FIRST WORLD WAR 1914-18

Question 1

What war was a long term factor in WW1?

Answer 1

The Balkan Wars of 1912-13.

Question 2

Why were the Balkan wars a disappointment to Russia?

Answer 2

The hope had been that the Balkan League would deal a serious blow to the prestige and status of Austria-Hungry but instead they squabbled over gains made from the turks.

Question 3

Who was assassinated in June 1914?

Answer 3

Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary.

Question 4

How did Russia react to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia in July 1914?

Answer 4

By issuing a mobilisation order.

Question 5

What followed a declaration of war from Germany and Austria-Hungary on Russia?

Answer 5

The implementation of the German Schlieffen Plan and further built on by the establishment of an Eastern Front.

Question 6

What is the optimist line of thought about the war?

Answer 6

Neat and cogent.

Question 7

What did military failures result in?

Answer 7

Economic pressures, which in turn had a negative impact on the daily lives of Russians on the Home Front.

Question 8

Where did Russia experience terrible defeats?

Answer 8

Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes.

Question 9

What were the total Russian casualties for the war?

Answer 9

8 million.

Question 10

What did the Stavka blame the lack of military progression by the end of 1915 on?

Answer 10

The ‘shells crisis’.

Question 11

What was the result of the great defeats in 1915?

Answer 11

Great Retreat which prompted NII to take the unprecedented step of taking personal control of the armed forces.

Question 12

When did NII become commander in chief?

Answer 12

August 1915.

Question 13

What did NII’s decision to leave the capital result in? Why?

Answer 13

A power vacuum, as the Tsarina was of German background and her relationship with Rasputin left the aristocracy alienated.

Question 14

What failure occurred in 1916? What emerged?

Answer 14

The Brusilov Offensive and the emergence of attrition warfare.

Question 15

What did the emergence of attrition warfare indicate?

Answer 15

The Tsar was not capable of bringing the conflict to a satisfactory end.

Question 16

What was the total cost of WW1 for the Russians?

Answer 16

Approximately 3 billion roubles.

Question 17

What was the government expenditure in 1913?

Answer 17

About 1.5 billion roubles.

Question 18

How did the Russians meet the cost of war?

Answer 18

Partly through borrowing (foreign loans, war bonds), increases in tax and printing more money.

Question 19

How much had prices risen by 1917?

Answer 19

400%

Question 20

How much did bread rationing fall in Petrograd?

Answer 20

By 25% in the first three months of 1916.

Question 21

Why did NII decide to abdicate?

Answer 21

Pressure from military advisers, the Progressive Bloc in the Duma and friends and relatives.

Question 22

What was the ‘Germangate’ scandal?

Answer 22

Lenin was accused of being a German agent and was rewarded by being provided with a German protected train on his return from exile in 1917.

Question 23

What indicated that the tsar had been struggling for some time before the war?

Answer 23

The Duma had developed a progressive bloc before the war.

Question 24

What created a distinct form of opposition? When could this be traced back to?

Answer 24

The rise of working classes as opposition against autocracy had gained momentum, which could be traced back to Witte’s great spurt.