Why Russia entered the war
In 1914 Russia was an empire ruled by Tsar Nicholas II, who had the final word in government. Russia was in an alliance with France and Britain. When Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia, a country Russia supported, Russia moved its army, and Germany declared war on it in August 1914. The capital St Petersburg was renamed Petrograd (a less German-sounding name).
Russia had the biggest army in Europe (about 5 million men at first and about 15 million called up during the war). But its factories were few and its railways were thin, so the army was big but poorly supplied.
The front: Tannenberg, Great Retreat, Brusilov offensive
- 1914: Russia attacked quickly to help France. At Tannenberg (August 1914) a Russian army was surrounded and beaten by Germany. Against Austria-Hungary, Russia did better in the south.
- 1915: German and Austrian attacks forced the Great Retreat. Russia lost a large area in the west and many soldiers. Shells and rifles ran short. In September the Tsar took personal command of the army. After that every defeat was blamed on him.
- 1916: The Brusilov offensive, led by General Aleksei Brusilov, broke through Austro-Hungarian lines. It was Russia's best attack of the war, but it cost about a million Russian casualties and could not be followed up.
The home front: food, prices and anger
The home front means the people who stay at home and support the war. In Russia it was under heavy strain:
- Millions of farmers and horses were taken for the army, so less grain was grown.
- Railways were busy with soldiers and guns, so food rotted at stations instead of reaching cities.
- The government printed money to pay for the war, so prices rose faster than wages.
- Refugees from the war zone and wounded soldiers crowded the cities. Factories grew and workers lived in cramped housing.
Volunteer groups of town and district councils and businessmen helped with supplies and hospitals, and the Duma (parliament) asked for a government people could trust. The Tsar did not give way. Rumours about the influence of Rasputin, a holy man close to the Tsarina, made the court even less respected.
How the war led to 1917
By winter 1916–17 bread queues in Petrograd were long and the cold was bitter. Workers went on strike and soldiers, who were mostly peasants in uniform, were tired of fighting. The war did not cause all of Russia's problems, but it made them impossible to ignore. The next lesson, Revolution of 1917, shows what happened in February and October.
Key formulas and definitions
- Russia's war years: 1914 Tannenberg (defeat) → 1915 Great Retreat → 1916 Brusilov offensive → 1917 revolution
- Home front chain: war → fewer farm workers + clogged railways → food shortage + high prices → strikes and anger
- Key terms: front (where armies fight), home front (people at home), Duma (parliament), Petrograd (new name of St Petersburg)
- Tsar Nicholas II took command of the army in September 1915
Worked examples
1. Why did Russia, with the biggest army, still lose so much in 1914–15?
Because size is not everything. Russia had few factories, so soldiers lacked shells and rifles. Railways were thin, so supplies and reserves moved slowly. Commanders were also less coordinated than the German command.
2. Why did bread get scarce in Petrograd although Russia was a farming country?
Many farm workers and horses were taken for the army, so less grain was grown. What was grown often could not reach the city because railways carried soldiers and guns first. Money was printed, so prices rose too.
3. Why did the Tsar's decision to lead the army himself weaken him?
From September 1915 he was the commander, so every defeat and every shortage at the front was blamed on him personally. At the same time the government at home was left to weak ministers.
4. Name two things that show the war was a "total war" for Russia.
Farms, factories and railways were all turned to the war, and ordinary people had to bear food shortages and high prices as well as the loss of family members.
Common mistakes
- Thinking Russia was weak because it had a small army. It had the biggest army; what it lacked was supplies, railways and good leadership.
- Writing that the Brusilov offensive was a defeat. It was a successful breakthrough in 1916, but very costly, and it was not followed by a lasting victory.
- Mixing up front and home front. Front = where armies fight. Home front = civilians and factories supporting the war.
- Saying the war alone caused the revolution. The Tsar's rule already had deep problems; the war made them worse.