To What Extent was the Tsar the Cause of the Fall of Tsarist Russia in February 1917
To What Extent was the Tsar the Cause of the Fall of Tsarist Russia in February 1917
1917 was a year of infinite importance for Russia, as their country would never be ruled in the same way again. Countless strikes, demonstrations and rebellions were constantly being put down through the use of force, and the unsettlement throughout the citizens was stirring, becoming more and more of a threat to the autocratic rule. Although, a great deal of the blame for the revolution was put on the Tsar, there were many different factors that contributed to the fall of the Tsar in 1917. The military failures, the role of the Tsarina and Rasputin, along with the growing difficulties and discontentment in the large cities, and the Tsar’s failure to make any political reforms, all contributed to his imminent demise.
The failures in the military played a large role in the break down of the autocracy in Russia. At the beginning of World War 1, morale with in the army and the rest of the country was high, with positive expectations for the time ahead. People also felt patriotic, however, that mutual feeling was short lived a the Russians faced a terrible defeat by the superior, German army at Tannenburg, where over one million soldiers were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. This lowered the morale of the men significantly, and that emotion also reflected on the rest of the country. By February 1917, the number of fatalities and casualties rose to eight million, which only increased the disappointment and negativity, also making the Russians in the cities lose confidence in the government. It was not only the insufficient army that led the military to failure, but there was also a lot of corruption with in the troops. The officers were accused of being unfeeling and ineffective, while their soldiers were killed in futile ways, many with out any weapons or ammunition, some even with out boots to wear in the bitterly harsh conditions. All of these points, led to most important
1917 was a year of infinite importance for Russia, as their country would never be ruled in the same way again. Countless strikes, demonstrations and rebellions were constantly being put down through the use of force, and the unsettlement throughout the citizens was stirring, becoming more and more of a threat to the autocratic rule. Although, a great deal of the blame for the revolution was put on the Tsar, there were many different factors that contributed to the fall of the Tsar in 1917. The military failures, the role of the Tsarina and Rasputin, along with the growing difficulties and discontentment in the large cities, and the Tsar’s failure to make any political reforms, all contributed to his imminent demise.
The failures in the military played a large role in the break down of the autocracy in Russia. At the beginning of World War 1, morale with in the army and the rest of the country was high, with positive expectations for the time ahead. People also felt patriotic, however, that mutual feeling was short lived a the Russians faced a terrible defeat by the superior, German army at Tannenburg, where over one million soldiers were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. This lowered the morale of the men significantly, and that emotion also reflected on the rest of the country. By February 1917, the number of fatalities and casualties rose to eight million, which only increased the disappointment and negativity, also making the Russians in the cities lose confidence in the government. It was not only the insufficient army that led the military to failure, but there was also a lot of corruption with in the troops. The officers were accused of being unfeeling and ineffective, while their soldiers were killed in futile ways, many with out any weapons or ammunition, some even with out boots to wear in the bitterly harsh conditions. All of these points, led to most important