The february/march revolution of 1917

what demonstration hinted to the revolution and when was it?

january 1917 150,000 worker demonstration
-bloody sunday anniversry

when did the first strikes start, and what was the extent of them?

-100,000 workers from 58 different factories went on strike in petrograd (14th February)

When was the bread ration and what were the consequences?

news that bread will be rationed from the 1st of march brough long ques and violent exchanges. policemen were attacked as they struggled to keep order.

when was and what happened on international women’s day?

(23rd February)

-workers joined the march of women from the petrograd suburbs to the city centre. militant students and women from the bread queues joined. the city fell into chaos with 240,000 on the streets. order was only restored by a desperate police force in the early evening.

when and what were the strikes that directly challenged the tsar?

(24th february)

-200,000 workers were on strike and crowds overturned tsarist statues, waved red flags, wore red rosettes, and shouted revolutionary slogans calling for an end to the tsar.

-they sang “la marseillaise”.

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what are examples of the military refusing orders?

on the 25th febuary some cossacks, were previously fiercely loyal to the tsar refused to attack a group of strikes when directly ordered to do so.

-on the 27th febuary a mutiny began, a sergeant shot his commanding officer dead. 66,000 soldiers mutinied and joined protesters, arming them with 40,000 rifles.

what did the telegram exchanges between nicholas and the dumas president show? (when were they)

on the 26th febuary - Tsar refuses Rodzionakos telegram offer of power sharing. orders dumas to dissolve the next day.

28th February, Nicholas, on his way back to petrograd sends telegram to rodizianko asking for power sharing. rodzianko responded “the measures you propose are too late. the time for them has gone. there is no return”

what was the fate of the tsar?

-Tsar nicholas named grand duke mikhail as the new tsar. (his younger brother).

-by march 2nd, the terms of Nicholas abdication had already been agreed, however mikhail refused the offer of the throne.

-the tsar and his family were placed under house arrest, as were most members of his council.

what happened to the army?

army was under command of the petrograd soviet. however, it lacked coordination and was disintegrated into semi independent bodies and soldiers soviets.

what happened to the peasants?

they formed peasant soviets, attacked properties of their landlords and felled trees illegally.

when did the all russian congress of soviets meet, and what were its demographics?

-met in petrograd, june 1917

-representatives from 350 towns, villages and military bases around russia.

-demosntrates support for petrograd soviet.

what was the original intention of the provisional government?

prov gov was supposed to be temporary. elections were to be held as soon as possible for a new constituent assembly which would draw up a new russian constitution.

how many of the petrograd soviets executive committee members were workers?

-only 7 of the 42 first committee members were workers.

(however, it claimed democratic authority since its members were elected by various lesser st petersburg soviets.)

what were some of the policies of the provisional government?

-they gave freedom of religion and press, abolished the death penalty in the war.

replaced the tsarist Okhrana with a “peoples militia” and dismissed provincial governors.

what part of “soviet order no 1” gave the petrograd soviet more power?

-it stated that soldiers and workers must obey the new provisional government, but only when the petrograd soviet agreed with the provisional government

what was the difference between the prov govs view on the war and the Petrograd soviets view on the war?

the provisonal governemnt wanted to lead an effort to win the war. the petrograd soviet wanted the war to end as quickly as possible without loss of territory as the price of peace.

what’s an example of the prov gov and the soviets policies contrasting?

-the prov gov tried to discipline army deserters and restore order in the towns and the countryside.

-the soviet encouraged peasants and workers to defy authority to assert their rights.

when and what was milyukovs announcement and what did it cause?

- milyukovs announcement in april 1917, was that the government would continue fighting until a “just peace” was won.

-this led to a storm of protest forcing milyukov and guchkov to resign under popular pressure led by the petrograd soviet in may.

-they were replaced with socialists from the soviet.

-lvov was replaced as chairman (pm) by kerensky.

what was the provisionals governments problem concerning the war and the allies?

-the war was extremely unpopular however they felt bound by their alliance with britain and france and relied on french loans for survival.

what was the nature of the provisional governments running of government?

-elections were constantly postponed, and they said that key policy changes such as land redistribution to the peasants should await a constituency assembly.