The February Revolution
- Created by: Tori
- Created on: 22-05-20 14:50
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- The February Revolution
- By the end of 1916, the war had created extreem economic hardship across Russia.
- This led to the growth of unrest in towns and the countryside.
- Urban unrest
- Strikes and protests began to occur in major cities such as Moscow and Petrograd.
- As the war went on goods became increasingly scarce.
- With inflation growing, the value of wages of industrial workers was cut in half by 1916.
- Even in Petrograd, which had recieved a large amount of investement during the war, wages were still on average 20% lower than they had been in 1914.
- With inflation growing, the value of wages of industrial workers was cut in half by 1916.
- As the war went on goods became increasingly scarce.
- As millions of refugees fled from the fighting, they arrived in large numbers in Russia's already crowded cities.
- Placed a great deal of strain on the facilities in urban areas.
- Strikes increased as the war continued:
- 1914 (Sep-Dec)
- 10,000 workers on strike.
- 1915
- 540,00 workers on strike.
- 1916
- 880,000 workers on strike.
- 1914 (Sep-Dec)
- Strikes and protests began to occur in major cities such as Moscow and Petrograd.
- Unrest in the country
- The war caused great hardship in rural areas, which by 1916 led to widespread protest.
- Young male peasants were conscripted in large numbers.
- Thus, there was a dramatic drop in the rural workforce.
- Horses were also requisitioned in order to help with war work.
- Grain prices were kept low and, with rising inflation, standards of living for many in the countryside fell.
- The Tsar's response
- The Okhrana and the leadership of the army were very aware of unrest in the country and the city.
- However, the Tsar was complacent.
- Based on the experience of 1905, he assumed that his government could survive even large-scale unrest.
- However, the Tsar was complacent.
- The Okhrana and the leadership of the army were very aware of unrest in the country and the city.
- International Women's Day
- In February the government announced that bread would be rationed from the 1st March.
- This led to panic buying, food shortages and more strikes.
- On 23rd February, thousands of women took to the streets of Petrograd to celebrate International Women's Day.
- Female workers in Petrograd's major textile factories went on strike in protest at bread rationing.
- They appealed to male workers at the Putilov Engineering Works to join the strike.
- Female workers in Petrograd's major textile factories went on strike in protest at bread rationing.
- In February the government announced that bread would be rationed from the 1st March.
- General Strike in Petrograd
- In the last days of February the Tsar's hold on power crumbled.
- By 25th February, 200,000 people were protesting on the streets of Petrograd.
- The workers established Soviets to put forward their demands.
- By 25th February, 200,000 people were protesting on the streets of Petrograd.
- Cossak troops, who had been instructed to suppress protests, refused to put down the rebellion.
- Indeed, reports reached the Tsar that his own troops were handing out rifles and bread to the people of Petrograd.
- In the last days of February the Tsar's hold on power crumbled.
- By the end of 1916, the war had created extreem economic hardship across Russia.
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