Decline of the Romanovs:

Russia was in such a bad state that the Council of the United Nobility called on the Tsar to step down from his position in 1916.

Many junior officers in the war were suffering heavy losses and these officers were the future of the aristocracy. Moreover, conscription of 13 million peasants threatened the nature of Russian society; aristocrats lost many people who would work on their estates.

Further, the aristocracy was appalled by the influence Rasputin had in the government. When Nicholas II left Petrograd to lead the army, Nicholas II's wife, Alexandra, was left to take charge of the country. People became suspicious of Alexandra as she was German.

Rasputin:

Many supporters of the Tsar were alarmed by one figure close to the royal family - Gregory Yefimovich, also known as Rasputin.

The Tsar's son Alexis suffered from a genetic disorder known as haemophilia. Rasputin, through the use of hypnosis, appeared to be able to control the disease. The Tsarina (Tsar's wife) hailed him as a miracle worker. Soon after, Rasputin offered the royal couple advice on the best way to run the country.

Opponents of the Tsar pointed to Rasputin as a symbol of the weakness of the Tsar. Rumours also surfaced of an affair between Alexandra and Rasputin. Rasputin was deemed a dangerous figured and was murdered by a number of leading aristocrats in December 1916.

Abdication:

Russia had a huge army and many were happy to fight for their country. For the most part, the peasant class felt they were fighting in the war to defend their country against the Germans. Early in the war the Russians suffered defeats at Tannenburg and the Masurian Lakes which led them to give up Poland. They were badly led and treated poorly by their superiors. Industries from home failed to supply troops with rifles, ammunition and shells.

In September 1915, Tsar Nicholas II made the critical decision to take control of the armed forces himself. The problem was Nicholas was an incapable commander. Further, the troops themselves continued to lose and make mistakes. The Russians continued to experience defeat in the war throughout 1916 and 1917. Growing discontent within the army led to many soldiers turning their support towards the revolutionary Bolshevik Party. Thirteen million soldiers had been mobilised for Russia in the First World War, 9.15 million of these men died or were wounded.

The war effort and poor governance of Russia led to economic chaos. By February 1917, people were starving across towns and cities in the country. The March Revolution began with women striking in demand for bread, this resulted in rioting.

The Tsarina called in troops to help with the situation, but they mutinied and began to help the rioters. The workers and soldiers came together to establish the Petrograd Soviet and coordinate revolution. The Tsar came under great pressure and was clueless about what to do. The Duma, realising that the government was falling apart, established a provisional government and forced the Tsar to abdicate on 15 March 1917.

Orlando Figes: “Collapse is certainly the right word to use. For the Romanov regime fell under the weight of its own internal contradictions. It was not overthrown”.

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Let's begin our series on Russia and the Soviet Union 1917 - 1924 with a look at the background which led to the Russian Revolution. We examine life under the Tsar, the economic and social problems and the political opposition to the autocratic rule.