2. Good morning Year 12!
As you read this I am probably in quite some pain waiting for my
swollen foot to be x-rayed! (Millie will explain!)
Many apologies for not being there this morning as I know time is
pressing… this is the first one I’ve missed all year so I’m sure you can
forgive me
Anyway, what do you need to do?
• Have a go at the task on slide 4 – organise the events and find a
date for each (there is a printed copy in my room somewhere)
• Read through the slides on Russia’s involvement in the Great War
and make notes
• Highlight any examples of war/individuals/opposition etc.
causing social/economic change in Russia.
• Do a little background research on why on earth Russia are
fighting in WWI if you’re not sure.
CONTINUE ON NEXT SLIDE
3. • Make a list of questions of anything you are not sure about. If
you have no questions for me I’ll assume you know everything
and I will demand your answers to my questions when I’m back
(hopefully Thursday)… make sense?
• Watch the Rasputin doc on YouTube and make some notes (he’s
a good example of an individual causing change).
• Read the mini-chapter on WWI in your little red book and add to
your notes!
• Update your timelines
Bingo! That should be enough to keep you busy
For those students who missed stuff last week (Tamara I’m looking
at you) – follow the most recent link on the Twitter for all the
recent PowerPoint's. Work your way through them and ask the
others if you are unsure – it will be good revision for you all!
See you soon and email/tweet with any questions!
4. How many
of these can
you date?
What order
do they go
in?
• Nicholas II becomes Tsar
• Russo-Japanese War
• October Manifesto
• Trans-Siberian Railway opened
• Narodniks go to the Peasantry
• Assassination of Alex II
• Lena Goldfields Massacre
• Bolsheviks and Mensheviks split
• World War I begins
• Bloody Sunday
• Great Famine
• Emancipation of the Serfs
• Petyr Stolypin becomes Prime
Minister
• Crimean War
5. So far… So Russia
1. Russia – an introduction
2. The Crimean War
3. Alexander II – Reform
4. Opponents of Alex II and Alex III
5. Alexander III & Industrialisation
6. Russo-Japanese war 1905
7. Revolution of 1905
8. Nicholas II, Stolypin and Russia on the eve of war
9. World War 1
10. Revolutions of 1917
11. The Russian Civil War / Lenin
12. Rise of Stalin
13. Five Year Plans, Collectivisation and the Great Terror
14. World War Two
15. Last Years of Stalin
Question
To what extent did war
provide a catalyst for
change in Russia between
1853-1953?
7. • How do you
think the
Russian
people would
respond to
war?
8. • Russia entered
WW1 due to a
complex web of
alliances
• Russia
defending her
fellow Slavs in
the Balkans
strengthened
commitment of
Russian people.
9. • The outbreak of war brought a genuine but fragile
unity to Russia
• Russians were traditionally loyal to the state and
many anticipated victory.
• Strikes and civil unrest ceased as did criticisms of
the government
• People fell to their knees and sang ‘God Bless the
Tsar.’
10. Was the optimism justified?
• Industrial and agricultural productivity had not increased in
Russia as much as in other nations.
• GDP in Russia was below Germany and Austria-Hungary
• Russia did hold the eastern front-line for three years against
a industrially superior war machine.
• Defeats in Crimea and Russo-Japanese War cast doubts on
military capability
• Revolution of 1905 and previous defeats encouraged neighbours
to pursue interests in the Balkans (Russia shown as weak)
• Nicholas II and generals did not want war in 1914. they knew
Germany was stronger – army reforms not due until 1917-18
• Tsarist regime did not want to be humiliated on the world
stage and chose political considerations over military caution.
11. How disastrous was Russia’s
performance?
• Russia had huge manpower but
were ineffectually led and
supplied.
• Supplies improved by 1916 but
the damage had been done.
• Some success was enjoyed against
Austria and even the Germans
(Brusilov offensive 1916)
• Victory was likely to go to the
country whose home front held
out the longest due to the nature
of WW1 warfare.
• Initial optimism soon gave way to
concern and despair
• Supplies did not get through to the
cities due to poor
communications and priority
given to the military
12. Crisis of the Regime
• Attempts to reform the taxation and administrative system
failed.
• Borrowing and printing money led to rapid inflation
• Economic, financial and military problems destroyed
unity of ruling group. (Tsar, ministers, Duma.)
• Tsar – seen to rely heavily on wife and Rasputin – took
charge of army in 1915.
• Historians tend to downplay the influence of Rasputin –
but was harmful to the Tsars reputation. P. 82-83
• Duma – dominated by liberals calling for a govt. based
more on popular support.
• Tsar refused to listen – lost support of upper classes,
liberals and intelligentsia who wanted increased war roles.
• Nicholas II believed strongly in the Triple Entente and
would not make a separate peace with Germany.
• Working classes became increasingly militant, organised
and opposed to the war (and how it was conducted)
• Radical revolutionary movements beginning to have
involvement .
• War weariness and declining morale reduce
effectiveness of army.
• Nicholas II increasingly regarded as an obstacle to
success.
13. Summary
• War offered a chance for national
unity.
• ‘Civil society’ was being created out
of an emergency.
• Initial Russian enthusiasm for the
war soon evaporated.
• Army was ill-prepared for a long
struggle – inadequately trained,
poorly supplied and led, successive
defeats.
• Economic crisis during war -
inflation, communications disrupted
and conscription created labour
shortages.
• Nick II reputation sullied by defeat,
he took command of armed forces.
Empress being German did not help,
corruption and treachery in court?
• War industry committees could not
solve problems.
• Strikes, growing discontent with war.
• Tsar and family under influence of
Rasputin,
• Aristocracy given limited role by
Tsar and were afraid of collapse.
• Russia was not ready in 1914 but by
1916 the state was controlling
transport, industry, food and fuel
distribution.
• Revolution in February 1917
changed everything….
