats, defeats
  reflected on concept of Tsarism.

Question 11

How did the living conditions due to WW1 contribute to the downfall of the Tsar?

Answer 11

• Lots of food shortages, food
  became more scarce, higher prices
  and wages not kept in line with
  inflation.
• Poor transport.
• 1916 strikes rise sharply .
• Expansion in population.

Question 12

Describe Rasputin and the Tsarina during WW1?

Answer 12

• Aug 1915, Tsar leaves for Eastern
  front, leaves running of country to
  wife Alexandra.
• She became rapidly controlled by
  Rasputin as she struggled.
• Alexandra was adamant that no one
  would threaten her husbands
  authority in Russia.
• Rasputins power in St P was
  unchallengeable, as long as he had
  support of Tsarina he had power.
• Rasputin strong believer in
  autocracy.
• When Duma dissolved in 1915,
  Rasputin took full control of gov.

Question 13

How did the failure to make political reforms during WW1 contribute to the downfall of the Tsar?

Answer 13

• Failure of Duma’s, held strong
  opposition to tsar (1st + 2nd), were
  quickly dissolved. Struggled with
  unification and decision making (3rd
  + 4th) due to contrasting views.
• Increasing political and social
  tensions - Russian failures in war,
  relied on numbers and a larger
  military force.
• Lenin + Bolsheviks, anti war position
  “peace, land and bread”.
• Bolsheviks made population anti-
  war promises.

Question 14

What started the February revolution?

Answer 14

• 22nd Feb 1917, Metal workers in
  Petrograd went on strike.
• Next day (international woman’s
  day) joined by female protesters
  marching against food rationing.
• More protestors and strikes…… 200,000 filled Petrograd’s
  streets, demanding end of war and
  replacement of Tsar.
• Eventually nearly all industry in
  Petrograd was shut down

Question 15

Following the widespread protests what happened that led to the Tsar’s abdication?

Answer 15

• Tsar ordered commander of
  Petrograd Garrison, Khakalov, to
  suppress the rioting by force, troops
  refused, they mutinied and joined
  the protesters.
• Having lost support of army and
  under advice of army chiefs and
  ministers, tsar abdicates for himself
  and his son on 2nd March 1917.
• His brother refused to succeed
  throne, making it the end of the
  tsarist regime.

Question 16

Who ruled Russia after February 1917?

Answer 16

• Power struggle between Petrograd
  Soviet and Provisional government
  (both want power).
• Guchkov “The provisional
  government had no real power”
• Figes “Temporary committee of the
  Duma” “Soviet had will of people but
  no authority” “Provisional had
  authority but not will of people on
  streets”

Question 17

Who were the members of the Provisional government?

Answer 17

• Mainly leading figures of various
  liberal parties.
• Dominated by the Kadets and their
  leader Milyakov.
• One social minister, Alexander
  Kerensky.
• New prime minister prince G E Lvov
  had headed Zemstva

Question 18

Who were the members of the Soviet?

Answer 18

• Workers
• Soldiers
• Key member - vice chairman of
  Petrograd Soviet Alexander
  Kerensky.
• 10th March it had 3,000 members
  only 800 were workers. The rest
  represented various army units.
• Many were unwieldy so an
  executive committee was chosen
  that was dominated by Socialist
  intellectuals

Question 19

How was the provisional government formed?

Answer 19

• Chosen by a committee of the
  Duma.
• intended to run the country until a
  constituent assembly had been
  elected.

Question 20

How was the Soviet formed?

Answer 20

• Monday 27th February.
• Was the idea of Menshevik
  intellectuals.
• Became the focus of working class
  aspirations - factories were asked to
  elect delegates to attend a full
  meeting of the Soviet.
• When it met an executive
  committee was chosen.
• This was dominated by Mensheviks
  and non-party socialist intellectuals.

Question 21

What power did the Provisional government have?

Answer 21

• In theory the right to rule Russia
  during this transition period.
• In practise it had little power in
  Petrograd.

Question 22

What power did the Soviet have, that the prov gov didn’t?

Answer 22

• Had control through its workers and
  soldiers of: railways, soldiers in
  Petrograd Garrison, telegraph
  station, factories, power supplies, all
  weapons.
• Soldiers would only obey the orders
  of the Provisional gov if Soviets
  agreed.

Question 23

Describe the changes in the Provisional government coalition.

Answer 23

1. March 1917, dominated by liberals
   (kadets). The only socialist was
   kerensky.
2. May 1917, 5 socialists joined but the
   liberals still dominated.
3. July 1917, Kerensky becomes prime
   minister and balance shifted in
   favour of socialists, although was
   still strong liberal presence.

Question 24

What was the summer offensive?
(16th -18th June)

Answer 24

• Launched in June on Southwestern
  front (Austria). Failed badly.
• Those scared of Bolsheviks had
  encouraged orders to be disobeyed
  and for the Russians to go in against
  the Austrians.
• Russians no match for Austrians,
  Russians repulsed with heavy losses,
  especially when German support
  arrived.
• Destroyed already bad morale,
  Bolshevik power increases (anti-
  war), idea of war had become even
  more hated.
• Prov Gov fell apart, 3 week
  interregnum while socialist and
  liberals tried to piece together new
  gov.

Question 25

What were the July days?
(3rd - 6th July)

Answer 25

• Spontaneous armed
  demonstrations by soldiers, sailors
  and industrial workers against prov
  gov, could overthrow gov…. more
  and more join…. getting ideas into
  heads..
• Prov Gov acted to repress the
  Bolsheviks and drive lenin into
  hiding.
• Fairly good response, Many
  Bolshevik leaders arrested (not
  Lenin).

Question 26

What was the kornilov affair?

Answer 26

• Coup d’état by general of Russian
  army Kornilov, attempted against
  prov gov 27th - 30th Aug 1917.
• Also headed by Petrograd Soviet of
  soldiers and workers deputies.
• It was defeated, Kornilov removed
  from position and incarcerated
  along with 30 others.
• Prov gov lost all credibility and
  crumbled.

Question 27

In the build up to October 1917 what was the political shift in Petrograd?

Answer 27

• Mid September, Bolsheviks had
  gained majority in both the
  Petrograd and Moscow Soviets -
  reflected changing nature of Soviets
  (enthusiasm had waned after
  Feb1917, but Bolsheviks were
  dedicated attenders, therefore could
  exert influence out of proportions
  with numbers).
• Lenin felt there was a choice to be
  made, “either a Soviet government
  or Kornilovism. There is no middle
  course”

Question 28

What was Lenin’s strategy during the build-up to October 1917?

Answer 28

• “History will not forgive us if we do
  not assume power” 12th sept 1917
• Lenin = sense of urgency.
• worried bolsheviks could be limited
  by either the meeting of the all-
  Russian congress of Soviets or the
  nov. election of the constituent
  assembly (Bolsheviks unlikely to do
  well, and also constituent assembly
  would be difficult to challenge as
  reformers = high hopes).

Question 29

During the build up to October 1917 what was pre-parliament?

Answer 29

• Kerensky wanted to make his gov
  less exposed - created a ‘pre-
  parliament’ designed to fill interim
  before constituent assembly - was
  to be drawn from range of parties
  and therefore represent a greater
  range of political opinion. Bolsheviks
  who attended it first divided it and
  then walked out.

Question 30

Describe the return of Lenin to Petrograd on the 7th October?

Answer 30

• Urged party to prepare for
  overthrow of prov gov and returned
  to Petrograd in effort to enforce will
  as some Bolsheviks not sure.
• Eventually central committee
  agreed to armed insurrection but
  didn’t agree date.

Question 31

What did Kerensky do when he heard rumours of Coup?

Answer 31

• Newspaper closed and gov
  attempted to round up Bolsheviks.
• Lenin ordered planned insurrection
  to begin?

Question 32

Describe the role of Trotsky in the build up to the October revolution?

Answer 32

• The Bolshevik plan was down to
  Trotsky rather than Lenin, Lenin
  influenced, Trotsky organised as he
  was chairman of Petrograd Soviet.
• The Soviet set up the Military
  Revolutionary Committee (MRC) to
  defend Petrograd against
  Germans/Kornilov.
• Trotsky helped run the MRC and
  therefore had an effective military
  force at his disposal (also
  theoretically legitimate as acting on
  behalf of Soviet).

Question 33

Describe how the Provisional government fell and the city fell under Bolshevik control from the 25th - 27th October?

Answer 33

• Little fighting and only 6 deaths (all
  red guards)
• Provisional government had hardly
  any military forces to rely on - only
  had a few loyal officer cadets from
  the Petrograd Garrison, some
  cossacks and a unit of female
  soldiers called the ‘Amazons’.
• When Bolshevik forces marched to
  the winter palace, there was nobody
  defending the gates - the red guards
  simply strolled through the back
  door and the small forces of the
  prov gov surrendered.
• Remaining members of the prov gov
  escaped largely unnoticed from the
  winter palace - Kerensky escaped to
  America.

Question 34

How did the Bolsheviks confirm the power after storming the winter palace?

Answer 34

• When the all Russian congress of
  Soviets began their first session,
  Kamenev (a Bolshevik) informed the
  delegates they were now the
  supreme authority in Russia -
  Petrograd Soviet had seized power
  in their name and formed a new
  government.
• 14 names were read out - the new
  commissars were all Bolsheviks/left
  wing SRs with Lenin as chief
  minister.
• Mensheviks and right wing SRs
  walked out claiming a Bolshevik
  coup.

Question 35

What were the weaknesses of the provisional governement?

Answer 35

• Never intended to be permanent.
• Lacked popular support.
• Internal divisions.
• Failure to destroy Lenin when had
  chance.
• Failure to solve land problem.
• Strain of continuing war.
• Low morale.
• Deserted by Petrograd Garrison.

Question 36

What were the strengths of the Bolsheviks?

Answer 36

• Driving sense of purpose.
• Absence of challenge from other
  parties.
• Radicalization of politics in
  Petrograd.
• Lenin’s leadership.
• Trotsky’s organisation.
• Control of the MRC