WW1

Question 1

Describe the War Front

Answer 1

• Russia was able to mobilize 15 million men but they were ill equipped, there were 2 rifles for every 3 men
• Morale was low as 1 million Russians were killed and a similar number taken prisoner
• There was poor quality leadership as many top officers were appointed for their loyalty to the Tsar rather than their military experience

Question 2

Describe the Home Front

Answer 2

• The railways couldn’t cope due to acute fuel shortages. Thus food and production slumped.
• Food shortages meant inflation occurred, there were personal losses of 8 million casualties and strikes for bread

Question 3

What were the Tsar’s actions during WW1?

Answer 3

• Appointed himself Commander in Chief of army
• Distanced himself 60km away from Petrograd
• Became personally responsible for the military failure
• Tsarina dismissed competent ministers and nobility no longer supported Tsarina and Rasputin

Question 4

Describe the key factors of the 1917 February revolution

Answer 4

• Began on International Women’s Day
• Women went from factories to the Putilov engineering works and persuaded men to join
• Strikers from all different factories united and marched to the centre of Petrograd
• Army mutinied on the weekend of the 25th -26th Feb when they did not open fire of strikers
• March 2nd Nicholas abdicated in favour of his brother who refused. 300 years of Romanov empire came to an end

Question 5

What caused the 1917 Revolution?

Answer 5

• Streets were tense with starvation and desperation
• Demonstrations of 150,00 workers on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday alluded to the danger to come
• Bread was announced to be reduced by 1/3