WW1 & The February Revolution

Question 1

When was WWI?

Answer 1

1914 - 1917

Question 2

What did Richard Pipes believe to be the “immediate cause” of the revolution?

Answer 2

“The immediate cause… would be the collapse of Russia’s fragile political and economic structures under the strains of war.”

Question 3

What did Stephen Smith suggest about WII’s impact on the creation of the revolution?

Answer 3

“The war… exposed all the belligerents to the severest of tests and found the Russian autocracy wanting.”

Question 4

How large was the Russian standing army?

Answer 4

5 million men

Question 5

When was the Battle of Galicia?

Answer 5

13th – 26th August 1914

Question 6

How many casualties did the Russias suffer in the Battle of Galicia?

Answer 6

Though they won, the Russians suffered 3 casualties to every 2 by their enemy.

Question 7

When was the Battle of Tannenburg?

Answer 7

10th – 23rd August 1914

Question 8

How many casualties did the Russias suffer in the Battle of Tannenburg?

Answer 8

200,000 Russian casualties in comparison to 15,000 German casualties

Question 9

When was the Battle of the Masurian Lakes?

Answer 9

August 1914

Question 10

How many soldiers did the Russians lose in the Battle of the Masurian Lakes?

Answer 10

200,000 men of the entire First Army.

Question 11

When was the Great Retreat?

Answer 11

May - August 1915

Question 12

How many casualties were there in the Great Retreat?

Answer 12

1.4 casualties in the army

6 million civilian refugees.

Question 13

How many soldiers did Russia lose in the first 12 months of war?

Answer 13

4 million soliders

6 million civilian refugees

Question 14

What was the political impacts of WWI?

Answer 14

> 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.

Question 15

When the Tsar leave Petrograd to assume control of the Russian Army?

Answer 15

21st August 1915

Question 16

What was Mikhail Rodzianko’s response to the Tsar’s departure?

Answer 16

“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.”

Question 17

Why was the Tsar taking command a mistake?

Answer 17

> 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.

Question 18

How long of the Tsarina’s ‘rule’?

Answer 18

September 1915 to February 1917

Question 19

What was the ministerial leapfrog?

Answer 19

In 17 months, Russia had 4 Prime Ministers.

Question 20

What did Orlando Figes say about the Ministerial leapfrog?

Answer 20

“[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.”

Question 21

What was Rasputin’s influence over the court?

Answer 21

> 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

Question 22

What was the impact of Rasputin’s image?

Answer 22

> 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.

Question 23

What did Figes say on the matter of Rasputin/Tsarina?

Answer 23

“Alexandra’s ‘sexual corruption’ became a kind of metaphor for the diseased condition of the tsarist state.”

Question 24

What were the economic impacts of WWI?

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

When did the Shell Crisis occur?

Answer 25

1914 - early 1915

Question 26

What was the Shell Crisis?

Answer 26

> 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)

Question 27

What was inflation like in late 1916?

Answer 27

> Wages had risen by 100%

> Cost of living had risen by 300%

Question 28

How many workers went on strike in Petrograd in 1915?

Answer 28

140,000

Question 29

How many workers went on strike in Petrograd in 1916?

Answer 29

380,000

Question 30

How many hours did the average working woman spend queuing for food?

Answer 30

40 hours per week

Question 31

When was it announced that bread would be rationed?

Answer 31

19th February 1917

Question 32

How did the army change character?

Answer 32

After 1915, 60% of the lower ranking officers in the army were peasants following the loss of 60,000 professional trained officers.

Question 33

The Russian surrender rate was…

Answer 33

12 to 15 times

Question 34

How many soldiers ‘voted with their feet’ during the war?

Answer 34

1 million Russian soldiers

Question 35

When was International Women’s Day?

Answer 35

23rd February 1917

Question 36

How many people joined the International Women’s Day protest following the announcement of the read rationing?

Answer 36

70-100,000 people

Question 37

When did the General Strike begin?

Answer 37

25th February 1917

Question 38

How many people joined the General Strike?

Answer 38

200-240,000

Question 39

When did the Petrograd Garrison mutiny?

Answer 39

27th February

Question 40

“In 1905, the autocracy had withstood the revolutionary movement for 12 months, in February 1917…”

Answer 40

“…deprived of the support from the army, it survived for less than 12 days.” - Smith

Question 41

When did the Tsar abdicate?

Answer 41

1st March 1917

Question 42

When did the rule of the Romanovs end?

Answer 42

3rd March 1917, when Mikail abdicated