Section 1 - Nicholas II + 1905 Revolution

• Alexander III died in September 1894 at the age of 49.
• Nicholas II succeeded Alexander III who was his son.
• Nicholas II admitted he had no idea how to rule Russia but he believed he had a God-given duty to preserve autocracy.
• Nicholas II proved incapable of making firm decisions or giving a sense of direction as Tsar.
• Nicholas II relied on the Army and Okhrana to stop people challenging his authority.
• There was increasingly widespread unrest in the towns and countryside.
• The Tsar dismissed his most competent advisor - Sergei Witte - in 1903 and he was surrounded by reactionary ministers as a result.
• Peasants suffered from land hunger and they destroyed landlords' barns.
• Industrial workers formed illegal trade unions and they became involved in strikes.
• An official union was formed in St Petersburg in 1904 by Father Gapon.
• An official trade union was formed to prevent workers joining socialists.
• The Japanese attacked the Russian-owned Port Arthur in January 1904.
• Plehve was Minister of Internal Affairs and he called for a "short, swift, victorious war" after the events of Port Arthur.
• The Russo-Japanese War was meant to divide attention from political unrest at home.
• Russian forces were defeated at Mukden in March 1904 and 90,000 Russians were killed.
• 24 out of 27 Russian ships were sunk at the Battle of Tsushima in May 1904.
• Russia surrendered Port Arthur in December 1904 which increased opposition towards the government.
• The 1905 Revolution is also known as Bloody Sunday.
• The 3 January 1905 saw strikes at Putilov Iron Works where 150,000 workers took party.
• On 9 January 1905, Father Gapon led 20,000 workers to the Winter Palace who all demanded improved working conditions.
• Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich was assassinated on 4 February 1905.
• The "All Russian Union of Railway Workers" was forced in March 1905 and their strikes were coordinated by soviets.
• In June 1905, an overseas mutiny took place on the Potemkin ship.
• Sympathetic crowds were located in Odessa after the Potemkin mutiny and 2,000 of them were killed by police.
• August 1905 saw a peasant riot and the creation of the peasant union.
• A State Duma was promised on 6 August 1905.
• A printers strike took place in September 1905 which caused a general strike in October.