February 1917

• In August 1914, the Zemstvo Union was formed

  it treated injured soldiers since the Tsar lacked the qualities to take care of his military
• The War Industries Committee was formed in December 1914 and dealt with the logistics of supplying soldiers on the front line by coordinating war production
• June 1915 the Progressive Bloc was formed in the Duma

  they pushed for liberal reforms such as trade unions and rights for national minorities

  they succeeded where the Tsar failed, making him seem weak
• The Tsarina got rid of rebel ministers in the Duma and replaced them with Rasputin's allies - this did not help the rumours of her affair

  this also led to people thinking that she was under Rasputin's control, meaning Rasputin was really the one running the country
• the war proved that autocracy didnt work and that other people could do the Tsar and Tsarina's job
• proof of failure of the war

  12 months into a 4 year war, there were already 1.4 million Russians dead
• Tsar Nicholas made the decision to take control of the army and leave St Petersburg

  • leaving Russia in the Tsarina's control
  • leading to the Tsar having to take responsibility for the poor progress of the war and therefore having the public lose faith in him
• By July 1915, two thirds of Duma deputies formed the Progressive Bloc, led by Kadet leader Milyukov

  • they aimed to prevent revolution by persuading the Tsar to appoint a new government with greater public support. they were trying to ease the Tsar into becoming a constitutional monarch
• proof of economic collapse before february 1917

  • sharing guns in the war - at worst, it was 3 soldiers to 1 gun
  • didnt have boots or winter coats
  • 4 billion debt to france, so they couldnt get out of the war
  • factories collapsed due to not being able to sell to germany, france and england anymore - could say that witte's great spurt ruined russia due to the lack of available markets
• increasing political opposition in february 1917

  • alternative governments such as the zemstvo union proved to the people that others could do the Tsar / governments job better than them
  • the progressive bloc which went on to form alternative governments such as the provisional government, social revolutionaries and mensheviks