The February and October Revolutions of 1917 Flashcards
What were the political and economic consequences of Russian
participation in the First World War?
When Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 June 1914, Serbia requested Russia’s help. His ministers advised the Tsar not to engage in war.
How did Tsar Nicholas feel about the war?
Nicholas II felt sympathetic towards the Serbs. He felt that a war was just what was needed to unite the country behind his rule.
How did WW1 begin?
The Russian army was mobilised four
days after the Austrian attack on Serbia. Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary, declared war on Russia and France. Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914.
The war now involved all the European powers and became known as the First World War (1914-1918)
How did most Russians feel about WW1, and what disadvantage did Russia have?
Most Russians were in favor of Russian participation in World War One and were very patriotic. Their rallying cry was “For Faith, the Tsar and the country.”
Russia was not ready to fight a 20th century war as their weapons and method of fighting were very outdated.
The Russian army soon suffered setbacks and defeats. The factors that made it difficult for Russia to fight in the First World War include the following:
The Russian army consisted mainly of cavalry with swords who were trained to charge at the enemy. This method of fighting was of little use as they faced a German army equipped with machine guns.
The Russian army did not have enough rifles or ammunition. Unarmed soldiers were sent into battle and told to pick up the rifles of those who were killed. When their
boots wore out, Russian soldiers fought barefoot
The railway system was inadequate to cope with transporting troops and supplies to the battlefront.
How many Russians were killed and how much territory did Germany occupy?
About 4 million Russian soldiers were killed by the end of 1914 and German troops occupied much of the western regions of Russia and were advancing towards Moscow.
In 1915 Tsar Nicholas II went to the battlefront to take up command of the army. It was a fatal mistake because:
The Empress Alexandra took charge of the government in St Petersburg which had been renamed Petrograd during the war. Her chief advisor was a Siberian monk, Rasputin, a coarse and crude man whom Empress Alexandra trusted because
he seemed to be able to help her haemophiliac son.
Under Rasputin’s influence, Empress Alexandra ignored the advice of the Duma and appointed men who were highly unsuitable to top government posts. The government was soon in a state of chaos and unable to cope with the needs of a country at war.
Arms, ammunition, food, and clothing failed to reach the army because of bribery and corruption in the government as well as the inadequate railway system. The army began to suffer defeat, and the military failure was blamed on Tsar Nicholas II.
What was the Tsar warned about?
The Tsar’s family and ministers warned him that his country was in crisis, but he did nothing to address the situation.
How did WW1 accelerate the revolutionary situation?
The First World War accelerated the development of a revolutionary situation as people grew weary of government inefficiency, the shortages of basic necessities, and the tremendous loss of life on the battlefield.
What were the causes of the February 1917 Revolution?
Political causes:
No real change in government had been brought about by the 1906 October Manifesto, and Russia was still an autocracy.
Tsar Nicholas II had left the government in the hands of the Empress Alexandra in 1915. This resulted in the government becoming increasingly incompetent as, following Rasputin’s advice, ministers were frequently changed. Between 1915 and 1917, there were four prime ministers six Ministers of the Interior, four Ministers War and four Ministers of Agriculture.
The President of the State Duma, Rodzyanko, warned Tsar Nicholas II that the government was in chaos but the Tsar ignored the reports.
Economic causes:
Food and fuel did not reach the cities, which led to shortages of these commodities.
Peasants could not obtain agrigliatools, seed or fertilizer which led to decrease in production.
There was a decline in industrial production because raw materials were not delivered to the factories.
Inflation resulted in money losing its value. Prices of goods increased as shortages worsened.
Social causes:
The First World War led them to lose faith in their Tsar entirely.
Their discontent increased because:
Discipline in the army broke down and many soldiers simply deserted (left the army without permission). These soldiers brought back accounts of the defeat and misery of the Russian army.
Hundreds of refugees fled from the eastern front where the war was being waged and this added to the war-time hardships being suffered by the Russians.
There were numerous illegal strikes for better pay and shorter working hours.
What did the people suffer from?
People living in the cities suffered food rationing and intense cold (-75o C). The
government did nothing to address the, lack of food and fuel and people rose up against the Tsar in February 1917
When did the Tsar step down?
On 15 March, Tsar Nicholas Il abdicated (stepped down) autocracy in Russia had ended.
This February Revolution was a spontaneous uprising which was not organised by any political party. The uprising began in Petrograd and proceeded in the following manner:
-Ninety thousand workers went on strike demanding food, withdrawal from the war and an end to autocracy.
-Students joined the strikers and the streets were full of protestors.
-The Petrograd garrison of 160 000 soldiers was ordered to restore order. The soldiers
sympathized with the demonstrators and refused to fire on them.
