Revision Session 3

1. Revision Session 3 Russia 1855-1917 Reaction

2. Opposition to Tsarist Rule • Problem with autocracy is it doesn’t allow a legal way of complaining or protesting • People had to use demonstrations or violence to be heard • 1876 a group called Land and Liberty was formed • It lead the Populist Movement • The intention of this group was to encourage the peasants to rebel against their communes • But peasants were conservative and any uprisings were easily crushed by the police

3. Opposition to Tsarist Rule • A more dangerous group was called ‘The People’s Will’ • They formed the extreme section of the Populist Movement • Prepared to use violence against the government • They managed to assasinate Tsar Alexander II in March 1881 • The new Tsar used violence to crush all terrorist organisations. He ended his father’s reforms and dissident groups were arrested

4. Opposition to Tsarist Rule • The suppression of opposition groups continued throughout reign of Alex III and his son Nicholas II • Until in 1898 The Social Democratic Party was set up by Georgi Plekhanov • Plekhanov was a Marxist • He believed that power lay with the peasants and workers NOT with the nobility or the traditional ruling classes

5. Opposition to Tsarist Rule • The Social Democrats remained a small organisation • In 1901 The Socialist Revolutionaries were founded • They concentrated on winning the support of the peasants • They were more successful at recruiting then the Social Democrats • They were very violent between 1902 and 1904 killing the uncle of Nicholas II (Grand Duke Sergei) and Plehve, Minister of the Interior

6. Opposition to Tsarist Rule • Nicholas II took no notice of the protests • When a peaceful organisation ‘The Union of Liberation’ was set up he had nothing to do with it • He believed he was chosen by God • Noone could tell him what to do • People began to realise that violence might be the only way

7. Growth of Terrorism • Key moment in growth of terrorism was 1903 when the Social Democrats met in London for a Party Congress • They were forced to leave Russia having been hunted down by the Okhrana • In London Plekhanov and Lenin (leader of the more radical wing) disagreed over many things • There were more people there who agreed with Lenin’s views and so the majority (Bolshevik’s) broke away and formed a new group under Lenin

8. Growth of Terrorism • The Bolsheviks (under Lenin) believed in a small party, committed to revolution to overthrow the tsar, prepared to use any means including violence • The Mensheviks (under Plekhanov) believed that anyone who opposed the tsar could join and that they should win power peacefully • Although the division of the Social Democrats was very important. Both groups were banned from Russia in 1903 and forced to live abroad

9. Russia under Nicholas II • Even at the beginning of the 20th C Russia was a very backward country • 2% of the population worked in industry • 80% worked in agriculture • 80% Illiteracy • Many Russians distrust western ideas • Extremes of wealth and poverty • 2 main cities St. Petersburg and Moscow (number of people living here doubled between 1880 and 1914)

10. Russia under Nicholas II • Nicholas was weak and easily led • He did not want to become Tsar • He often changed his mind – after 1905 he set up a Duma but went back on his word and never really let it have any power • He believed that he had the RIGHT to be Tsar and an autocrat

11. Russia under Nicholas II • Some things had changed for the better • Finance Minister – Sergei Witte – had encouraged Russian industry to develop • He borrowed money from French banks to pay for new factories • Most were built in St. Petersburg • Thousands of people flocked to cities to find work • They found themselves living together in crowded blocks of flats • Whilst population of cities rose (by up to 50%) little was done to change living conditions • More strikes, rising food prices and unrest • These were conditions which encouraged people to support Lenin and the Bolsheviks

12. The 1905 Revolution • 1904 Russia went to war with Japan • Humiliating defeat led to protests in 1905 • Most important = Bloody Sunday • 9th January 1905 Father Gapon led a procession of Russian Workers to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg with a petition • Nicholas II’s troops opened fire on the crowd • At least 200 died and 800 were wounded

13. What effects did Bloody Sunday have? • Massacre is an important factor in the outbreak of revolution • Father Gapon was a government spy! And was killed later by a Socialist Revolutionary • The event showed that Nicholas II did not care for his people • It led to an outbreak of terrorism and unrest • Grand Duke Sergei was assasinated • Along with this there were two major defeats in the war with Japan – in March 89,000 Russian soldiers were killed at Mukden andin May the Russian Fleet was destroyed at the battle of Tsushima

14. The Russian Revolution of 1905 • It was a spontaneous protest at the rule of Nicholas II • In March Nicholas II announced his intention to call a consultative assembly but didn’t • In May Paul Miliukov created the Union of Unions to demand parliamentary government and universal suffrage

15. The Russian Revolution of 1905 • In August the Tsar annouced the creation of a Duma which was to be elected under limited franchise • This was rejected and a general strike began in October • This spread rapidly • On 26th October the St.Petersburg Soviet was formed • This represented the workers of the city and seemed to control the city • It forced the Tsar to take action • The Tsar finally acted and published the October Manifesto on 30th October 1905

16. The October Manifesto • Nicholas II promised • Civil Liberties for all people • Freedom of conscience, speech, assembly and association • Creation of a state Duma • This would have to agree all laws and would be elected by universal suffrage

17. The October Manifesto • Nicholas set up a Duma in 1906 • He ignored it and closed it down after a few weeks • The following Dumas all had less power than the one before • Nicholas had no intention of sharing the power

18. The Impact of the First World War • Russia declared war in Austria and Germany in 1914 • Russia did not realise how strong the German army was • Russian army was poorly equipped and old-fashioned • Messages were sent by radio which could be easily translated by the Germans • The army relied on the bayonet • Had very few machine guns

19. The Impact of the First World War • Russian industry was not able to keep the army supplied • Troops were poorly trained • 6 million men in the army but only 4.5 million rifles • Inadequate medical supplies • Thousands of casualties left unattended • Railway network was inadequate and soon broke down • Plenty of food but not enough locomotives to pull the trains • This led to severe food shortages

20. The Impact of the First World War • In Petrograd (St. Petersburg) the prices rose by 300% • People flocked to the cities to work in munitions factories but the infrastructure couldn’t cope • Nicholas II appointed himself Commander in Chief of the army to try to deal with the problems • He left his wife, Alexandra, in charge • Rasputin became more powerful through the Tsarina and influenced politics e.g. by dismissing ministers

21. The Impact of the First World War • Alexandra was very unpopular – she was ignorant a easily led and German • She gave her husband a misleading view about what was going on in Petrograd – she thought the unrest was unimportant ‘hooliganism’ and failed to tell Nicholas what was going on • In 1916 Rasputin was murdered • By 1917 the unrest in Russia was spiralling out of control and another Revolution was underway… this time Lenin and the Bolsheviks were able to take control