Russia and the First World War

What happened with Russia and the First World War when it joined?

Russia joined with Britain and France in the Triple Entente, against Germany and the Triple Alliance, in the First World War.

When did Russia enter the First World War?

Germany declared war on Russia on 1st August, 1914. Russia ended the war with Germany on 3rd March, 1918.

Why did Russia enter the First World War?

There were 2 key reasons why Russia entered the First World War:

• ❖ Austria declared war on Serbia on the 28th July, 1914. Russia mobilised her troops in July to protect Serbia.
• ❖ Germany declared war on Russia because Russia refused to stop mobilising her troops.

What was the public response to Russia's entry into the First World War?

There were 3 main initial responses:

• ❖ The people of the Russian Empire were very patriotic and supported Nicholas II.
• ❖ The Duma and constitutions, while they were in reality very limited in the freedoms they granted, placated the nationalities and prevented any mass uprisings.
• ❖ The tsar became more popular as the military was initially successful against Germany.

How successful was Russia's military when they entered the First World War?

There were 3 key military defeats:

• ❖ Germany defeated Russia at Tannenberg in August 1914.
• ❖ Germany defeated Russia at Masurian Lakes in September 1914.
• ❖ Russia had done incredibly badly by the end of 1915. The Germans had occupied parts of Russia and 2 million men were dead or injured.

Why did discontent grow when Russia entered the First World War?

There were 3 main reasons for growing discontent connected to the First World War:

• ❖ The military defeats and the German occupation.
• ❖ The people blamed Nicholas II and his government for the failures and the poor state of the Russian Army which had insufficient supplies.
• ❖ The First World War exacerbated the extreme domestic impoverishment.

When did Tsar Nicholas II take command of Russia's army in the First World War?

Tsar Nicholas II took command of the Russian army and navy in August 1915.

Why did Tsar Nicholas II take command of Russia's war effort during the First World War?

Nicholas II thought it was his duty to take command, especially as the army had suffered several key defeats.

What were the consequences of Tsar Nicholas II taking command of Russia's war effort during the First World War?

The decision of Tsar Nicholas II to assume command of the Russian Army was widely seen as a mistake for 3 key reasons:

• ❖ People now blamed him personally for Russia's military defeats.
• ❖ It caused his popularity with the people to decrease.
• ❖ He left Tsarina Alexandra in control as regent and she was extremely unpopular.