Strike at Petrograd

Strike at Petrograd On January 9th, 1917, 140,000 workers went on strike in Petrograd to commemorate Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday was on January 22nd, 1905, more than 3,000 unarmed, peaceful demonstrators, led by Father Gapon, were marching to present a petition to Czar Nicolas II. The Imperial Guard fired warning shots and then fired directly into the crowd, killing 96 and injuring 333. Later on February 14th, 1917, over 140,000 people went on strike in Petrograd because of food shortages, which were a very big problem at this time. Four days later on February 19th the government announces that bread will be rationed starting March 1st, this causes panic buying. On February 26th the number has grown to over 200,000, troops are ordered to fire into the crowd. They cause tens of causalities but later stop and go against the Czar’s orders. In March the Czar abdicated himself in order to help the war and peace.

January 9: 140,000 strike in Petrograd to commemorate Bloody Sunday; strikes in other cities.
January 24: The Workers Group calls for a strike on February 14 (date of Duma's next recall) to demand overthrow of Tsar and creation of provisional government.
January 31: Strikes across Russia.
February 14: 100,000+ strike in Petrograd; Duma reconvenes and attacks the government over food shortages.
February 19: Petrograd authorities announce that bread will be rationed from March 1st; panic buying ensues.
February 23: Demonstrations in Petrograd for International Women's Day (mainly women and striking Putilov workers) are joined by evermore striking bread demonstrators until a crowd of 100,000 forms; revolutionary banners and slogans appear. The Bolsheviks are initially opposed to the strike.
February 24: Petrograd: buoyed by the mood of the 23rd, the strikes continue and grow ever larger; small numbers of soviets begin forming; government ministers take control.
February 25: The Petrograd strike is now total (200,000+) and violence is increasing; demands for bread have been replaced by condemnation of the tsar; all free members of the Workers Group are arrested; Cossack troops fight police to protect protestors.
February 26: Upon hearing of events in Petrograd, the Tsar orders the use of military force to break the strike. Troops fire on protestors causing tens of casualties but begin to mutiny later in the day. The Duma is prorogued.
February 27: Again ordered to fire at protestors, the Petrograd garrison mutinies, joins the protestors and begins arming them by seizing arsenals; the crowd attack police and release political prisoners. The Duma refuses to disband, instead forming a Provisional Committee (PC) to govern. The Petrograd Soviet of Workers' Deputies is created (PS).
February 28th: The Tsar tries to return to Petrograd but becomes stuck in Pskov. His ministers are arrested; the Duma and Soviets elect members; the latter issues the first Order of the Petrograd Soviet, claiming authority over the army and causing troops to form soviets. Sailors mutiny in Kronstadt.
March 1: The Duma and Soviet discuss whether the latter would support the creation of a Provisional Government (PG); they agree. The British and French governments recognize the PG.
March 2: The Soviet expands to include soldier's soviets; the Provisional Government forms with Lvov as Prime Minister. In Pskov, and encouraged by his ministers and generals, the Tsar abdicates on behalf of himself and his son (which was technically illegal) in order to help both the war and peace.
March 3: Michael Romanov, brother of the Tsar and now heir, rejects the throne until a Constitutional Assembly is formed to formally invite him. Two parallel bodies now lead Russia: the largely liberal Provisional Government and the socialist Soviet.
March - April: The February Revolution spreads across Russia, with mini dumas (public committees) taking control of official, government and police matters, while workers and soldiers create parallel soviets. Committees form for just about everything.