WW1 & The February Revolution Flashcards
1914 - February 1917
When was WWI?
1914 - 1917
What did Richard Pipes believe to be the “immediate cause” of the revolution?
“The immediate cause… would be the collapse of Russia’s fragile political and economic structures under the strains of war.”
What did Stephen Smith suggest about WII’s impact on the creation of the revolution?
“The war… exposed all the belligerents to the severest of tests and found the Russian autocracy wanting.”
How large was the Russian standing army?
5 million men
When was the Battle of Galicia?
13th – 26th August 1914
How many casualties did the Russias suffer in the Battle of Galicia?
Though they won, the Russians suffered 3 casualties to every 2 by their enemy.
When was the Battle of Tannenburg?
10th – 23rd August 1914
How many casualties did the Russias suffer in the Battle of Tannenburg?
200,000 Russian casualties in comparison to 15,000 German casualties
When was the Battle of the Masurian Lakes?
August 1914
How many soldiers did the Russians lose in the Battle of the Masurian Lakes?
200,000 men of the entire First Army.
When was the Great Retreat?
May - August 1915
How many casualties were there in the Great Retreat?
1.4 casualties in the army
6 million civilian refugees.
How many soldiers did Russia lose in the first 12 months of war?
4 million soliders
6 million civilian refugees
What was the political impacts of WWI?
> The Fourth Duma became increasingly critical of the government.
> The Tsar demonstrated poor and unresponsive leadership during a time of crisis.
> The Tsarina’s scandalous behaviour reduced public confidence in the regime, and made many suspect it was filled with German traitors.
When the Tsar leave Petrograd to assume control of the Russian Army?
21st August 1915
What was Mikhail Rodzianko’s response to the Tsar’s departure?
“The people must interpret your move as one inspired by the Germans around you, who are identified in the minds of the people with our enemies”
“Sire, your adoption of such a decision threatens Russia, yourself, and your dynasty with serious consequences.”
Why was the Tsar taking command a mistake?
> He replaced the existing commander, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, who was popular and experienced. This generated resentment among soldiers.
> It made Nicholas appear personally responsible for the army’s defeats.
> Being physically distant from Petrograd reduced Nicholas’ awareness of problems in the capital.
> Nicholas, a firm believer in autocracy, left his wife in control of government. She proved to be an inept leader.
How long of the Tsarina’s ‘rule’?
September 1915 to February 1917
What was the ministerial leapfrog?
In 17 months, Russia had 4 Prime Ministers.
What did Orlando Figes say about the Ministerial leapfrog?
“[It] not only removed competent men from power, but also disorganised the work of government since no one remained long enough in office to master their responsibilities. Bureaucratic anarchy developed.”
What was Rasputin’s influence over the court?
> Citizens would petition him for help, in the way they would have petitioned the Tsar
> Ministers and Generals sought his advice to ensure that their actions were politically correct and would please the Tsarina
What was the impact of Rasputin’s image?
> It alienated many of the Tsar’s traditional supporters in the court, the nobility, and in the Duma.
> There was a popular belief the peasant mystic and the Tsarina had a sexual relationship, which undermined the image of the Tsarist regime as a sacred institution.
What did Figes say on the matter of Rasputin/Tsarina?
“Alexandra’s ‘sexual corruption’ became a kind of metaphor for the diseased condition of the tsarist state.”
What were the economic impacts of WWI?
It was too weak to supply the army in war.
> The inability of the Tsarist regime to supply the Russian army effectively undermined confidence and created an urgent need for the economy to be mobilised to support the war.
When did the Shell Crisis occur?
1914 - early 1915
What was the Shell Crisis?
> The industry could only manufacture 9,000 shells a month in 1914
> This is the equivalent of about 2 shells, per day, per gun.
(At the start of the war, every gun had around 300 to 1,000 shells stockpiled)
What was inflation like in late 1916?
> Wages had risen by 100%
> Cost of living had risen by 300%
How many workers went on strike in Petrograd in 1915?
140,000
How many workers went on strike in Petrograd in 1916?
380,000
How many hours did the average working woman spend queuing for food?
40 hours per week
When was it announced that bread would be rationed?
19th February 1917
How did the army change character?
After 1915, 60% of the lower ranking officers in the army were peasants following the loss of 60,000 professional trained officers.
The Russian surrender rate was…
12 to 15 times
How many soldiers ‘voted with their feet’ during the war?
1 million Russian soldiers
When was International Women’s Day?
23rd February 1917
How many people joined the International Women’s Day protest following the announcement of the read rationing?
70-100,000 people
When did the General Strike begin?
25th February 1917
How many people joined the General Strike?
200-240,000
When did the Petrograd Garrison mutiny?
27th February
“In 1905, the autocracy had withstood the revolutionary movement for 12 months, in February 1917…”
“…deprived of the support from the army, it survived for less than 12 days.” - Smith
When did the Tsar abdicate?
1st March 1917
When did the rule of the Romanovs end?
3rd March 1917, when Mikail abdicated
