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Reign of Tsar Nicholas
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Assembly of Russian Workers
Father Georgiy Gapon formed the Assembly of Russian Workers. In a year the RW gained over 9,000 members. -
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Russo-Japanese War
Russia & Japan wanted control of Manchuria as it had useful resources and a port that didn't freeze over in the winter. The tsar also hoped that the war would be a distraction from discontent. Russia was easily defeated by Japan due to old fashioned tactics. They lost 31,000 men during the battle of Port Arthur and 90,000 men at the battle of Mukden. The war highlighted Russia's poor equipment and services, it showed that the army was weak, hurt the government financially and credibility. -
Putilov Steel Works
When 4 members of the RW were fired from the Putilov Steel Works Gapon called for action. Over the next few days, 110,000 workers went on strike. Gapon decided to appeal to the tsar and 130,000 workers signed his petition. -
Members of the St Petersburg Soviet Arrested
Members of the St Petersburg Soviet are arrested for calling for more strikes and arguing that workers should be armed in order to defend themselves. Newspapers and trade unions were shut down as well. -
St Petersburg Soviet
The St Petersburg Soviet is set up. It was a council of workers that helped organize the general strike. Other soviets were set up in other cities to organize major strikes. The Soviet had been set up after the strike and lasted until December. The chairmen was Trotsky. -
The Wager on the Strong
Landlords argued that peasants would waste their land and the communes meant that nothing new would be done. Stolypin let peasants set up their own family farms, he hoped they would use modern techniques & not work in communes. If peasants became successful farmers then they would stop attack landlords and support the government. 1905-17 around 3 million peasants moved to Siberia but lived as if they had communes. 1915 only 14% had family farms. 1917 peasant unrest organized by the communes. -
Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday was a massacre of protesters led by Father Gapon to take a petition calling for universal suffrage and participation in the government, 8 hour days, increased wages, improved working conditions & an end to the Russo-Japenese war to the tsar. They were blocked by soldiers who, after two warning shots, attacked along with Mounted Cossacks. 200 were killed and 800 wounded. It damaged the tsar's reputation and made many angry. Seen as the start of the 1905 revolution. -
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1905 Revolt/Revolution
Peasants rioted, burnt down manor houses (3,000) & killed landlords. More than 400,000 workers went on strike in January. Minority groups launched campaigns for independence & equality. Troops mutinied & took control of the Trans-Siberian railway. A general strike from 20/9 - 2/10. Russia was unable to function without railways. The middle class wanted political reform. The general strike led to a national strike. Most of the army remained loyal to the tsar. Newspapers & trade unions were closed -
Potemkin Mutiny
The sailors faced poor conditions and tough discipline. The cooks reported maggots in the crew's meal but the doctors said that it could be eaten. The executive officer threatened to shoot any officer who didn't eat the meat, he shot one and set off the mutiny. Sailors killed the officer and killed and locked up the rest. A people's committee took control. Odessa supported the mutiny & had been on strike, protesting & rioting. Tsar ordered the army to stop the riots, 1000 were killed. -
October Manifesto
The ministers advised tsar to make concessions. The OM gave
new civil rights: freedom of speech & religion, & the right to form political parties & trade unions.
A parliament/duma with elected reps
new laws would be approved by the Duma and government actions would be supervised
peasant mortgage payments would be reduced
Strikes were called off. The OM did not improve anything and the SDs called out the middle class for abandoning the working class. -
The Fundamental State Laws
The first constitution, it reasserted the old principals of tsarism and put the Duma below the tsar. -
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First Duma
The left-wing revolutionaries didn't take part in the first election, but the Duma was still anti-government. It was dominated by the Kadets, wanted more power, and Trudoviks, wanted land reform. They were too radical and the Duma was dissolved. Liberals were disappointed and there was an increase in liberal opposition to the government. -
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Second Duma
The SRs and the RSDP took part in these elections. 222 socialists, mainly SRs, were elected. The new Prime Minister, Stolypin, realized the 2nd Duma was a threat. The Duma was dissolved and the revolutionary parties realized they wouldn't be able to achieve their goals through elections. -
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Third and Fourth Duma
Stolypin rigged the elections so more conservatives who would support the tsarist government were elected. Liberals were angry. The 3rd Duma lasted the full 5 years. The 4th Duma was also conservative. Police suppression meant that revolutionary parties found it impossible to operate, difficult to reach workers, striking workers could be fired, peasants were repressed by Stolypin. Landlords in the Duma refused to give up land and fortified their homes. -
The Tsar Survived the 1905 Revolt
The October manifesto won back the middle class. The army was still loyal to the tsar and could be used when the Russo-Japanese war ended. Tsar got a loan from France. The unrest was not planned and ununited. Economic issues, not social ones. the SDs thought this showed that the peasants and workers were not educated enough to know that a political revolution would give them what they want. Repression & army was used to regain control, but was difficult in the countryside due to size. -
The Lena Goldfield Strike/Massacre
Working conditions for gold miners along the Lena river were bad, rotten horse meat led to a strike with the help of the Bolsheviks. leaders were arrested, it turned into a mass protest, workers brought demands to their managers. Troops fired into the crowd, 200-500 workers were killed. Caused protests. repression had caused a decline in strikes but the massacre caused an increase. It showed that discontent with the tsar had not gone away. -
Battle at Tannenberg
The Germans won at Tannenberg. The Russians lost 122,000 men and a large number of supplies and weapons. 30,000 men were killed and the rest were captured. The Russian commander had been so ashamed he committed suicide. -
Battle at the Masurian Lakes
Germans won and there was a heavy loss in men. -
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World War 1
Made people patriotic and support Tsarism. Russia quickly started losing, Germany had an efficient railway system allowing them to hit Russia's weak spots. One-third of the army didn't have guns, men were ordered to charge unarmed and pick up weapons from fallen soldiers. They didn't have arm uniforms for winter or enough food to eat. 1915 Russia lost 2 million men and was retreating. Russians formed groups to get supplies to soldiers at the front. -
Battle at the Masurian Lakes
Germans won and there was a heavy loss in men. -
Tsar takes Command
The Tsar decided that it was his duty to take command of the Russian army & navy despite his lack of military experience. The tsar's ministers and chairmen of the duma advised him against doing so. As CIC the Tsar would be directly blamed for all loses. He was not useful at the front and was cut off from the government in Petrograd. -
Tsarina in Control
When the tsar took over as CIC he left Alexandra in control as his regent. The Tsarina was dedicated to autocracy and she refused to work with the duma. August 1915 - December 1916 she appointed 4 prime ministers and 3 ministers of war. She was German which made her extremely unpopular. He relationship with Rasputin weakened the authority of the royal family and she listened to him more than the nobles. -
The Influence of Rasputin
Rasputin was a faith healer who seemed to help Alexis. he had access to Alexandra. She took his advice, appointed ministers according to his recommendations and wrote to tsar telling him about Rasputin's dreams and what they meant he should do. Rasputin was hated & many believed he had control no the tsar. he was murdered in 1916 and the public rejoiced. -
Abdication of the Tsar
The tsar ordered more troops to enter Petrograd but it did not go well and the troops showed signs of mutiny. March 2nd senior officers and Duma members urged Tsar to abdicate. He abdicated to his brother, Grand Duke Michael. revolutionaries wanted an end to autocracy and Michael turned down the throne. Russia became a republic. -
June Offensive
In May 1917 Kerensky decided Russia should attack enemy positions. Winning would gain support for the PG and boost morale. The June Offensive was a failure and the Russian front was pushed back hundreds of kilometers. It showed that the Russian military couldn't rely on its soldiers to follow orders. -
Impact of the Provisional Government
The PG & PS were worried about a counter-revolution and so the PS didn't want to weaken the PG. The PS was run by Mensheviks and Marxists believed that a bourgeois phase in Russia before a socialist revolution and so we're happy to support the PG. The PS didn't want to be blamed for the problems of Russia. The pS influenced government policies to ensure that they were in the interest of the public. -
The Weaknesses and mistakes of The Provisional Government
Initial reforms were recognizing trade unions, 8 hour days, abolishing the Okhrana, freedom speech, assembly & press, universal suffrage, release of political prisoners, & constituent assembly. The PG couldn't leave the war due to loans & war credits. Peace with Germany meant losses in resources & territory. Communes kept seizing land. PG and PS had dual control. Lack of control, no election, no land reforms, freedom of speech meant they could be criticized, bad economy, WW1, June offensive. -
February Revolution
Women marched in protest of bread shortages and joined striking workers in Petrograd. The Gov had announced that bread rationing would start on March 1 after a winter of food shortages. 23 & 25 1/4 million people marched, too many for the police to control. Clashes between the protesters and police/army led to the revolution. Tsar had left Petrograd for army headquarters. 25th tsar ordered soldiers to end the unrest and they killed more than 50 people. It was dubbed the 2nd Bloody Sunday. -
Army Mutiny
Soldiers of the Pavlovsky regiment refused to fire on demonstrators. Soldiers & workers captured Petrograd's main weapons store and took 40,000 rifles and 30,000 revolvers. The released political prisoners. New troops also mutinied. Police stations were attacked and battles happened in the streets. almost the whole military defense of Petrograd joined in the revolution. Without soldiers, the government couldn't control the city. Outside soldiers weren't brought in for fear they would join in too -
Order Number 1
Order Number 1 was issued by the PS after the Tsar abdicated. It placed the army under Soviet control. The army would follow the PG's orders but only if the PS agreed. It was done to reduce the chance of a counter-revolution. -
Setting up of the Provisional Government
The St Petersburg Soviet reformed of the Petrograd Soviet. The PG was formed with Prince Lvov. The PG would lead Russia until an election. Police authorities & local councils collapsed which the PG needed. The PG issued a manifesto: political prisoners & exiles are freed, freedom of speech, press & meetings, no class, religious or nationality discrimination, elections, people's militia instead of police, local gov, military units won't be punished, off-duty soldiers have same rights of civilians -
April Thesis
The April Thesis said to: end cooperation with PG, end the war, land reform, education, power to the soviet, abolish the police, army, and bureaucracy, &industry should be controlled by the Soviets and banks combined into a state bank.
Peace, Bread, Land
All power to the Soviets. -
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July Days
Caused by shortages of food, failure of June Offensive & Bolshevik propaganda. It was started by anarchist revolutionaries who convinced soldiers to join in. The Bolsheviks initially were against it but later called on supporters to join in. The PS didn't support the demonstration and worked with the PG. They surrounded Bolshevik headquarters and arrested hundreds including Trotsky. Lenin fled to Finland. -
Kornilov Revolt
Kornilov set troops to Petrograd on 24/8 to shut down the PS. Soldiers and workers prepared to defend the city. Kerensky allowed the Bolsheviks to arm themselves to protect the city. It boosted Bolshevik support and made the PG look weak. 24,000 members to 60,000 members in October 1917. Army discipline collapsed, officers were murdered, soldiers dissertated. Peasant riots increased. -
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Bolshevik Takeover
Lenin returns from Finland and puts forward the case for an armed takeover. kerensky tries to send Bolshevik-influence army units out of Petrograd. The PG sets up the MRC in response. 21/10 most of Petrograd's regiments are loyal to the MRC. Kerensky cracks down on Bolsheviks. trotsky takes control of roads, bridges, army headquarters and telegraph office. Kerensky couldn't find anyone to fight for the PG. Red Guards faced no opposition and set up the Council of People's Commissars. -
Economic effects of WW1
A prohibition had been introduced meaning that 25% of tax receipts were no longer being collected. The government had to get money from other taxes or loans. National debt increased. The regions captured by Germany were some of the most important economic areas and trade routes. Imports & exports had to go through ports which froze in the winter. 15 million men fought in the war meaning a shortage of labor. More money was printed causing inflation. Wages stayed down & savings became worthless. -
Social Effects of WW1
Russia was able to increase weapons supply by switching industrial production to military. Thhe army took food from farmers. The railway system gave priority to the front line. Not enough food was being produced for both the army and cities. Railways focused on army so food for cities rotted in trains. People starved struggled to buy food. Not enough work due to lack of trade. Many people lost loved ones in the war. 150,000 people lost their jobs or were sent home in the first 3 months. -
Political Effects of WW1
The 4th Duma was suspended in August 1914. As the war went on the Duma demanded the tsar's government be replaced by Duma deputies in a ministry of national confidence. tsar refused so the Duma formed the Progressive Bloc which opposed the government. When the duma resumed in November 1916 they criticized the tsarist government and Rasputin.