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Russia Chapter 3
From war to revolution 1914-1917. OCR A Level History, Russia 1894-1941
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Russia's entry into WW1 | Russia saw the protection of Slavic peoples and access to the Mediterranean as key policy aims. When Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia, Russia hoped it could get involved and force them to withdraw, however Germany feared Russia would 'steam-roll'. |
| Russian mobilisation plan | Partial - limited Balkan campaign. Full - war against Germany and Austria. One had to be chosen as infrastructure could not switch easily. A partial plan could leave Russia open to a German attack, but a full plan could provoke Germany. |
| German mobilisation plan | If Russia mobilised then Germany would have to fight. German doctrine promoted a first strike to prevent being overran. Russia fully mobilised on 30 July, and Germany declared war on 1 August. |
| The Bolsheviks at the start of the war | Many socialists abandoned their efforts and backed Russia during the war effort. Lenin criticised this, and Bolsheviks were seen as traitors or German agents, so he went into exile in Switzerland. |
| Inflation and war costs | Inflation tripled from 1914 to 1917, while the war cost rose from 1 billion roubles in 1914 to 13 billion in 1917. |
| Agriculture and food shortages during the war | Grain yield was initially higher in the first 2 years of war than in the years prior, but production fell in 1916 as stocks were hoarded, the army requisitioned horses and commandeered railways and shortages began to occur. |
| Petrograd food in 1914 and 1917 | Civilians in Petrograd in 1917 were receiving 1/4 of the food they received in 1914. |
| Transport issues in WW1 | The railway system faced extreme pressure and effectively collapsed by 1916, with goods stranded at stations or cargo dumped. By 1916, Petrograd and Moscow received only 1/3 of their food, fuel and grain requirements. |
| Living conditions throughout the war | Wages rose by 100% from 1914 to 1916, but the cost of living rose by 300%. There was widespread disease, hunger and queueing, which primed the population to protest. |
| Prohibition | The government tried to restrict alcohol consumption, however this led to social unrest and a drop in 1/3 of government revenue due to Vodka taxes. In 1916 prohibition was dropped, but illegal alcohol sale had already developed. |
| Issues with the Russian army | Although it was the largest in Europe, it was the smallest per population and had severe equipment deficiency. There was poor administration which led to a lack of food, ammunition and medical supplies. The Duma called this a 'failure of the government'. |
| Problems with Nicholas as a war leader | Frequently dismissive of his responsibilities. Took direct command of the armed forces in 1915, but had little military knowledge, so relied on his generals. He had aristocratic appointees, and a lack of realism. |
| Russian morale | Despite some successful campaigns, the high casualties and poor supplies led many Russian soldiers to defect. |
| How functionable were the Russian armies by 1917? | Despite mutinies, the army was still intact as a fighting force, and was not disintegrating. Russia held down Germany in the east, and even produced more shells than it in 1916. |
| Recall of the Duma | The Duma dissolved itself in 1914 to support the tsar, but was recalled within a year to Nicholas' agreement. |
| Zemgor | The tsar refused to cooperate with NGOs, who then formed a body called Zemgor, which helped the war wounded. Zemgor also criticised the tsar, and highlighted a possible alternative. |
| The Progressive Bloc | When the tsar refused to appoint Duma ministers, 236 of the 422 Duma members formed a 'progressive bloc' of Kadets, Octobrists and Progressivists. They pushed the tsar to make concessions, but he refused, allowing a united resistance to form. |
| Minister shuffling in 1915-16 | There were 4 prime ministers, 3 foreign secretaries, 3 defence ministers and 6 interior ministers. This highlights weakness and incompetence in the government. |
| Rasputin | A self-proclaimed holy man who met with the tsar in 1907, and was asked to heal his son Alexei of haemophilia. Rasputin calmed Alexei to lessen the impact, so the tsarina made him a confidant, effectively running the country while Nicholas was at HQ. |
| Rasputin's importance and downfall | He did reorganise the medical supply system, and provided administrative competence that ministers lacked. However, this made him a threat, so he was murdered in December 1916. |
| Beginning of the February Revolution | Hunger was prevalent in St Petersburg, and the Duma President warned in mid February of serious unrest. Advisors close to the tsar began to desert. A few days later workers at the Putilov steel works began a full-scale strike. |
| Putilov strike grows | 5 days after the strike began, more workers joined over rumours of bread supplies running out. Thousands of women joined on February 23 (International Women's Day), while Petrograd was under general strike by the 25th. Police were sympathetic. |
| Khabalov's problem | Nicholas ordered Khabalov (head of the Petrograd garrison) to restore order at the strike, but police and militia groups were fighting each other, and almost all of his 150,000 troops had deserted. Printer strikes meant martial law couldn't be declared. |
| Formation of the Provisional Committee | The Duma requested for the tsar to make concessions, but he refused and dissolved it. However, 12 members (unconstitutionally) remained in session, and formed the 'provisional committee'. Leading SR member Kerensky called for the tsar to stand down. |
| Formation of the Petrograd Soviet | A soviet of soldiers', sailors' and workers' Deputies was set up by the Mensheviks. |
| Formation of the 'Dual Authority' | A balance of power was created between the Provisional Committee and the Petrograd Soviet. The Soviet called for a Russian constituent assembly elected by universal suffrage. |
| The tsar's return to Petrograd | Remaining ministers escaped, and the Duma President advised Nicholas that only abdication could save the Russian monarchy. On 28 February, Nicholas decided to return to Petrograd, but the train was diverted by mutinous troops to Pskov, 190 miles away. |
| The abdication of the tsar | At Pskov, generals and representatives from the Duma advised Nicholas to abdicate. Nicholas abdicated and nominated his brother, the Grand Duke Michael, however he refused on the pretext that he was not chosen by a constituent assembly. |
| The formation of the Provisional Government | After the tsar's abdication, the Provisional Committee renamed itself the Provisional Government, and officially declared the revolution of 3 March. |
| Role of the Bolsheviks in the February revolution | The Bolsheviks were remarkably irrelevant in the revolution, as most of their leaders were in exile. The war had caused little communication with Petrograd, so were surprised by the revolt - Lenin dismissed the idea of a revolution 2 months before. |
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Charlie_M
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