Impact of WW1

Question 1

What were the socio-economic impacts of the war?

Answer 1

-Rise of inflation
-Loss of manpower due to conscription and deaths
-Rationing brought in
-Political disarray
-High levels of unemployment

Question 2

What happened initially at the breakout of the war?

Answer 2

Surge in patriotism as the Russian army mobilised quickly, lack of strikes along with the Duma supporting the war.

Question 3

On what front did Russia initially do well on?

Answer 3

Austrian front

Question 4

Key military defeats = ?

Answer 4

-Battle of Tannenburg
-Battle of Masurian lake

Question 5

How many Russian soldiers dead or wounded at Tannenburg?

Answer 5

300,000

Question 6

What substance was banned during the war?

Answer 6

Alcohol

Question 7

Why was the ban on Alcohol important?

Answer 7

Vodka was consumed massively in Russia at the time and was a part of the culture, banning it led to annoyance and dislike for the government and the Tsar from all walks of life.

Question 8

How many troops were mobilised between 1914-17?

Answer 8

15,000,000

Question 9

What was the weakness of mobilising so many men?

Answer 9

Couldn’t provide equipment e.g. clothes for all of them and this was blamed on the Tsar

Question 10

How did the Russian economy lose out on Revenue due to the Germans?

Answer 10

German fleet blockaded the Baltic Sea stopping Russia from trading.

Question 11

What was the key economic weakness of Russia at the time?

Answer 11

Over-reliance on foreign investment from countries such as Germany, France, UK, Belgium

Question 12

What happened as soon as Russia attacked Germany?

Answer 12

Germany pulled foreign investment from the Russian economy especially in the Chemical and raw material industries.

Question 13

What was the cost of the war in 1914?

Answer 13

1.5 billion roubles

Question 14

What was the cost of the war by 1917?

Answer 14

14 billion roubles

Question 15

What happened due to a lack of raw materials?

Answer 15

Raw materials were all going to the war effort and nothing else, thus there was a severe lack of it and as a result many factories had to close meaning loss of revenue and increased unemployment in urban working areas.

Question 16

How was the Russian economy surviving the war?

Answer 16

Foreign aid from the allies such as France and the UK, the allies propped them up.

Question 17

What was the condition that the Allies reached with Russia?

Answer 17

Foreign aid meant that Russia had to keep fighting the war, no war no aid.

Question 18

What was the liberal opposition to the Tsar?

Answer 18

-Kadets
-Octoberists
-Progressives

Question 19

Kadets + Octoberists + Progressives = ?

Answer 19

“Progressive Bloc”

Question 20

What did the Progressive bloc call for?

Answer 20

The bloc demanded a change in ministers as well as constitutional reform.

Question 21

Local government + National opposition to the Tsar = ?

Answer 21

Both the Zemstva and the Duma accused the government of incompetence.

Question 22

What was the Tsars biggest mistake during the war?

Answer 22

Becoming commander in chief

Question 23

Why was becoming commander in chief a mistake?

Answer 23

-No military background or experience
-All the blame for losses and mistakes goes directly back to him, even if he had no real power.
-Meant his wife become acting ruler

Question 24

What offensive was blamed on the Tsar

Answer 24

Brusilov offensive

Question 25

When was the Brusilov offensive

Answer 25

June 1916

Question 26

While the Tsar was away who was in charge?

Answer 26

Tsarina Alexandra

Question 27

Why was Tsarina Alexandra a troublesome ruler?

Answer 27

-She was German
-She was running the government with a mysterious peasant holy man called Rasputin.

Question 28

Why was Rasputin disliked?

Answer 28

-Many thought Rasputin and Alexandra were having an affair.
-Others believed the two were conspiring to destroy the Romanov dynasty
-He was a peasant mystic figure

Question 29

What happened in December 1916 and what does this show?

Answer 29

Unpopularity was at its highest with the Tsarina and Rasputin and as a result Prince Yaspov assassinated Rasputin and this was a sign of Noble/Aristocratic opposition to the government.