What caused Tsar Nicolas II's Fall
Political
Before the war
Duma
Russian Orthodox Church
Rasputin
Social
Was corrupt and only valued money and women
Trusted by Tsarina meaning he could manipulate her
Source: "Grigory Rasputin... in all letters they send me, they describe this propagator of false doctrine as a sex maniac and a charlatan"- Part of a letter to the newspaper Golos Moskvy
Source: " I obtained a low-cut dress an, pale-faced went to see
him... A few days later my husband got his promotion" Quote from
a story a woman who asked Rasputin to help her husband told
Micheal Rodzianko - a president of the Duma
Economic
Before the war
During the war
Serious shortage of farmers
Many shortage supplies and weapons during the war
Starvation
Lack of supplies
Lack of fuel
Lack of modern equipment
Inflation of the war meant that food and fuel supplies cost rose 400% whilst wages only paid 200%
1881- 11th largest economy, by 1914 had the 5th largest
Agricultural Reforms
Causes
Peasant Ownership up 30%
Agricultural output increased by a third
Incentives to buy land in Siberia
Peasants could buy land
Source Sergei Witte to the Tsar
"Mass industry can develop with the essential domestic
competition which will lead to the cheapening of its product and to the enlargement of export abroad of surpluses"
"The funding of Russian public companies meet with significant
obstacles in the form of existing legislation limiting land ownership by foreigners. "
During the war
By the 25th of February, 300,000 people were
of the streets and the mutinying of the
Petrograd Garrison
low morale with in troops
Tsarina
She was German so people believed she was secretly helping
the Germans
Questioned the Tsar if he was traitor
Before the War
Industrialization
Gap between rich and poor
80% of the population
were peasants living in
villages and using old
farming methods
Class division
Rich exploited factory workers
Source:"Beckendorff, head of one of he oil-producing firms,
said...that it was impossible to pass 'without horror and trembling'
a workers barracks" Historian's account of working conditions
Source: " I have often watched the crowds of poorly clad and
emaciated figures of men and girls returning from the mills...
Their grey faces seem dead.. Badly clad and underfed..." -
Father Gapon 1905
Bourgeoise
Owned factories
Capitalism
Everyone for themselves
Authoritarian
resulted in poor ruling from the Tsar
Nicholas believes that god has given him the power
wasn't motivated
Didn't want to rule
Source: " I am not prepared to be
the Tsar. I never wanted to become
one." An extract from Nicholas'
diary in 1894
Source: "The daily work of a ruler he
found terribly boring" Written by
Kerensky, a member of Russian
parliament before the1917 revolution in
his memoirs
Incapable of ruling
Source: He was not fit to run
a village post office"
L.Trotsky: The History of the
Russian Revolution , 1932
Source: " Unlike his father
Nicholas was weak in character
and intellect, and was politically
naive" written by Phillip
Cummins, Russia 1800-1914 ,
1996
Parties
SRs - socialist but non marxist - large population represented
majority of population - simple philosophy - create better life for
people. - radical that they wanted to distribute land
Oktobrists - Centrist Party - supported most of Stolypin's reforms -
wanted constitutional monarchy
Mensheviks - less hard line SD - believed in democracy - gradual
reforms
Kadets - Constitutional Democratic Party - moderate liberal party -
gradual transition
Bolsheviks - most radical (SD) wanted to work alone -
radical change
Essay
Paragraph 1
Lack of communication with Dumas
Tsarina and Rasputin very close
Corrupted the government
Janpese war
Lost resources
Wasn't motivated
The Russian economy made great industrial advances in the two decades prior to 1914, but it was still under-developed and ill-equipped to supply a prolonged war
During the war
SOURCE C: On 12 March 1917 Rodzianko, the President of the Duma, telegraphed the Tsar:
The situation is getting worse. Something has to be done immediately. Tomorrow is too late. The
last hour has struck. The future of the country and the royal family is being decided.
There any riots and strikes during the war
On March 12 the army abandoned the Tsar (one of his main assets
March 8th riots about the food shortages and the war in Petrograd
Weak military leadership from the Tsar
Corruption in government
four Dumas 1906-1914
Fourth Duma found it "pointless to express any new wishes in
regards to internal policy"
World War 1
planned an invasion of East Prussia. It was a bold campaign that might have succeeded if not for poor planning and leadership.
The rapid descent into war in 1914 had caught the tsar unaware
in July 1914 when he appointed his cousin, Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich, as commander-in-chief of the army
Nikolaevich had military training as a cavalry officer but had never commanded an army in battle
Planned invasion with poor planning
Poor leadership
Alexander Samsonov and Pavel von Rennenkampf, were competitive officers
Did not like each other and couldn't work togther
Could not work together
a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Tannenberg in late August 1914.
East prussisa
150,000 of troops were killed
After a year of fighting Nicholas took control
Took control because of many costly defeats
Many defeats were put on his shoulders
He went against the advice of his ministers
Left his wife in charge instead of a prime minister
Tsarina was not fit for the role
1916
He would treat the boy of his disease
about ministerial appointments, domestic policy, even military matters.
1917 was murdered by aristocrats
1917 the situation in Russia had become critical Shortages of food and fuel
angry bread queues
Soldiers ordered to fire on the crowd refused and shot their officers instead.
As he returned from the front he was stopped by protestors
he was later forced to sign a treaty to give up power