Revolution 1905 short overview.

The Russian Revolution is really three revolutions.

First one 1905.

· Background:

o Student quarrel:

§ Remember last lesson, Russia 1900.

§ The Czar responds with oppression.

o 1879 – 1881 People’s Will launches a terror campaign, Kills the Czar 1881.

§ 1899 Febr Students celebrate non-political annual event Febr

§ Extremely trivial event. Police post notes saying that in Febr 1899 this will be forbidden.

§ Students respond with protest, walking the streets singing Marseillaise and when confronted with the police the throw snowballs, police respond with whips.

§ Students organize. 25 000 out of 35 000 students boycott classes.

§ In July the Government responds that students should loose their military deferments if they misconduct.

§ Dec 1900 183 students are enlisted in the army as a respond to unrest in Kiev.

§ Minister of Education murdered by student as revenge.

o In 1902 Minister of the Interior is murdered a SR terrorist.

§ Successor is chosen, uncompromising reactionary from the Secret Police, Plehve

§ Plehve starts infiltrating all different sectors in society. SR Combat Organization.

§ Police run Unions. = upsetting the workers.

o War with Japan.

§ War = two risks

· Loose and people will think that the Czar does a bad job.

· The army has to go away. Czar can’t use them to suppress riots.

§ The War starts in febr 1904. Japan attack and take Port Arthur ( the Russian pacific fleet).

§ War goes really bad for Russia.

o In aug SR assassinate Plehve.

§ More liberal minister appointed. Mirskii.

§ Mirskii allows people to gather in councils, Zemstva = local representatives.

§ In nov 1904 representatives from different Zemstva gathers in St Petersburg.

§ Estates-General of Russia.

§ Police doesn’t interfere.

§ Splits in to fractions

· Liberal, cannot imagine anything else but a complete democracy with a legislative parliament.

· Conservative cannot imagine anything else but that the Czar remains an autocrat but has to listen to some advisers.

§ Liberals form a Union of Liberation, hold banquets.

§ Dec 1904 Japan captures the pacific fleet and 25000 prisoners of war

· Bloody Sunday (not U2)

o War gone bad.

§ Makes a lot to doubt the Czar’s ability to rule.

o Father Gapon gather 120 000 workers in St Petersburg.

§ Gets right to march but not up the Winter Palace.

§ Comes to close.

o January 9 in the morning people gather around gapon, marches to the Winter Palace.

o Military kills 200 and wounds 800.

· May 1905 Japan wins another battle. They sink the entire fleet.

o Peace, Witte.

o The people, Union of Union, reacts with a total strike.

· Aug 1905 in an attempt to ease the tension in Universities the police is forbidden to enter university ground. Means that radicals get an arena.

· Sept the strike grows.

· The strike gets more radicalized.

· In October the first Soviet (workers council) is formed in St Petersburg.

· October Manifesto OH p 42 43

o End of autocracy.

o Council of Ministers

§ But Nicholas (Nikolaj) doesn’t feel obliged by this.

§ Doesn’t mention “constitution”

· Dec in Moscow Soviet there is armed uprising gives the signal to the Czar that this is not enough.

So what is the consequences of this:

1. The Czar thinks that what he promised in the October Manifesto is not to be taken to seriously. It’s just a temporary set back for him.
2. The radicals sees this as a sign of weakness from the Czar.

Page 78 and 79 in Traynor now.