Impact of WW1 on Russia

• Russia entered with great expectations, it was called the “Russian steamroller“, this was not the case
• august 1914

  • Russian army advanced 160km into Austria and 2 Russian armies advanced into Germany and East Prussia
• 26-29 August 1914

  • A German army surrounded a Russian army in swampland, called Tannenburg, 70,000 were killed and wounded, 50,000 were taken prisoner
• 5-9 September 1914

  • German army advanced, defeating 2nd Russian army at the battle Massurian lakes, 100,000 Russians were killed and wounded
• 4 may 1915

  • Austro-German offensive forced Russians to retreat a distance of 480km, only an extreme Russian winter saved them
• june 1916

  • Russian counter-attack, lead by general Brusilov deep into Austrian territory, they regained a lot o land lost but German reinforcements saved Austria. there were 1 million Russian deaths.
• reasons for so many Russian defeats 1914-16

  • poor leadership, they were lazy and over-confident. often moving too far ahead of their supplies. they used outdated tactics, believed in cavalry still and rode with sabres and lances 

  • Bad leadership of the tsar, he was not capable and was blamed for all the military defeats
• reasons for Russian defeats 1914-16 pt.2

  • they did not have enough supplies and equipment, they had no boots or winter coats, only 2-3 men to 1 rifle and were usually short of bullets.
  • lack of infrastructure, there were poor roads and inadequate railways, supplies could not reach the front lines. the telegraph systems were out of date so orders were lost.
• Military effects of defeats

  • lowered moral
  • lost represent for officers
  • desertion was common
  • Discontent spread, women lay on rails to top trains moving and there was violent resistance to conscription
• economic and social effects

  • inflation increased, there were seven price rises from 1913-1917
  • less food was produced as there was a shortage of labour and horses, 14 million peasant men called up to fight
  • shortage of workers and lack of fuel and essential supplies - industry rates fell
  • Closure of factories which meant unemployment and greater poverty
  • prices rose but wages stayed the same and workers had to work longer hours
• Political effects

  • weakened position of the Tsar
  • tsar left his wife in charge and refused to take advice from members of the duma
  • Alexandra was German, rumoured she was a German spy
  • Rasputin was the only person she listened to and h replaced members of the Duma with his friends
  • people blamed the tsar for leaving the country under control of a German woman and mad monk