february revolution IN DEPTH

Question 1

October Man…
when
what

Answer 1

October manifesto 1905-
political freedoms and establishment of national parliament- Duma
no power little legislative power

Question 2

Weaknesses of the army

Answer 2

Incompetent generals appointed on family ties not merit
Uneducated Russian army
Underdeveloped industry

Question 3

Underdeveloped industry: First Year of War
How many soldiers mobilised v how many rifles?
who said what about 1915
urban population 1914-16

Answer 3

6.5 million soldiers mobilised v 4.6 million rifles
Richard Pipes- “By 1915 the spirit of common purpose that had united the government and opposition had vanished.”
22-26 million( 4 million)

Question 4

Why was there a grain shortage?

Answer 4

rail network deteriorated

Question 5

What defeat led to the ‘Great Retreat’ of 1515?

how many deaths?

Answer 5

Battle of Tannenberg

50 thousand russians

Question 6

By what percentage had inflation increased?
How much had the price of flour increased by?
How had the army rations changed due to lack of food?

Answer 6

200%
500%
decrease from 4000-2000 calories a day

Question 7

Brusilov offensive:
who was it against?
killed or wounded how many?
how many prisoners?

Answer 7

Austro Hungarian army:
500,000 killed
300,000 prisoners
great success but didn’t make up for great losses of the War

Question 8

Brusilov offensive:
who was it against?
killed or wounded how many?
how many prisoners?
How many desertions by 1916?

Answer 8

Austro Hungarian army:
500,000 killed
300,000 prisoners
great success but didn't make up for great losses of the War
1.5 million

Question 9

When did soldiers fire into the crowd in Znamenskii square?
how many injured?
Why was this significant/ what did this cause?
Which soldiers refused to shoot troops?

Answer 9

26 FEBRUARY
40 killed or injured
Caused food riots to turn into revolution
Troops in PETROGRAD refused to shoot

Question 10

28 February:

Answer 10

generals stop Tsar’s train back to Petrograd and renounce his authority
directly provoked the Tsar’s abdication

Question 11

1 March:

Answer 11

Order No 1: gave soviet control of the armed forces

Question 12

Why was the Tsar personally disliked?

Answer 12

• Never truly supported reforms and attempts at modernisation in both industry and politically
• Intelligentsia wanted to participate in government
• Neglected the Duma
• Never fully backed Witts economic plan
• failure in industry led to deterioration of the railway and underdeveloped industry which was a key reason for Russia’s struggle in WW1.

Question 13

The political authority of the tsar:

Answer 13

• highly reluctant to political reform
• reluctant ruler who preferred the company of his family over his ministers
• more likely to fall back on repressive tactics in crisis
• wife urged him against the advice of his reformist ministers to maintain autocracy.