Initial patriotism (1914): When war began, most Russians supported the tsar. National pride was high, and strikes and protests briefly stopped.
Military disasters: Russia suffered huge defeats at Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes in 1914. Millions of soldiers died or were captured during the war.
Weak army: Russian soldiers often lacked rifles, boots, and food. Many were sent to the front unprepared, which destroyed morale.
Economic collapse: The war caused shortages of food and fuel. Railways focused on moving troops, leaving cities starving. Prices rose, and inflation made life harder for workers and peasants.
Tsar’s mistakes: In 1915, Nicholas II took personal command of the army. This made him directly responsible for defeats and left the government in the hands of his unpopular wife, Alexandra.
Rasputin’s influence: Alexandra relied on Rasputin, a mystic who advised her. Many Russians believed he corrupted the court, which weakened respect for the monarchy.
Loss of support: By 1916, both peasants and workers were angry at shortages, while nobles and generals blamed Nicholas for disasters. Even the Duma called for change.
February 1917 protests: Strikes and bread riots broke out in Petrograd in February. Soldiers sent to stop the protests mutinied and joined the crowds.
Collapse of tsarist power: Nicholas tried to return to Petrograd but lost all support. Railway workers stopped his train, and generals urged him to give up power.
Abdication: In March 1917, Nicholas II abdicated. The 300-year-old Romanov dynasty ended, and a Provisional Government took over.
Common Mistake
Blaming only food shortages: While hunger was important, military failures and Nicholas’s personal mistakes were just as crucial.
Ignoring elite opposition: It was not only peasants and workers. Nobles, generals, and even the Duma had lost faith in Nicholas by 1917.
Exam technique
Balance social and political factors: Show how war affected all levels of society, from peasants to generals.
Use Nicholas’s decisions: Mention his choice to command the army and reliance on Alexandra and Rasputin to show his role in the collapse.
Active recall
To what extent was the First World War responsible for the collapse of tsarist autocracy in 1917?
How far was Nicholas II himself to blame for the February Revolution?
Assess the political, social, and economic effects of the First World War on Russia up to March 1917.