WW1

• Political impact of WWI initially

  Wave of patriotism and support for the tsar and tsarist system
• The initial patriotic support


  Did not last very long
• Tsar's response to political opposition

  1. Took complete military control of the war effort

  2. Refused to give the zemstvos and duma a role in the war effort

  3. Suspended the duma until January 1916
• Problems with the tsar taking military control

  • He could now be personally blamed for military setbacks
  • His military headquarters were away from the capital, leaving his German wife Alexandra in charge
• Alexandra's influence and Rasputin's erratic decision-making undermined confidence in the czarist regime
• Political opposition's response


  1. Formed the all-Russian union of zemstvos and cities (zemgor)

  2. The duma became the focus of liberal political opposition and discontent towards the tsar
• The liberals' demands for reform

  Became more uncompromising towards the government
• By January 1917, some leading liberals were prepared to force the tsar to abdicate
• Most radical opposition groups like socialists and communists were in exile, so the main opposition was from the liberals
• There was general public disquiet and opposition, not just from organised political groups
• Early military successes and setbacks

  • Initial successes against Austro-Hungarians, but defeats against the Germans at Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes
  • Lack of equipment and supplies for the huge Russian army
• In 1916 alone, there were 1.5 million desertions from the Russian army
• Economic and social problems

  • Disruption of railway network and food shortages in cities
  • Inflation and falling real wages for workers
  • Influx of refugees adding to shortages
• By early 1917, over 15 million Russians had seen military service, with 1.6 million dead, 3.9 million wounded, and 2.4 million taken prisoner
• The military failures and civilian suffering


  Directly connected to the tsar's leadership
• The February 1917 revolution was described as the most spontaneous, erupting from the huge public disquiet