The Condition Of Russia Before The Revilution Of February/march 1917

Question 1

Who was the autocratic Emperor of russia in 1917 ? At what age did he inherit the throne and at what age?

Answer 1

Tsar Nicholas ||
1894
Age 26

Question 2

What happened in 1904-05 which brought strikes ?

Answer 2

Russia was defeated against Japan

Question 3

When was the Romanov Tercentenary ?

Answer 3

1913

Question 4

How did Grigorii Rasputin damage the Tsars reputation?

Answer 4

He was known for womanising and drunkenness and he was given many favours as well as interfering in government appointments

Question 5

What is meant by pan-Slavism

Answer 5

A belief that Slav races should be united - and look to Russia as the supreme Slav country for leadership

Question 6

What happened in August 1914 which dampened national solidarity ?

Answer 6

In the battle of Tannenburg in East Prussia , 300,000 were left dead or wounded - thousands taken prisoner

Question 7

What were the changes in ministers between 1915-16 under Rasputins political interference?

Answer 7

4 prime ministers
3 foreign secretaries
3 ministers of defence
6 interior ministers

Question 8

In which year did the Tsar decide to become commander in chief of the army and navy during the war?

Answer 8

September 1915 after defeats in Galicia

Question 9

How many workers went on strike in Moscow and Petrograd in January 1917?

Answer 9

30,000 in Moscow and 145,000 in Petrograd

Question 10

Why was the Tsar not suited to his role?

Answer 10

as he found the details of intricate political affairs boring

Question 11

Shortly after coming to power what did the Tsar dismiss zemstvo petitions for?

Answer 11

an elected National Assembly

Question 12

What 3 factors contributed to weaken political authority in Russia but 1917?

Answer 12

• his reluctance to innovate government
• perpetual problems of state finance
• overlapping institutions

Question 13

Who was the Tsars wife?

Answer 13

Tsarina, Alexandra a German princess

Question 14

Who introduced the Tsar to Rasputin?

Answer 14

his wife, the Tsarina

Question 15

Why did Rasputin come into the Tsar’s favour?

Answer 15

as he was able to ease the pain of their only son who suffered from haemophilia

Question 16

How did Rasputins influence over the Tsar extend?

Answer 16

it extended into government

Question 17

Who did Rasputin damage the Tsar’s reputation with? (4)

Answer 17

the autocracy, politicians, civil servants Orthodox bishops and army officers

Question 18

What brought out WW1

Answer 18

the assassination go the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a young Slav

Question 19

Why did Russia identify with the Balkan state of Serbia?

Answer 19

as it was a fellow Slav nation and Russia had ambitiions to dominate the Balkan area

Question 20

When did the Tsar mobilise armies in support of Serbia?

Answer 20

July 1914

Question 21

Who did the Austro-Hungarian Emperor hold responsible for the assassination of Franz Ferdinand?

Answer 21

the Serb government

Question 22

Why did the Duma dissolve itself after the beginning of war with Germany?

Answer 22

as it did not want to burden the country with ‘unnecessary politics’ in war time

Question 23

what was the Russian steamroller as named by the Germans?

Answer 23

the mass of men Russia had to offer

Question 24

How many men were left dead or wounded after the Battle of Tannenburg in East Prussia in August 1914?

Answer 24

300,000

Question 25

Where was the Battle of Tannenburg in East Prussia in August 1914?

Answer 25

East Prussia

Question 26

Where did Russia face a defeat in September 1914 which forced the Russian army into a temporary retreat from East Prussia?

Answer 26

the Masurian Lakes

Question 27

What month in 1914 did Russia face a defeat at the Masurian Lakes which forced the Russian army into a temporary retreat from East Prussia?

Answer 27

September

Question 28

How many men did the Russian government mobilise between 1914-1917?

Answer 28

12 million

Question 29

Who were the main sources of the 12 million who the Russian government mobilised between 1914-1917?

Answer 29

mainly conscript peasants

Question 30

What were men sent to fight without?

Answer 30

without suitable weaponry without basic warm clothing without water proof footwear

Question 31

in 1914 how many rifles did the infantry have for every 3 soldiers?

Answer 31

the infantry had 2 rifles for every 3 soldiers

Question 32

In 1915 it was not unusual for the Russian artillery to have how many shells per day?

Answer 32

2-3

Question 33

What was the Brusilov offence?

Answer 33

a Russian attempt to push westwards from the Ukraine and break through the Austro-Hungarian lines in June 1916

Question 34

When was the Brusilov offence which was a Russian attempt to push westwards from the Ukraine and break through the Austro-Hungarian lines?

Answer 34

June 1916

Question 35

What led Russia to have a fall in morale?(3)

Answer 35

- the loss of experienced officers - continuing heavy casualties - deteriorating economic and political situation

Question 36

How many dissections were there in 1916?

Answer 36

1.5 million

Question 37

In what year was Russia able to manufacture more shells than Germany?

Answer 37

1916

Question 38

Although low morale was high, how long was the Russian army able to tie down the Germans on the Eastern Front?

Answer 38

3 years

Question 39

What did the Zemstva establish?

Answer 39

a Union of Zemstva

Question 40

What was the Union of Zemstva?

Answer 40

this provided medical facilities which the state seemed to neglect

Question 41

What did factory owners and businessmen set up?

Answer 41

a Congress of Representatives of Industry and Business

Question 42

Why did factory owners and business men set up a Congress of Representatives of Industry and Business?

Answer 42

to help coordinate production

Question 43

In June 1915 who joined together to form the Zemgor, the All Russian Union of Zemstva and Cities?

Answer 43

the zemstva and municipal dumas

Question 44

Who chaired the Zemgor?

Answer 44

prince Lvov

Question 45

What happened to the Zemgor?

Answer 45

the tsar shunned it and so it became a focus for liberal discontent

Question 46

What did the Progressive bloc demand?

Answer 46

that the Tsar change his ministers and establish a 'government of public confidence'

Question 47

Who made up the Progressive bloc?

Answer 47

the 4th duma

Question 48

When were there defeats in Galicia?

Answer 48

September 1915

Question 49

Which defeat in September 1915 led the Tsar to the decision to become Commander in Chief of the Russian Army?

Answer 49

the defeats in Galicia

Question 50

How was the Tsar's' decision to become Commander in Chief of the Russian Army a bad decision?

Answer 50

as this made him appear more responsible for the disasters which befell the troops and the state

Question 51

What was the Tsarina accused of ?

Answer 51

of sabotaging the Russian war effort as a German spy

Question 52

Rasputin was the reason for what was known as 'ministerial leapfrog' how many changes did he make in 1915-1916?

Answer 52

- 4 PM's - 3 Foreign Secretary's - 3 Ministers of Defence - 6 Interior Ministers

Question 53

Who was President of the 4th Duma?

Answer 53

Rodzianko

Question 54

How did the government pay for the war?

Answer 54

through war credits (raising taxes) and raised huge load from home and abroad

Question 55

What produced massive inflation?

Answer 55

the damage to industrial and grain exports by the war

Question 56

by what year was money virtually worthless?

Answer 56

1917

Question 57

What did the millions of conscripted men into the Russian armies lead to?

Answer 57

a shortage of men in the countryside

Question 58

Why did supplies of food to the towns fall? (3)

Answer 58

due to the shortage of workers in the fields inadequacy of the transport systems which were dominated to feed the front line peasants hoarding food

Question 59

What brought Russian trade to a stand still?

Answer 59

-naval blockades of the Baltic and Black Sea ports

Question 60

What happened to railway locomotive production between 1913-1916?

Answer 60

it halved

Question 61

Why did unemployment soar in Petrograd and Moscow?

Answer 61

as non-military factories were deprived of vital supplies and forced to close

Question 62

What % increase was there in the cost of living?

Answer 62

a 300% increase

Question 63

When did 30,000 workers in Petrograd and 145,000 workers in Moscow go on strike?

Answer 63

in January 1917

Question 64

How many workers in Petrograd and Moscow went on Strike in January 1917?

Answer 64

Petrograd-30,000 | Moscow-145,000

Question 65

Why did most ordinary men and women who were still patriotic at heart and who claimed love for their Tsar turn against them?

Answer 65

as their struggle to survive increased their indifference to the fate of their rulers

Question 66

In the winter of 1916-1917 what did temperatures fall to?

Answer 66

35 degrees below zero

Question 67

In the winter of what year did temperatures fall 35 degrees below zero?

Answer 67

1916-1917

Question 68

Which founder of the Progressive Bloc met with senior officers in 1916 to discuss a possible coup to force the abdication of the Tsar?

Answer 68

Guchkov

Question 69

What did Guchkov, one of the founders of the Progressive Bloc, do in 1916?

Answer 69

he met with senior officers to discuss a possible coup to force the abdication of the tsar

Question 70

Between 1914-1917 what was the amount (increase) of government spending on the war?

Answer 70

from 4 million roubles to 30 million roubles

Question 71

What was the gold standard?

Answer 71

The rouble had a fixed gold content giving it strength when exchanged with other currencies

Question 72

Why was the gold standard abandoned in the war?

Answer 72

in order for the government to put more banknotes into circulation which enabled wages to be paid but had the effect of making money virtually worthless

Question 73

What happened to the amount of wages in comparison to the price of food 1914-1917?

Answer 73

wages doubles | food prices quadrupled