WW1

Question 1

Long term origins of WW1

Answer 1

Triple entente (France/Russia/Britain vs Austrai-Hungary/Germany)

Balkan crisis

Question 2

Why did Russia join the triple entente

Answer 2

Before foreign policy based on friendly relations with Prussia/Austria-Hungary
-Germany didn’t renew Reinsurance treaty of 1887 (Both parties no support 3rd party if 1 party fell into conflict)
=Russia pushed to seek new allies
-Formed alliance with french in 1894
-Then joined triple entente

Question 3

The Balkan crisis

Answer 3

Astria-Hungary/Russia both wanted Balkan countries
= 1908 deal: Russian shipping free movement through straights if supported Austrian annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina

-Problems:
-Serbia saw BZ as serbian so wanted Russian slavic support
-European powers rejected Russia easy access through straights
-Germany reacted saying would support AH in annexation= humiliation for tsars

Question 4

How were the consequences of the Balkan wars a disappointment for Russia (Long-term origins)

Answer 4

Had hoped balkan league would damage status of AH but instead squabbled over gains from Turks

Bulgaria most weakened- serious as the slav state most in line with Russian thinking/planning

Question 5

Significance of the Balkan crisis (Long-term origins)

Answer 5

Showed Russia couldn’t dictate how European conflicts could be resolved

Showed political/military impotence that angered Russian ppl

Question 6

Short-term origins of WW1

Answer 6

Assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz-Ferdinand by Serbian nationalist Gabriel princip
-Russia had to protect slavic Serbia if A retaliated/needed to make sure AH wouldn’t use as excuse to take balkans
-Issued mobilisation order when AH declared war on S
=Germany/Austria declare war on Russia
=Schlieffen Plan/Eastern block

(Russian leaders worst fears)

Question 7

What is a mobilisation order

Answer 7

Order for military to prepare for conflict/war

Question 8

Why mobilisation order bad idea (short-term origins)

Answer 8

-Left R vulnerable to G attack in West
-Railway links to west undeveloped
-Difficult at short notice
-Antagonistic- ppl feared would lead to war and did

Question 9

When did Russia issue full mobilisation order (short term origins)

Answer 9

30th July 1914

Question 10

August-September 1914 (Course of First world war)

Answer 10

Initial R victory at Gumbinnen followed by disastrous defeats at Tennenberg/Masurian Lakes

Question 11

February 1915(Course of First world war)

Answer 11

R forces pushed back from East Prussia but take Memel in March

Question 12

August 1915 (Course of First world war)

Answer 12

Nicholas II took command of army against advice
Russian retreat temporarily halted but had to abandon Vilna in September

Question 13

February 1916 (Course of First world war)

Answer 13

Glimmer of hope as Russians took Ezerum from Ottomans

Question 14

June 1916 (Course of First world war)

Answer 14

Brusilov offensive launched= some initial success but Germans easily realised threat

Question 15

June/July 1917 (Course of First world war)

Answer 15

Attack on A forces but end of July Russians still in retreat

Question 16

August 1917 (Course of First world war)

Answer 16

Russia withdrew from strategically important port of Riga in Latvia

Question 17

December 1918(Course of First world war)

Answer 17

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signing- Trotsky said conditions were diktat

Question 18

Military failures (impact of war)

Answer 18

-Defeats at Tannenburg/Masurian lakes= dented army/Citizen morale
-2X troops lost as enemy
-Casualties= 8 million (1.7 dead/2.4 captured)

=Tsar left to control army= political vacuum

Question 19

Failure of industry (impact of war)

Answer 19

-Military failures blamed on “shells crisis” so workers had to put + effort into munitions production BUT industry already working at full capacity
-Communication/transport problems= stockpiling of supplies (e.g in Archangel mountains of hardware sunk into ground)

Question 20

Economic impact of war

Answer 20

-Huge financial burden of 3 billion roubles (2X gov expenditure in peacetime)
-Gov print more money to cope= hyperinflation (e.g prices + 400% by 1917)

Question 21

Social impact of war

Answer 21

Rapidly rising population/army food requisitioning/- fertilisers/transport problems= FOOD SHORTAGES/FAMINE (e.g Petrograd bread ration - 25%)

-Some say regional problem as mostly big cities but doesn’t matter because still= WIDESPREAD UNREST

Question 22

Political impact of war

Answer 22

-Tsar leaving Tsarina in charge= very unpopular as German/Rasputin
-Growing criticism/pressure= abdicates
-Replaced by PG

Question 23

Pessimists argument

Answer 23

Argue WW1 was NOT significant turning point
-Sympathises with efforts of working-class
-Pro-Bolshevik standpoint

Question 24

Pessimists explaining how political consequences NOT directly caused by war

Answer 24

-Duma had developed progressive bloc before (acknowledged by Nicholas II who restricted their freedoms)
-Nicholas incompetent leader so only a matter of time, war simply sped up his demise

Question 25

Pessimists explaining how social consequences (unrest) NOT directly caused by war

Answer 25

-Rise of working class had built up overtime- came hand-in-hand with industrialisation/urbanisation which could be traced back to Witte's "great spurt" -Greater WC consciousness reinforced by legalisation of political parties that represented their interests So war just accelerated these trends

Question 26

Weakness of pessimist argument

Answer 26

Doesn't explain why Bolsheviks still able to seize power after July days

Question 27

Optimists argument

Answer 27

Tsarism by definition was extremely resilient to change so needed dramatic/unique event to change nature of R gov (WW1) -R industry unable to cope with demands of first industrial war -Inevitable that Russian ppl would blame their leader So war was significant turning point

Question 28

Optimists view on what would have happened without war

Answer 28

Tsar would have made further constitutional reform= less criticisms (already started in 1905 so would have continued)

Question 29

Optimists argument on how war led to revolution

Answer 29

Military failures= economic pressures that impacted lives of Russian ppl= social unrest, authorities couldn't cope so= anarchy= formation of PG -Continuation of war meant PG couldn't establish authority= opportunity to revolutionaries