February revolution

• The February Revolution was the first of two revolutions which took place in Russia in 1917. The February Revolution began with strikes and riots over the lack of food.
• The February Revolution is sometimes known as the March Revolution depending on which calendar is used. It took place between 23rd February and 3rd March, 1917, using the old calendar, or between 8th and 16th March, 1917, using the new one.
• The February Revolution of 1917 occurred in Petrograd. Petrograd, located on the Baltic Sea in the north-west of Russia, was called St Petersburg until 1914. It was then renamed, as it was felt the original name was 'too German'. It became Leningrad in 1924, after Lenin's death, and was then renamed St Petersburg once again in 1991.
• There were 4 key long-term causes:

  • ❖The discontent caused by the awful living and working conditions of the working class.
  • ❖The discontent caused by poverty and the frequent hunger suffered by peasants. There were also continuing issues with land ownership.
  • ❖Middle class anger and frustration at not having any real political power.
  • ❖The nationalities from the different provinces wanted to be independent from Russian rule.
• There were 6 key immediate causes of the February Revolution:

  • ❖The First World War caused significant disruption to Russia's economy and eroded the support for Nicholas II from the peasants, the working class, the middle class and the upper class.
  • ❖Russia was suffering from food and fuel shortages during the winter of 1916-17.
  • ❖By January 1917, the morale of the Russian Army was very low with 1.5 million deserting in 1916.
• There were 6 key immediate causes of the February Revolution:

  • ❖On 9th February, there were massive strikes in Moscow and Petrograd.
  • ❖The strikes increased when, on 19th January, the Petrograd authorities announced bread would be rationed from 1st March.
  • ❖There was a huge march in Petrograd on 23rd February, celebrating International Women's Day, which became an anti-government protest against the war and the tsar.
• There were 6 key events during the February Revolution:

  • ❖By 25th February, 200,000 people were on strike in Petrograd.
  • ❖On 26th February, Nicholas II ordered the fourth Duma to close down but they refused.
  • ❖On 27th February, Nicholas II ordered the army to shoot the protesters. 66,000 soldiers from the Petrograd garrison refused and mutinied, and joined the protesters instead. The Petrograd Soviet, or workers council, was created.
• There were 6 key events during the February Revolution:

  • ❖On 28th February, the Petrograd Soviet issued Order Number 1 which stated that the armed forces should only obey the orders of the Soviet. On the same day the sailors in Kronstadt mutinied. At this point, Nicholas II was asked to abdicate.
  • ❖On 1st March, the Soviets recognised the authority of the Provisional Government set up by the fourth Duma under the leadership of Prince Lvov.
  • ❖Tsar Nicholas II abdicated on behalf of himself and his son on 2nd March, 1917.
• There were 3 main results of the February Revolution.

  • ❖The end of 300 years of Romanov rule and the end of the monarchy.
  • ❖This was followed by the end of the empire and the formation of the republic in the spring of 1917.
  • ❖The establishment of dual power, or dual authority, between the Russian Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.
• • ❖The main reason was the army failed to support Tsar Nicholas II and refused to fire on the protesters. The mutiny meant Nicholas II could no longer rely on the support of the army to prop up his government.
  • ❖Aristocrats and key members of his own government lost faith in Nicholas II, withdrew their support, and persuaded Nicholas II to abdicate.
  • ❖There was an alternative government to Nicholas II when the fourth Duma created the Provisional Government, which was supported by the Petrograd Soviet.
• • ❖Nicholas II was blamed for Russia's failures in the First World War and, as a result, he lost the support of many different social classes including the workers, the middle class and the aristocrats. He was left with little support.
  • ❖The shortages caused by the First World War significantly increased the amount of discontent in Russia, so opposition became much more widespread and more dangerous to Nicholas II's position.
  • ❖The reputation of the tsar's government had been fundamentally weakened by the failures in the First World War and the influence Rasputin
• The Petrograd Soviet was a council of workers' and soldiers' deputies in Russia
• The Petrograd Soviet was formed on 12th March, 1917 by Leon Trotsky
• The leaders of the Soviet were a mix of radical socialists, Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries but also a small number of Bolsheviks. The leadership included Trotsky and Kerensky, who was also a member of the Provisional Government.
• The Petrograd Soviet was set up because of the massive unrest in Petrograd. Tsar Nicholas II's government was collapsing and soldiers declared their support for the revolution.
• • ❖It shared power with the Provisional Government, called the dual authority or dual power, between March 1917 and October 1917.
  • ❖It issued Order Number 1 on 1st March which stated the armed forces should only obey the orders of the Soviet. It should not obey the Provisional Government if orders from that organisation contradicted or undermined those of the Soviet.
• • ❖It organised the defence of Petrograd during the Kornilov Revolt in August 1917, using the Red Guard after the Provisional Government gave them weapons.
  • ❖Trotsky used the Petrograd Soviet to help plan the October Revolution.
• • ❖It was reluctant to take power because there were so many problems in Russia which would be incredibly difficult to solve. They did not want to take responsibility for failing to solve these problems.
  • ❖The Mensheviks in the Petrograd Soviet believed in a socialist revolution but they did not think that Russia was ready for the revolution yet. Therefore, they wanted to fully industrialise first and have a phase where it was controlled by the bourgeoisie or upper class.
• • ❖The Petrograd Soviet was prepared to support the Provisional Government because it represented the upper class and, by supporting it, the Petrograd Soviet appeared to not prioritise the needs of the workers.
  • ❖It did not want to weaken the Provisional Government because they feared the tsar would regain power.
• The Provisional Government was the temporary government set up in Russia after Tsar Nicholas II abdicated and the tsarist government collapsed.
• The Provisional Government was created on 2nd March, 1917 by the members of the fourth Duma
• • ❖Consisted of 12 members of the fourth Duma.
  • ❖Was led by Prince Lvov, a liberal, from March until July.
  • ❖Was led by Alexander Kerensky, a Socialist Revolutionary, from July until October.
  • ❖The other members were a mixture of Kadets and Octobrists.
• • ❖It lacked authority because it shared power with the Petrograd Soviet.
  • ❖It lacked legitimacy because it didn't represent the people. It was made up of mainly upper class men and was not elected by the population.
  • ❖It lacked power because the Petrograd Soviet's Order Number One gave the Soviet control of the armed forces.
  • ❖It was not responsible for all areas of government because the Petrograd Soviet controlled some, such as the transport system and soldiers.
• • ❖On 3rd March 1917, it published its eight principles of government including complete political and religious amnesty which allowed political prisoners to be released from prison, freedom of speech, and the setting up of a Constituent Assembly.
  • ❖It published a set of decrees including an eight hour working day, minimum wage, the abolition of the death sentence and the confiscation of all Crown lands.
  • ❖It launched the June Offensive which was unsuccessful and led to the loss of 400,000 men and mutinies. Kerensky, the Minister of War, was blamed and it led to more social unrest.
• • ❖It continued the war with Germany. It had little choice as the Allies threatened to cut off financial aid if Russia pulled out of the war.
  • ❖It did not successfully deal with the issue of shortages of food and goods. Its economic measures, such as an increase in income tax, were just ignored.
  • ❖It did not address the needs of the peasants. They wanted more land from the landlords but the Provisional Government did nothing because, in reality, it had little control over most of Russia and it would cost too much money.
• • ❖The Provisional Government introduced decrees which increased people's rights, including the ability to criticise its actions.
  • ❖It did not arrange elections, which made it seem the Provisional Government wanted to keep its power.
• • ❖It appealed to the people through its liberal approach. Its key principles included freedom of speech, the release of political prisoners and the abolition of the death sentence.
  • ❖It passed decrees to improve working conditions including a minimum wage and an eight hour working day.
  • ❖It always intended to set up a Constituent Assembly which would provide democratic elections.
  • ❖They effectively dealt with the riots and uprisings during the July Days and the Kornilov revolt.
• • ❖It never really achieved full authority over the country because it had to share power with the Petrograd Soviet.
  • ❖The Petrograd Soviet had control of the army due to Order Number One.
  • ❖It was unelected and didn't really represent the people as it was mainly made up of aristocrats.
  • ❖It was responsible for the disastrous June Offensive where 400,000 men were lost.
  • ❖It failed to deal with the problems of hunger and had to bring in food rationing.
• • ❖It was reliant on the Petrograd Soviet and the Bolsheviks to put down the Kornilov revolt.
  • ❖It failed to deal with land distribution which was the main grievance for the Russian peasants.
  • ❖It failed to pull Russia out of the war, which meant it failed to solve many of the problems which caused the downfall of the tsar in the first place.
  • ❖The increase in support for the Bolsheviks demonstrates how unpopular the Provisional Government became. Their famous slogan, "Peace, Land, Bread", represented the key areas where the Provisional Government failed to deliver.