The February Revolution 1917

Question 1

When was the February Revolution?

Answer 1

The Feb Revolution from the 18th Feb - 4th March

Question 2

What did Rodzianko warn the Tsar about on the 14th Feb?

Answer 2

Rodzianko warned the Tsar that very serious outbreaks of unrest’ were imminent

Question 3

Describe the course of events during the Feb Revolution

Answer 3

1. 18th Feb - Putilov factory employees joined a full scale strike, angered by a rumour about further cut in bread supplies. Even though this wasn’t true, the current crisis in Russia was enough to suggest that it was true (continued for next 5 days)
2. 23rd Feb - International Womens day. 1000’s of women join women join protesters in demanding food and an end to the war
3. 25th Feb - 300,000 join city-wide strikes garrison whilst 1000s of garrison officers join demonstrations and other officers look on

Question 4

How does the Tsar try to deal with the outbreaks in Petrograd

Answer 4

• As the Tsar was in Mogilev, he ordered General Khabalov to restore order but Khabalov tod the Tsar that the situation was uncontrollable with the contingents of the police and miitia either fighting each other or joining the demonstrations
• Khabalov had earlier begged the Tsar to declaire martial law so that unlimited force could be used on the demonstrators but with all the chaos in Petrograd the martial law proclomation couldnt even be printed

Question 5

By the 26th February, how many Petrograd Garrison troops had deserted?

Answer 5

All but a few thousand of the 150,000 had deserted

Question 6

How did the Provisional Committee come to be formed and what backgrounds were they made up of?

Answer 6

27th Feb:
After the Tsar ordered the duma to dissolve when the chairman of the Duma, Mikhail Rodzianko, pleaded the Tsar to make a major concession to preserve imperial power, 12 members disobeyed and remained in session as the ‘prov gov’
-. They were made up of landowners industrialists, lawyers and were all members of the Progressive Bloc

Question 7

What else happened on the 27th Feb (other than the formation of the Prov Gov)

Answer 7

• First meeting of the Petrograd Soviet, with the Mensheviks as the moving force behind the group (led by Alexander Shylapnikov)

Question 8

What is Dual Authority?

Answer 8

The coexistence of the provisional committee and the Petrograd soviet

Question 9

What did both bodies, from the Dual Authority represent?

Answer 9

1. The Provisional Committee - represented reformist elements of the old Duma
2. Petrograd Soviet - determined to get rid of Tsarist system and summon a constituent assembly, elected by universal suffrage (as published in Isvestiya on the February 27th)

Question 10

What did the Tsar do from 28th February to 2nd March

Answer 10

1. On 28th Feb, after Rodzianko suggested abdication to the Tsar, He decided to return to Petrograd to rectify the situation but his train was diverted at Pskov
2. Generals from stavka, russin army’s high command also advised abdication
3. Tsar had no choice but to sign decree of abdication on 2nd March

Question 11

What happened on the 3 March?

Answer 11

The ‘Provisional Government’ and ‘Petrograd Soviet’ find themselves responsible for governing Russia

Question 12

Summarise the course of events during the February Revolution?

Answer 12

1. Strikes in major factories
2. International women’s day protest becae a bread riot
3. Disorder spread throughout the city
4. Police and Garrison troops declare situation uncontrollable (and some join demonstrations)
5. 12 duma members create Provisional Committee
6. Mensheviks set up the Petrograd soviet
7. Nicholas tried to return to Petrograd but was prevented by prevented by mutinous troops
8. Stavka advise Tsar to abdicate
9. Nicholas abdicates
10. Dual Authority becomes de facto government