InNo+Russia+in+War+and+Revolution+Part+2+michellel2013+10.21.10



· Went to war in August 1914 · There were patriotic demonstrations in support of Tsar all over Russia, the news of the country at war was very popular · Hatred for Germany spread · Nicholas changed “St Petersburg” to “Petrograd” because he thought it sounded like a German name
 * __ Chapter 7: Russia at War, 1914-17 __**

** Early defeats ** · At end of August 1914, Russians attacked Germany with two huge armies · There was only a single German army, but Russian armies were badly led and equipped · A lot without rifles, without boots · In battles of ** Tannenberg ** and the ** Masurian Lakes **, Russian armies were wiped out · 6 weeks after war started, 250,000 Russians soldiers killed, wounded, or taken prisoner · End of 1914, Russian lost over 1 million men

· Continued in 1915 (war) · Economy starts to collapse · ** First problem: lack of workers ** · 15.5 million young men taken to fight for army · halved the number in factories and fields · 1915, almost 600 factories close due to lack of workers · weed replaced corn in many farms · ** Second problem: transport ** · Russia depended on railways for food & raw materials because it was so big · Trains not enough to supply armies and townspeople with food and materials · Tons of food rotted in railway sidings · People and soldiers were hungry · Coal supplies to factories & power stations stopped since there were no engines to pull the coal trains · More factories had to close down due to power failure · ** Third problem: inflation ** · Roule began to lose value in 1914 · Food prices went up, people’s wages gradually bought food · War: end of 1915, 300,000 Russians killed & 3 million wounded or taken prisoner
 * The collapse of the economy **

· August 1915, Tsar Nicholas took personal command of armies · Left Petrograd to live at army headquarters · = **BAD MISTAKE**---Left Alexandra in charge of gov’t, who was under complete influence of Rasputin · Next 16 months, August 1915-end of 1916: · Used power to sack minister she didn’t like and replaced with men she and Rasputin liked · During this time, there were 4 different Prime Ministers, 5 Ministers of the Interior, 4 Ministers of Agriculture, 3 Ministers of War, 2 Ministers of Foreign Affairs · Speed of ministers coming & going caused work of gov’t to stop · Materials were now almost unobtainable · 1916, Russian armies won some important victories, but over 1 million soldiers died · ** Since Alexandra was German, rumors spread that, Alexandra and Rasputin were German agents, destroying from within, to explain Russia’s defeat ** · One spoke out in Duma saying there are ‘dark forces destroying the throne’ · December 1961, 3 nobles loyal to Tsar wanted to destroy the ‘dark forces’ by killing Rasputin · His death didn’t help Russia · 1917, blizzards and with temperatures -35ºC · Railway engines froze, bursting their boilers · Supplies decreased to nothing · Revolution
 * ‘Dark forces destroying the throne’ **

· March 1917, conditions becoming worse · Petrograd turned into full-scale revolution to overthrow Tsar
 * __ Chapter 8: The Revolution of March 1917 __**

· Managers of giant Putilov steel works locked out 20,000 workers when pay talks broke down · 20,000 tough angry steel workers out on streets · Other workers went on strike to support them
 * Wednesday 7 March **

· 50 factories closed down, 90,000 workers on strike · International Women’s Day, so many socialist women on streets demonstrating · Subject on everyone’s mind was bread · Story: A bread shop told a women there was no bread left · But she saw bread in the window · She broke the window and took it   · A general passing on a motor car told her off · A crowd formed around him to smashed his motor car · People paraded streets and asked for bread
 * Thursday 8 March **

· 200,000 workers on strike · About half the industrial workers · Hold meetings then begin the processions towards the center instead of working
 * Friday 9 March **

· 250,000 workers on strike · No public transport/newspaper · Food shortage continued · Movement took on a political character · Reserves of infantry · Troops opened fire in main street of Petrograd · Cossacks refused to attack procession of strikers when ordered
 * Saturday 10 March **

· President of Duma sent telegram to Tsar saying: · Capital is in state of anarchy · Gov’t is paralyzed · Transportation broke down · Supplies completely disorganized · Discontent increasing · Wild shooting on streets · Troops firing at each other · ** Tsar’s response: order Duma to stop meeting **
 * Sunday 11 March **

· Mutiny began in Volinsky regiment of army · A sergeant shot commanding officer dead · Soldiers left barracks, marched to center of Petrograd · All units sent to fight mutiny are changing sides · Duma held meeting later in the day despite Tsar’s orders · Set up ** Provisional Committee **** : ** //12-man committee to take over gov’t// · That evening, revolutionaries set up a ** Soviet: **// council, // of workers and soldiers in Petrograd. · Petrograd Soviet intended to take over gov’t and begin organizing supplies for the city
 * Monday 12 March **

· Tsar sent telegram to the Duma saying he would share power with them · Duma leader told Tsar that it is too late, and that there is “no return”
 * Tuesday 13 March **

· Leading army generals sent telegram to Nicholas · Telling him no army supported him · Nicholas tried to return to take control · His train was stopped by revolutionaries on the way, 250km away
 * Wednesday 14 March **

· Nicholas agreed to abdicate give throne to Alexis · Later realized Alexis was too sick so gave throne to brother, Grand Duke Michael · Grand Duke Michael feared he would be unpopular like Nicholas · Abdicated throne within 24 hours · ** Russia = republic, country governed by an elected leader ** · Which elected body? Duma's Provisional Committee or Petrograd Soviet?
 * Thursday 15 March **


 * __ Chapter 9: The Provisional Government __**

· ** Provisional Government ** would be Russia’s new gov’t for short time until elections, then resign · Provisional gov’t was official gov’t, but in Tauride Palace was the other unofficial gov’t, **Petrograd Soviet** of Wokers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies · Elected by working people · Aim was to protect interests of working people and soldiers · March, other Soviets with same aim set up around Russia · Other soviets followed whatever Petrograd Soviet decided · Gave it great power · ** First action: ** issue order to armed forces · ** Order No. 1 ** : //soldiers and sailors must set up committees to take control of all arms, ammunition, and equipments// · Off-duty soldiers were not to salute officers, and addressed them as ‘Mister Colonel’, etc. not ‘Your Excellency’ · All army and navy obeyed this · Showed Petrograd Soviet controlled armed forces instead of Provisional Gov’t · ** Many deputies of Petrograd Soviet were revolutionaries ** · ** Esp. SRs and Mensheviks, some Bolsheviks ** · Revolutionary parties wanted land to be given to peasants, and factories to workers · But most did not want to push their demands too far · Willing to cooperate with Provisional Gov’t and wait for changes
 * Two new governments **

· During March Revolution, leader of Bolsheviks, Lenin, was exiled in Switzerland · Disagreed with revolutionaries cooperating with Provisional Gov’t · Wanted to return to Russia and organize second revolution · Germany and Austria, Russia’s enemies in Great war, held lands between Switzerland and Russia · Germany helped Lenin return · Knew he would cause trouble for the Provisional gov’t, and it would help Germany in war · Provided Lenin food money, and special train to cross Germany safely · 16 April 1917, Lenin returned to Petrograd · Made speech to Bolsheviks · End to war with Germany, all land given to peasants, banks nationalized · Bolsheviks should rename to ‘Communists’ · No support given to Provisional Gov’t · Instead, Soviets get together to form new gov’t · ‘All power to the Soviets!’ · // the ideas above were known as the // ** April Theses ** · Lenin said start second revoltuion, but many thought time wasn’t right · Doubts proved correct: · June 1917, Russian armies attacked Austria · Attack failed and retreated · Many soldiers deserted armies · Went to Petrograd and joined Bolsheviks to demand end to Provisional Gov’t · 100,000+ soldiers and Bolsheviks paraded streets · “all power to the Soviets!”---demanding Bolsheviks to seize power · ** July Days: ** // three days of rioting // · Alexander Kerensky, Minister of War, sent loyal troops to Petrograd · 16-17 July, troops broke mobs, killed & wounded 400 · Kerensky claimed Bolsheviks were paid by German to cause trouble, Lenin was German agent · Kerensky issued orders for arrest, Lenin fled to Finland, in exile · Leading Bolsheviks arrested and imprisoned
 * Lenin and the April Theses **

· Kerensky became Prime Minister of Provisional Gov’t · Faced with challenge from Commander-in-Chief of armies, General Kornilov · ** Believed Russia needed ‘strong man’ and he should be in charge ** · Planned to get rid of Petrograd Soviet, arrest revolutionaries, and take control of Provisional Gov’t, could fight Germany without interference · Kornilov’s rebel troops: Savage Division and Cossacks · Sent them to Petrograd to get rid of Provisional Gov’t · Few loyal troops defended Kerensky, seemed Kornilov’s revolt would succeed · ** Red Guards: ** defense force set up to help defend Petrograd, · 25,000 Bolsheviks were armed with rifles and machine guns and out on streets within few days · Troops refused to fight against fellow workers · Kornilov was arrested · Bolsheviks became heroes out of Kornilov revolt · Saved Provisional Gov’t · Showed they were not German agents · Came out as armed and disciplined fighting force · Majority in elections for Petrograd Soviet strengthened position further · Same in elections for Soviets in Moscow and other big cities · October 1917, Bolsheviks were very powerful · Began considering second revolution · Chances of success looked good
 * The Kornilov Revolt **

· September and October 1917, Kerensky and Provisional Gov’t lost authority · Soldiers refused to fight Germans, peasants rebelled · Bolshevik workers got ready for second revolution
 * __ Chapter 10: The Bolsheviks Revolution of November 1917 __**

· Summer of 1917, peasants took control of land where they grew food · Waiting since March for Gov’t to give them land, but they didn’t · In 2000 farms+, peasants killed landlords and divided land · Took lands of Church and Tsar · Kerensky tried to stop peasants by sending soldiers on ‘punishment expeditions’ · Some whipped peasants and burned homes · Couldn’t find enough loyal troops, so violence between landlords and peasants went on   · Violence delayed harvest, led to food shortages · Russia already short of food, but now winter is coming with threat of famine · Armies discipline breaking down · Petrograd Soviet’s Order No. 1 in March led many soldiers to disobey orders from officers · Thousands of soldiers leaving army to go back to village to get fair share of land · Bolsheviks encouraged soldiers to give up fighting · Drunkenness, chaos, violence in armies · Many soldiers amused themselves by rolling live hand grenades into officers’ quarters
 * The state of Russia in September 1917 **

· October 1917, Lenin returned to Petrograd · Said revolution should begin immediately · Leaders agreed to start armed uprising against Provisional Gov’t · ** Smolny Institute: ** //a disused school where Leon Trotsky, chairman of Petrograd Soviet, drew plans to set up headquarters in// · Kerensky and Provisional Gov’t couldn’t stop him · Army would support Bolsheviks · Guards of Peter and Paul Fortress gave all rifles to Bolsheviks · Night of 6 November: Red Guards well armed with rifles, ready for action · During night, began to take control of important locations in Petrograd · Took control of 6 bridges across river Neva · Morning 7 November: gov’t buildings, power station, and railway stations · Provisional Gov’t headquarters located in ** Winter Palace **, guarded by army cadets and Women’s Battalion of army · Evening of 7 November: captured cruiser, the **Aurora**, sailed up Neva and fired blank shells at Winter Palace · Guns from fortress opened fire on Palace · Red Guards stormed the Winter Palace · Cadets and Women’s Battalion gave in without fight · Minister of Provisional Gov’t surrendered, arrested · Bolsheviks controlled Petrograd · Next day, Lenin announced set up of new gov’t · Bolsheviks seized power after 1 day of rebellion, 18 arrests, and two kills
 * The November Revolution **

The Great War against Germany caused Russia’s condition to worsen. Eventually, discontent turned into a full-scale revolution which overthrew the Tsar. The Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet fight to be Russia’s official government. At the end, the Bolsheviks, with Lenin as the leader, started a second revolution (November Revolution) which only took them one day and two lives to take over the government.
 * Summary: **

Questions:

1) Why did Nicholas change St Petersburg to Petrograd? 2) After reading this chapter, why do you think the cadets and the Women’s Battalion gave in to he Red Guards without a fight? 3) Explain the difference between the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet. 4) What did the ‘Dark forces destroying the throne’ refer to? 5) How did the Great War affect the Russian Government?