Russia in Early Twentieth Century

The Russian Empire was founded in November 1721 and expanded across North America and Eurasia after the Great Northern War. It has a history of wars, autocracy, revolutions, and the idea of socialism which many nations worldwide follow even today. The Russian Empire in 1914 was under the leadership of Tsar Nicholas II of the Romanov dynasty as an absolute monarchy. He led Russia to participate in World War I, which ultimately caused major revolutions in Russia. It is important to note that it was not a nation we know today but a huge empire with people of many religions and identities. 

The Russian Empire in World War I

Russia made a defensive alliance with France in December 1893.  In 1904, France and Great Britain ended their rivalries.By the agreement Entente Cordiale in 1907, Great Britain and Russia also ended their mutual interest in Tibet, Afghanistan, and Persia, which gave rise to the Triple Entente. Considering its partners and allies, Russia kept its word and entered World War I. While it made several reforms, the Russian army was ill-equipped to fight any major war in 1914. It had neither any political nor military leadership up to the needed standard. Yet, its army fought bravely. 

The Russian Empire invaded East Prussia in August 1914 and was defeated. However, it required Germany to send reinforcements from the Western Front, saving France from the defeat. The following campaigns in 1915 and 1916 impacted terribly on the Russian army, yet it made a successful offensive under generation in July 1916. Historians believed that Russia only participated in World War I because of its treaty obligations with France and concerns about protecting its great power status. However, there are also arguments that Russia was aggressive because of its expansionary goal. The war was about the Ottoman Empire for Russia, which they had been planning since at least 1908 or even 1895. Nonetheless, World War I marked the beginning of the Russian Revolution.

February Revolution in Petrograd (1917)

The February revolution in Petrograd is also known as the February Bourgeois Democratic Revolution and the March Revolution in the history of the Soviets. It was the first of two revolutions that happened in Russia in 1917. The revolution’s key events took place in Petrograd, today known as Saint Petersburg, the Russian Empire’s capital at the time. There was a long-standing discontent with the monarchy which led to mass protests against food rationing. There were mass demonstrations and violent armed clashes between the last loyal forces of the monarchy, gendarmes and the police. These activities lasted for about eight days with Garrison forces joining hands with the revolutionaries. 

On 15 March, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated ending the Romanov dynastic rule and ultimately the Russian Empire. The Russian Provisional Government replaced the Council of Ministers of Russia under the leadership of Prince Georgy Lvov. However, the provisional government was unpopular and was forced to share power with the Petrograd Soviets. By July, the government had killed hundreds of protesters. Later, Alexander Kerensky took the role of the government head. But he couldn’t fix the immediate problems of Russia including food shortages, mass jobs, and even attempted to keep Russia in war. The failures of the Russian Provisional Government gave rise to the October Revolution later in that same year. While the February Revolution weakened the Russian Empire and the October Revolution shattered it. It led to the Russian Civil War which eventually formed the Soviet Union. 

The response of political parties in Russia 

The natives of Russia didn’t respond to the war with any enthusiasm. It led Russia into a political crisis with political parties in Russia in a state of ideological and organisational stagnation. The Russian Revolution intensified the political life in Russia steeply. Several political parties and associations were formed totaling over 50 by November 1917.However, the aristocratic group’s political activity began to provoke a strong rejection of the interim administration.The provisional government had made plans to form a Constituent Assembly to choose a more permanent Russian government.  After the Bolsheviks and Vladimir Lenin took power during the October Revolution, they allowed elections for the assembly to go ahead as per the schedule. However, they changed their plans after receiving less than 25% of the vote in those elections. Duma was the Russian legislature between 1905 and 1917. It is an ancient Russian term that refers to small village councils in the early Russian Empire. Duma was resurrected after Tsar Nicholas II had agreed to create a legislature after the 1905 uprising. And when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Duma once more came into use. Today, it especially refers to the lower house of the parliament of Russia. 

Conclusion

The historical Russian Empire which began on 2 November 1721 came to an end on 15 March 1917 when Nicholas II abdicated. In the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks took power and led Russia in the civil war. They also executed the imperial family in 1918.  After winning the civil war, they established the Soviet Union in 1922.