The Tsarist Regime
The Tsarist regime, an often barbaric feudal system, was balancing on the eve of collapse even before the outbreak of World War One in 1914. Tsarism has a long and troubled history, characterised by changing views and opinions whilst demanding full dedication of its citizens. Tsarism’s woes were amplified at the dawn of the 20th century, with an unwillingness to embrace modernisation. Enciting events such as the Bloody Sunday Massacre, and the Lena Goldfields massacre. World War One did however, provide an environment that herald the eventual death of the Tsarist Regime.
The Tsarist autocracy inflicted its brutality upon the Russian people from the time of Ivan III (Oxley, 2001) until the death of Tsar Nicholas II, a span of 455 years (Why …show more content…
The most prominent contradiction was the transition between Alexander II and Alexander III. While Alexander II recognised the need for revolutionary change …show more content…
Military failures, due to rampant nepotism, caused Russia heavy losses in both tactical position and the deaths of 1,700 million men (Mougel, 2011). This caused mass hatred for the Tsar, and his officials. In August 1915, Tsar Nicholas assumed control of the army and as a result was therefore “personally responsible” for his military failures (????). The strain the War placed on the economy and supply lines caused very poor living conditions in Russia (Wormald, 2017). Those living in Moscow and Petrograd experienced many food shortages, prices for daily amenities inflated exponentially, and all of the built up resentment was directed towards the Tsar (????). At the same period in time Bolshevik and Menshevik policies were becoming more popular with the gradually radicalising population, Socialist propaganda was spread across the front, illustrating the Tsar as a puppet of the Germans (Malone, 2004) and Tsarina Alexandra (Nicholas II’s wife) as a German spy (Wormald, 2017). The impact of the Tsar’s poor military decisions, and its subsequent effect on Russian society coupled with the rise of socialist support crippled Tsarism beyond
The Tsarist autocracy inflicted its brutality upon the Russian people from the time of Ivan III (Oxley, 2001) until the death of Tsar Nicholas II, a span of 455 years (Why …show more content…
The most prominent contradiction was the transition between Alexander II and Alexander III. While Alexander II recognised the need for revolutionary change …show more content…
Military failures, due to rampant nepotism, caused Russia heavy losses in both tactical position and the deaths of 1,700 million men (Mougel, 2011). This caused mass hatred for the Tsar, and his officials. In August 1915, Tsar Nicholas assumed control of the army and as a result was therefore “personally responsible” for his military failures (????). The strain the War placed on the economy and supply lines caused very poor living conditions in Russia (Wormald, 2017). Those living in Moscow and Petrograd experienced many food shortages, prices for daily amenities inflated exponentially, and all of the built up resentment was directed towards the Tsar (????). At the same period in time Bolshevik and Menshevik policies were becoming more popular with the gradually radicalising population, Socialist propaganda was spread across the front, illustrating the Tsar as a puppet of the Germans (Malone, 2004) and Tsarina Alexandra (Nicholas II’s wife) as a German spy (Wormald, 2017). The impact of the Tsar’s poor military decisions, and its subsequent effect on Russian society coupled with the rise of socialist support crippled Tsarism beyond