The Country was ecstatic when the Tsar made the announcement that Russia was going to fight against Germany in WWI. Because of this, the concept of revolution became forgotten by many. In fact, the Tsar gained more followers as they regarded Germany as a great threat to the country. Never less, WWII exposed how inadequately Russia had been prepared for the war and how inadequate Nicholas II was to rule
In the 16thc, Ivan IV the Terrible expanded the territories of R eastward after finding westward expansion blocked by Swedish and Polish states. A. Ivan also extended the autocracy of the tsar by crushing the power of the R nobility, known as the boyars B. Ivan’s dynasty came to an end in 1598 and was followed by are surgence of aristocratic power in a period of anarchy known as the Time of Troubles. It did not end until the Zemsky Sobor, or national assembly, chose Michael Romanov as the new tsar, beginning a dynasty that would last until 1917 II. In the 17thc, Muscovite society was high stratified. At the top was the tsar, who claimed to be divinely ordained autocratic
When the Swedish king Charles IX died in 1611, his son Gustavus Adolphus not only inherited the throne, but also ongoing wars with Russia, Poland, and Denmark. He was 17 years old. Though he was highly knowledgeable in classics, theology, law, and history, Gustavus’ primary education focused largely on military strategies and leadership. At sixteen, he had already commanded an army and defeated Dutch invaders off the coast of Sweden. His lack of frivolity, strength of character, and previous successes gave reason for the Swedish Parliament to waive the necessary age requirement needed to inherit the throne.
Catherine sought to westernize Russia and Frederick used war to bring together Prussia. Catherine the Great and Frederick the Great successfully increased their country’s power through war. Catherine the Great finished the Russo-Turkish wars Peter the Great started, gaining the Black Sea and weakening the Ottoman Empire. The Treaty of Jassy in 1792 gave the Yedisan region to Russia and legitimized Russia’s claim to Crimea. Frederick fought Austria for Silesia igniting the First Silesian War in 1740 to 1742.
After some debate, the German senior command agreed on a thrust deep into Russian lines out of East Prussia. The resulting "winter war" inflicted another 190,000 casualties on the Russians, but petered out when the Austrian forces to the south utterly failed to dislodged the Russians. They instead suffered another embarrassing defeat, and even lost control of Dukla Pass, a prime route onto the Hungarian plains. Only severe weather and their unfortunate supply situation prevented the Russians from cracking into the core of the Dual Monarchy's
Additionally there were developments that occurred without war, which illustrates that involvement in war was not the only cause for change. Therefore war was an important catalyst and factor to significant changes but was not the sole cause of change. The war that caused most change was Word War One due to its role in the February revolution in 1917 and the fall of the provisional government in the October revolution. The defeats of the war dwindled support from liberals and Octobrists for the Tsarist regime, which was further worsened by criticism from organisations including the Central War Industries committee and the union of Zemstva. This formed support and reason for the Progressive Bloc.
‘How did the crisis of World War I help create a revolutionary situation in Russia?’ Although there were many other solutions that did not involve war after August 1914 to the governments of Austro-Hungary, Russia, Germany and finally, Great Britain war was the resolution that they consciously chose. Each of these countries enjoyed a heightened sense of patriotism none so much as Russia who’s hapless Tsar had seen better times as an autocratic monarch. However it did not all go to plan for Nicholas II; the war was a disaster for Russia. It caused massive inflation, plunged the country into a famine and ultimately cost the lives of nearly 5 million Russian soldiers and civilians as well as a series of military defeats, which as we learnt from the Russo-Japanese war, created conditions suited to Revolution. The demoralisation of the proud Russian peoples created dissent, and discredited the Tsar.
He would win battles against weaker forces, but win he did, establishing a foothold on what would become the city of St. Petersburg. 12 Since there was no way Peter could send the southern fleet all the way around Europe or Asia to the Baltic, Peter again had an entire navy constructed from scratch and they would participate in naval as well as amphibious landings against the Swedes. 13 Throw in internal rebellion, external armies invading and bad choices by the Swedish military he and his forces finally owthe Great Northern War was concluded in terms favorable to Russia. Not content however,Peter would mobilize his forces (again) in an attempt to take on the Turks and would fail. To the rest of the European powers however, for the first time Great Britain and France would take notice of the power and potential of a rising Russia.
It is without a doubt that the great war was a major factor for the outbreak of the February revolution in 1917, however many other factors have to be taken into consideration when dealing with a complex issue such as this. Issues such as the decisions made by Tsar Nicholas II whilst in power, the lack of political reform since the October manifesto was issued in 1905, the socio-economic position of the proletariat which was ever worsening and the fact that this revolution was much more organized than the 1905 revolution all contributed to the outbreak of the February revolution. When Russia mobilised against Germany on its western front, families were to each send a male who was capable of fighting to conscript in the Russian military. The Russian military at the time was poorly trained and equipped compared to that of Germany. Russian train infrastructure was relatively new and underdeveloped, when war broke out the rail lines were used to transport troops and supplies for war, food shortages in cities were afflicting the masses, this caused discontent at home.
This is implying of course that the decision by Nicholas II to go to war against Germany and it’s allies in 1914 was wrong, but this is not the case. Russia actually had many reasons to risk war again; the war was weighed heavily in the allies favour as the combined forces of Great Britain, France and Russia were far stronger than that of Germany, Austria and Hungary. Russia was aware of it’s major failing though, it’s slow modernisation had left it trailing behind that of the other countries, and Russia would have to be prepared for the rapid social and economic change that a war brings. This was Russia’s best chance to modernise and not be left behind. Russia’s early hopes were soon dashed however.