Russia - KT2

• Impact of WW1 - Economic

  By 1914, Russia had the largest gold reserve of all the European countries, however, spending  increased from 4 million to 30 million roubles and the national budget rose eightfold between 1913- 1916 due to the loans acquired from France and Britain.  
• Impact of WW1 - Economic

  Russia’s food prices rose over 200% from August 1914 to December 1916.
• Impact of WW1 - Economic

  Russia abandoned the gold standard which allowed for more flexibility in printing money so that it could circulate into the economy, this is called quantitative easing. This allowed workers to be paid, but decreased the value of the rouble and it became worthless by 1916.  
• Impact of WW1 - Political

  By September 1915 the Tsar becomes commander in chief of the Russian army and the Tsarina and  Rasputin are left in Petrograd to govern and they have very little political experience.
• Impact of WW1 - Political

  The Progressive Bloc created by 236 of 422 State Duma deputies were calling for ‘govt of public  confidence’ where ministers were responsible to the Duma.
• Impact of WW1 - Political

  The Tsar and the Tsarina dismissed opposition demands, they only appointed conservative ministers, and seemed unaware of the political demands. Nicholas II writes to the Tsarina saying ‘this will all pass and quieten down’, severely undermining the opposition that was growing. 
• Impact of WW1 - Political

  There was a creation of bodies to help with the war effort: The Union of Zemstva provide medical  facilities for army and the Congress of Representatives of Industry & Trade helped co-ordinate war  production. 
• Impact of WW1 - Military

  In 1914, 5.3m men mobilised for war which was 9% of population. And by Christmas 1916, there were 15.3m who had joined.  
• Impact of WW1 - Military

  Initially Russia was doing well and had successes, however, by 1915 things had changed.
• Impact of WW1 - Military

  By Christmas 1916, there were 1.6m Russian soldiers dead, 3.9m wounded and 2.4m taken as prisoners
• Impact of WW1 - Military

  After the Brusilov Offensive in Summer 1916, there were major retreats & 1.5 million desertions. 
• Impact of WW1 - Social

  Vodka was central to Russian way of life, allowing people to put up with the grimness of life however, due to prohibition people could not buy, consume or sell alcohol.
• Impact of WW1 - Social

  Due to desperation and the bleak economic position by 1916, drinkers resorted to unlicensed home made Samogon. 
• Impact of WW1 - Social

  By 1916, 575 stations were no longer capable of handling freight trains.
• Impact of WW1 - Social

  By 1916, Petrograd and Moscow were receiving only 1/3 of their grain and fuel requirements. 
• Impact of WW1 - Social

  Moscow had received 2200 wagons of grain per month, this had dropped to 300 by 1917.
• Impact of WW1 - Social

  Initially Russia was doing well and had successful against both the Austrian-Hungarian and the Ottoman Armies. For instance, in September 1916, Russia produced 4.5 million artillery shells for a war on one front
• Roles of individuals- Nicholas II

  Nicholas was incompetent at decision-making and appointing officials. For example, he appointed  Kuropatkin, who mismanaged the northern front leading to costly frontal assaults.
• Roles of individuals- Nicholas II

  The Tsar’s management of resources and supplies for the military at the Front became so poor that in 1915, the Zemstva formed the Zemgor to coordinate production and assistance for the war.
• Roles of individuals- Nicholas II

  The Tsar was pressured into reconvening the Duma in July 1915. 2/3s of this Duma formed the Progressive Bloc to become fully involved in the war effort, but the Tsar would not countenance this and suspended the Duma, which only met again briefly in 1916 and 1917. Mulyukov 1916: The Duma will fight the government “with all legitimate means until you go.”
• Roles of individuals- Nicholas II

  He showed cooperation with representative government by allowing for the October Manifesto in 1905
• Roles of individuals- Rasputin

  Through his relationship witht the Tsarina, Rasputin became increasingly connected and influential in elite governmental circles. Rasputin’s influence ranged from the appointment of church officials to the selection of cabinet ministers
• Roles of individuals- Rasputin

  In a letter leaked to the press in 1916 between the Tsarina and Rasputin, it claimed that she said “I wish only one thing: to fall asleep ... forever on your shoulders and in your arms.”
• Roles of individuals- Rasputin

  In December 1916, a member of the Royal family, Prince Yusupov arranged to murder Rasputin in a last ditch effort to save the autocracy, but by then many believed the regime was not worth saving
• Roles of individuals- Rasputin

  Secret police reports and subsequent investigations showed that his sexual activity was restricted mainly to actresses and prostitutes rather than society women
• Roles of individuals- Tsarina

  In the Tsar’s absence, the Tsarina took control and dismissed several competent people e.g War Minister Polivanov who was rebuilding the army and supply system with some success after 1915 because he was a “revolutionist” for working with the Zemgor.
• Roles of individuals- Tsarina

  She also appointed incompetent people, such as Rasputin, as well as Sturmer as Prime Minister in 1916 who was not entirely qualified, hated the idea of popular government, was dishonest and had a German name.
• Roles of individuals- Tsarina

  Appointed and dismissed three ministers during the war, until she found one that she could control in the Duma. (Prince Golitsyn).
• Roles of individuals- Tsarina

  In a letter to Nicholas II in 1915, she wrote of how “our souls are fighting for the right against the evil.”
• 1917 Events - Army

  Feb 26th, 1917 - Nicholas II later orders the military to restore order through force. The troops begin to fire at demonstrators, as ordered by Nicholas, and around 40 people are killed. There was a mutiny in Petrograd, as over 100,000 soldiers deserted the army. 
• 1917 Events - Army

  Feb 27th, 1917 - the Petrograd Soviet, a council of workers, soldiers, and sailors- meet for the first time in the Tauride Palace.
• 1917 Events - Army

  February 28th, 1917 – More military units begin to join the uprising in Petrograd and the chaos grows. The people begin to look to the Provisional Committee to take control. Nicholas II decides to return to the capital.
• 1917 Events - Army

  March 1st, 1917- Nicholas’ train is stopped, and he learns the railways have fallen into ‘Revolutionary hands’ and his train is forced to redirect to Pskov. The Petrograd Soviet issue ‘Order No 1’: the soldiers agree to support the Soviets and give it military backing.
• 1917 Events - Peasants

  Winter 1916- The streets of Petrograd are tense with the pent-up frustration of the unemployed, the starving, and the desperate.
• 1917 Events - Peasants

  February 23rd, 1917- International Women’s Day. The day began with a peaceful march in Petrograd to commemorate IWD but the women quickly became politicized and encouraged others to join them. By the afternoon the protest begins to gain momentum and the city starts to become chaotic, with  240,000 people on the streets. 
• 1917 Events - Workers

  Winter 1916 - The bread ration is 50g per day and 150,000 workers demonstrate on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday
• 1917 Events - Workers

  By Feb 14th, 100,000 workers from 58 factories are on strike in  Petrograd due to poor working conditions.
• 1917 Events - Workers

  February 22nd, 1917- 20,000 workers go on strike at the Putilov engineering works in Petrograd which was a key munitions supplier during the war. They were demanding better pay and the reinstatement of sacked co-workers.
• 1917 Events - Workers

  February 27th, 1917 - the Petrograd Soviet, a council of workers, soldiers, and sailors- meet for the first time in the Tauride Palace.
• 1917 Events - Ruling class

  Winter 1916 - Nicholas II has been commander-in-chief of the army for over a year and Russia is losing the war.