The Opposition To The Autocracy And The Political Collapse Of February/march 1917

Question 1

What was the population of Petrograd like by the winter of 1917?

Answer 1

-tense with pent up frustrations of unemployed, starving + desperate
-demonstration by 150k workers on anniversary of Bloody Sunday Jan 1917 a hint at things to come

Question 2

What strikes occurred on the 14th of Feb 1917?

Answer 2

-100k workers from 58 factories strike in Petrograd
-news bread rationed from 1 March brought long queues + violent exchanges the police struggled to contain

Question 3

How were things worsening by international women’s day on 23rd of Feb?

Answer 3

-90k workers strike + 50 factories close
-workers join traditional march of women from Petrograd suburbs to city centre with militant students + women from bread queues

Question 4

What did this result in?

Answer 4

-city in chaos with c.240k on streets
-order restored by desire at police force with no deaths

Question 5

How had strikes escalated by 25th Feb 1917?

Answer 5

-250k - over half capitals workforce - striking + Petrograd at standstill
-all major factories + workshops closed
-violence escalated as police chief Shafleev tries control masses

Question 6

What is the significance of what occurred on the 26th Feb 1917?

Answer 6

-Duma pres Rodzianko sends tsar telegram explains everything in anarchy, gov is paralysed + discontent is rising

Question 7

How did Nicholas respond to what Rodzianko stated?

Answer 7

-but Nicholas dismisses this as evidence by his diary stating ‘fat bellied Rodzianko has written some nonsense

Question 8

What did the tsar order to happen on the27th Feb?

Answer 8

-ordered commander of Petrograd military district restore order by military force
-led to around 40 demonstrations in city centre being killed

Question 9

What happened as a result of this order?

Answer 9

-mutiny begins in Volynskii regiment where sergeant shoots commanding officer
-66k soldiers mutiny + join protestors arming them with 40k rifles - police HQ attacked c prisons opened

Question 10

How did Nicholas respond to this marking a turning point?

Answer 10

-28th Feb leaves military HQ for Petrograd
-offers to share power with Duma but Rodzianko replies ‘the time for this has gone’

Question 11

What was agreed under pressure?

Answer 11

-under pressure from soldiers + mutineers at Kronstadt naval base
-Petrograd Soviet agreed each regiment elect committees + send representatives to Soviet

Question 12

What was the Petrograd Soviet?

Answer 12

-Soviets were councils not supportive of particular party
-following Feb 1917 rev elected Soviets sprang in many cities + towns
- the Petrograd Soviet most important with 3000 members 10 March

Question 13

What was produced following this agreement?

Answer 13

-the ‘Order No.1’ - charter of soldiers rights

Question 14

What did this charter promise?

Answer 14

-all units elect deputy to Soviet + agree to political control of Petrograd Soviet
-all weapons controlled by elected soldiers + not officers
-soldiers enjoy full citizens rights when off duty e.g. no requirement salute

Question 15

What happened to Nicholas?

Answer 15

-never returned to Petrograd as train diverted by rebellious railway workers
-under pressure to resign from chief of general staff Alekseev

Question 16

Why did Alekseev want tsar to reign?

Answer 16

-reassured by agreement that Petrograd Soviet recognise a provisional gov former by members of Duma
-suggests tsar resign in favour of his son with his brother Mikhail taking regent

Question 17

What did Nicholas do instead?

Answer 17

-named Mikhail tsar without being consulted
-added Mikhail should lead country in complete union with representatives of people in legislative bodies but Mikhail refused offer

Question 18

What happened to the tsar + his family?

Answer 18

-placed under house arrest along with most members of tsars council of ministers
-304 years if Romanov dynasty came to end

Question 19

Where did rev disturbances spread to?

Answer 19

-beyond Petrograd to Kronstadt naval base, Moscow + other Ind cities + rural areas

Question 20

What happened in cities beyond Petrograd?

Answer 20

-workers seized control of factories, set up workers committees + deposed former bosses
-army disintegrated into semi-independent bodies + soldiers Soviets without clear leadership

Question 21

What happened in the countryside beyond Petrograd?

Answer 21

-peasants attacked landlord properties + felled trees illegally
-national minorities declared independence in Finland, Ukraine + Caucasus

Question 22

What have the events of Feb 1917 been interpreted as?

Answer 22

-class struggle between bourgeoisie-proletarian forces + traditional aristocratic forces of urban workers

Question 23

Who inspired the 1917 rev?

Answer 23

-B’viks inspired the rev + setting up of Petrograd Soviet but in no position to star a rev in 1917
-appears have been largely spontaneous