February Revolution

Question 1

What are the causes of the February Revolution?

Answer 1

1. Impact of war
2. The role of the Tsar
   - failure to make political reform
   - decision making and incompetence
3. Desertion of the elites
4. strikes and demonstrations

Question 2

What is the arguement of doubters?

Answer 2

The revolution was the concluding sequence in the collapse of imperial Russia as a result of it’s failure to modernise. Even without the war, the system was already beyond recovery

Question 3

Why do doubters believe that imperial Russia was headed for revolution regardless of the war?

Answer 3

It was not capable of becoming a modern state due to under lying weaknesses such as a repressive political system, inept government, rapid urbanisation, insufficent economic system and presence of minorities seeking independence

Question 4

What is the arguement of believers?

Answer 4

Russia in 1914 was not in irrecoverable decline and thus the war was the cause of the revolution

Question 5

Why do believers believe that Russia would not have had a revolution without WW1?

Answer 5

Other nations such as Japan were capable of quickly modernising and Russia had the means to overcome its backwardness. The devestating effects of WW1 put an end to this

Question 6

What were the casualties for the Russian Army in WW1?

Answer 6

1.7 millions deaths, 8 million wounded and 2.5 million PoWs

Question 7

Whom did the Russian Amry consist of?

Answer 7

Largely of rapidly drafted and trained peasants with inexperienced officers from the ranks of the intelligencia

Question 8

What added to low morale?

Answer 8

inadequate supplies, equipement, food and clothing

Question 9

What added to the lack of supplies at the front line?

Answer 9

The closing of the Dardanelle straits, a major supply line, caused by Turkey’s entry into the war

Question 10

How many Russians survived Tannenberg in 1914?

Answer 10

10,000 of 150,000

Question 11

Notable Russian defeats?

Answer 11

1. Tannebberg

2. Masurian Lakes

Question 12

Where was most of the disillutionment in the army felt?

Answer 12

The rear, with most soldiers at the front remaining loyal

Question 13

What did Nicholas do which added to bad morale amoung soldiers?

Answer 13

Allowed a large amounts of exemptions from conscription for upper classes

Question 14

How was demoralisation shown?

Answer 14

Mass surrenders and desertions

Question 15

How did WW1 lead to a fall in revenue?

Answer 15

decline in foreign trade, pause in grain exports and closure of important trade routes

Question 16

what drop in revenue did Nicholas contribute to and how?

Answer 16

30% because he banned the production and sale of alcohol, which the ministry of finance relied on for tax revenue

Question 17

By how much did workers wages and the cost of living rise by due to WW1?

Answer 17

Wages rose 100% and the cost of living rose 300%

Question 18

What added to food shortages and poor conditions in cities?

Answer 18

rapid urbanisation

Question 19

What problem did landowners face as a result of the war?

Answer 19

Found it hard to find labourors as peasants were drafted

Question 20

What percentage of the grain harvest went to cities in 1914 and what had it declined to by 1917?

Answer 20

from 25% of the harvest to 15%

Question 21

what non-governmental organisations did the Tsar fail to work with?

Answer 21

Union of Zemstvos and the Union of Municipal Councils

Question 22

What organisation did the Union of Zemstvos and the Union of Municipal Councils for?

Answer 22

The Union of Zemgor

Question 23

What was the Union of Zemgor and what did it show?

Answer 23

A joint organisationn formed to help with the war effort in 1915 which hinted at a workable alternative to Tsardom

Question 24

Who headed the Union of Zemgor?

Answer 24

Prince Georgy Lvov

Question 25

What did the Tsar do in response to the Duma appealing to him to replace his incompetent cabinet

Answer 25

Dismissed the duma

Question 26

Who formed the progressive group and when?

Answer 26

Formed when the Tsar dismissed the duma and consistented of 236 of the 422 duma deputies

Question 27

What was the purpose of the progressive bloc?

Answer 27

prevent revolution

Question 28

What did the suspension of the duma in 1915 do for the Tsar?

Answer 28

Alienated those across the political spectrum, isolating the tsar and eroding support at all levels

Question 29

When did the Tsar become commander and chief and what did this mean?

Answer 29

1915, he was now personally responsible for defeats of the army

Question 30

What did the frequent changings of ministers mean for the royal family?

Answer 30

discredited them and the government

Question 31

What did 12 member of the duma do on the 26th of February?

Answer 31

refused to dissolve and formed the provisional committee

Question 32

who asked the Tsar to step down?

Answer 32

the Tsars most committed supported including army officers

Question 33

What did General Alekseev do?

Answer 33

advised the Tsar to step down if the army was to continue to fight at the front

Question 34

What was the pretext for which the Tsar’s cabinet left the country?

Answer 34

failing electricity

Question 35

What happened on the anniversay of bloody sunday?

Answer 35

140,000 workers (40% of Petrograds work force) demonstrated

Question 36

What day was bloody Sunday?

Answer 36

Janruary 22nd

Question 37

What happened on February 14th?

Answer 37

Another major strike with 84,000 workers from 54 factories

Question 38

What happened from February 14th onwards?

Answer 38

Almost daily strikes

Question 39

What happened when Nicholas ordered Khabalov to restore order in Petrograd?

Answer 39

responded by saying police/milita were fighting each other, joining demonstrations or disobeying orders

Question 40

What did a labour dispute at the Putilov plant lead to?

Answer 40

A lock out which added 30,000 workers on the street

Question 41

What had happened to the Petrograd garrison by 26th February?

Answer 41

all but a few thousand of 150,000 troops had deserted their posts

Question 42

What did Khabalov want to do and what was the problem with this?

Answer 42

To restore order with martial law but breakdown meant proclamation could not be printed or enforced