The February Revolution

The February Revolution

1. The February Revolution Learning Objectives : Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution? Key Terms, Events, Names : W inter of 1916- 17, Leon Trotsky, International Women’s Day, General Khabalov , Army Mutiny, Mikhail Rodzianko , Petrograd Soviet, Provisional Government, Tsar’s abdication

2. Effects of the War: Soldiers After heavy defeats at Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes , losses mounted very quickly. 8 million soldiers killed , wounded or taken prisoner by March 1917. Many soldiers died without weapons or boots and the blame was often placed with Army leaders. LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution? What can we learn from the source about the problems in the Army by 1917? SOURCE A: “ In recent battles, a third of the men had no rifles. The poor devils had to wait patiently until their comrades feel before their eyes and they could pick up weapons. The army is drowning in its own blood” General Belaiev SOURCE A: “ As early as the beginning of the second year of the war desertions (of soldiers) at the front and on their way to the front became commonplace, and the average number of deserters reached 25 per cent. I happen to know of three cases when the train was stopped because there were no passengers on it; all, with the exception of the officer in command, had run away ” Chairman of the Military Commission of the Duma

3. Effects of the War: Russians at home LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution?

4. Effects of the War: Russians at home The winter of 1916-17 was particularly severe with temperatures reaching -35 degrees Celsius. Snow blizzards blocked the remaining working train lines. Food and fuel were in short supply in cities and factories started to close . The country had the supplies but lacked the organisation to transport it to the cities. LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution?

5. Effects of the War: Russians at Home The weather also cut railway connections between the war front, the cities and rural areas, limiting the movement of resources and troops around Russia. Bread shortages , not unknown in Russian cities ordinarily, became endemic. Ministers responded by rationing bread in February, however this caused an increase in unrest, protests and looting LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution? What can we learn from the source about the problems in the Army by 1917? “ The industrial Proletariat of the capital is on the verge of despair...the smallest outbreak will lead to uncontrollable riots...Even if we assume that wages have increased by 100 per cent, the cost of living had risen by 300 per cent. The impossibility of obtaining food, the time wasted in spending hours waiting in queues outside shops, the increasing death rate due to inadequate diet and anti-sanitary lodgings, cold and dampness as a result of lack of coal and firewood - all these conditions have created such a situation that the mass of industrial workers are quite ready to let themselves go to the wildest excesses of a hunger riot…” Police report at the end of 1916.

6. Effects of the War: Russians at home Analyse the short term factors that lead to the revolution of 1917. Compare these against the mid & long term factors that we have discussed over the last few weeks. Justify which factors you feel had the greatest significance in causing the revolution. LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution? In 1917 The Russian calendar was still 13 days behind other countries. Therefore, what were called the February and October revolutions in Europe were called the March and November revolutions in Russia!

7. International Women’s Day: February 23, 1917 According to Leon Trotsky , mass demonstrations began when women textile workers in several factories in the city's Vyborg district decided more or less spontaneously on a day of protest.  Appealing for support, they enlisted other militant workers, labour organizers, and political agitators, many of whom were male.   By day's end about 90,000 workers of both sexes had taken to the streets in what by all accounts were essentially peaceful protests demanding equality and more bread .  LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution?

8. International Women’s Day: February 23, 1917 The biggest individual action seems to have been a women-dominated march on the Tavrichan ( Tauride ) Palace that afternoon to protest Petrograd abysmal food situation.  There was also some anti-Tsarist and anti-War sentiment. Public order deteriorated into haphazard rioting and looting as strikes and demonstrations continued over the following days. By the 25th February, virtually all factories in Petrograd were closed and 300,000 workers were protesting on the streets.   LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution?

9. The Tsar’s Response LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution? General Khabalov responded by banning public gatherings in Petrograd and warning that troops would fire on crowds who disobeyed . Crowds reacted by defying the order and continued to protest resulting in some bloodshed.

10. The Tsar’s Response Petrograd police told the Tsar the situation was minor and controllable . The strikes and the unrest should have caused great concern for the tsarina, who was effectively in control, however she wrote to her husband and described the protesters as " a hooligan movement... if the weather was cold they would probably stay at home". With this in mind, the Tsar wrote from the front to General Khabalov (in charge of Petrograd military garrison) “I order you to stop tomorrow the disorders in the capital, which are unacceptable at the difficult time of war with Germany and Austria” LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution?

11. The Army Mutiny 27 February, the only group capable of enforcing the Tsar’s authority, mutinied. The Petrograd garrison were housed in barracks designed for 20,000 men but there was 160,000 of them squeezed in there waiting to be sent to the front. This group of mostly peasants and worker soldiers had witnessed the shootings ordered Khabalov . LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution?

12. The Army Mutiny Rather than supporting the shooters, they took the side of the protestors shouting “To arms! To arms! They are killing innocent people, our brothers and sisters” Fedor Linde , a sergeant in the barracks. This defection by the 160,000 soldiers deprived the tsar of any military authority in the capital. LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution?

13. The Duma Meanwhile the Duma, which had been growing in confidence with its demands to the tsar, insisted on the replacement of ministers. Mikhail Rodzianko , the Duma president, told the tsar that "...there is anarchy in the capital. The government is paralysed . It is necessary immediately to entrust a person who enjoys the confidence of the country with the formation of the government. Any delay is death". In his last fatal mistake, Nicholas ordered the dissolution of the Duma, However this time the Duma refused, forming a committee of 12 with a view to installing it as a temporary government. LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution?

14. Petrograd Soviet and the Provisional Government On the same day (February 28) the Petrograd Soviet reformed, made up predominantly of Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries . Russia now had two new political entities: one not elected but emanating from the Duma ( Provisional Government ), the other with no political authority but enjoying popular support from the workers and soldiers ( Petrograd Soviet ). Fearing an outbreak of civil war should the army fire on the people, the newly-formed Provisional Government urged the tsar's commanders not to carry out his orders. They needn't have worried: most battalions sent to deal with protestors and rioters either did nothing - and some actually joined the people they were supposed to be shooting. One platoon, given the order to fire on demonstrators, instead chose to shoot their commanding officer. LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution?

15. Nicholas II Abdicates Nicholas, finally realising the danger of the situation, boarded a train back to Petrograd Finding the lines impassable, his train was delayed on a siding at Pskov, just across the Estonian border. On March 2 he was met in his railway car by a delegation from the Duma, insisting on his abdication . When the tsar said he would consider it after consulting with his generals, the delegation showed him telegrams from many of the general's, urging Nicholas to abdicate. He relented and signed the instrument of abdication, ending more than 300 years of Romanov autocracy . LO: Identify what were the causes and consequences of the February Revolution?