W: Russia in WW1

Question 1

Why was Russia incapable fighting in the war

brief

Answer 1

Decades behind (economy, industry, agriculture) especially against Germany, the industrial giant.

Question 2

Russian soldier experiences

Answer 2

Shortages of equipment, food, boots, ammunition
Corrupt and incompetent leadership
-> 4.5x men are taken prisoner than killed in action.
-> desertion, mutiny, attacks on officers.

Question 3

Socioeconomic impacts

Answer 3

• Railway system collapsed
• 1915 mass evacuations from the east - forced to burn their homes
• War production impacted industrial production (skilled labour, fuel and power shortages): 1916 - 150 blast furnaces shut down
• Food shortages (from lack of coordination too, as supplies from Britain sometimes rotted/sank)
• Agriculture broke down - horses, chemicals for fertilisers, peasant soldiers.
• Weaponry shortages - only a few bullets/day, instructed to pick up weapons of dead comrades, poorly supplied field hospitals

Question 4

Political impact

Answer 4

• Tsar Nicholas faced complete social, economic and political breakdown, lost the support of military. Abdicated 15 March 1917
• Provisional Government + Petrograd Soviet
• When Bolsheviks overthrew the ProvGovt, they issued Peace Decree (late 1917)

Question 5

Impact of Russian Revolution on WW1

Answer 5

• Eliminated Eastern front - Germany begins Spring Offensive
• Had to strike before the American presence was substantially felt.
• Troops moving west had not had serious fighting for about a year - well rested and trained
• 1 million troops remained in Russia to exploit and transport their occupied goods, of livestock, sugar, grain.