benson-collapse from within led to overthrow

The February Revolution was an overthrow by the people due to the incompetent leadership by the czarist regime. Decisions made by Czar Nicholas II prior to February 1917 inevitably caused an overthrow. First and foremost (and I'm sorry to be repetitive) was the czar's decision to enter the Russo-Japanese War. Russia was surprisingly defeated, the first European nation to be defeated by an Asian nation. This loss infuriated the people of Russia, and blame fell on the czar. His imperialistic approach on Manchuria and Korea commenced the conflict in the first place. The international prestige of Russia was eradicated and something had to be done to reinstall Russian nationalism and respect from other nations. This something was World War One, deliberately initiated by the Czar, and the collapse from within begins...

With all of the unrest in the Russians and the czar's ability to lead their country at question, the czar had to show his competence. His actions include but are not limited to his encouragement of Serbia's unification for independence, advocation of partial then general mobilzation, and neglection of Germany's conciliatory proposal. The catastrophic WWI was then initiated. Nationalism was successfully restored, "Initially in August 1914, the nation rallied around the flag. Politicians and the urban middle classes welcomed the war, and the army went off to defend their "Slavic brothers" in Yugoslavia against German and Austrian aggression. The Duma, Russia's national assembly, dissolved itself to symbolize the country's support of the government" (3). The czar, purposefelly initiating WWI, achieved what he wanted: nationalism and support. This was his second chance. He already lost one war against a weaker asian nation, and Russia was now fighting the powerhouses of Europe: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. If he were to win this war, the Russo-Japanese War loss would be forgotten. The dilemna Nicholas II faced here was that he had to win the war, but made poor decisions in doing this. "Inadequate equipment and shortage of materials gradually undermined the morale of the army and caused many soldiers to desert" (1). The railway system was also inadequate for war and the Russian army was suffering millions of casualties (1). Throughout Russia there was also a food shortage due to bad harvests and loss of fertile farming land, leading to starving families (1). "The government tried to aleviate this by printing more money but this merely produced an inflationary spiral which merely encouraged peasants to resort to subsistence farming rather than waste time trying to make a profit; this in turn exacerbated the food shortages in the cities" (1). Nicholas then dug his own grave for his power. HE took Supreme Command over the army (1). He had absolutely no military training and reemphasized the turmoil in Russia was his entirely his fault. He began the war, and was now providing Russia no chance to win because he was an incompetent military leader. To make matters worse, he left in charge his German wife Alexandra (1). Russia was fighting a war against Germany, and were being led by a GERMAN woman. The people were outraged at their government, and revolution was in the making. Michael Rodzianko, president of the Duma, sums up the state of Russia accurately in his telgram to Nicholas, "The government is paralyzed; the transport service has broken down; the food and fuel supplies are completely disorganized. Discontent is general and on the increase" (1). The Russians were losing a war the czar, and future of the Romanov dynasty, needed to win. At a time like this, the Duma would have been obvious to look for for suggestions, since it represented the people. Nicholas II was oblivious to the necessary consultation of the Duma. He deliberately ignored Rodzianko's telegram. He writes to the czarist, "Again, that fat-bellied Rodzianko has written me a load of nonsense, which I won't even bother to answer" (1). The Duma could have offered some exeptional advice on the present economic and political downward spiral of Russia, but Nicholas ignored them. At this point, the people were infuriated by their leader, and were ready for the installation of a new type of leadership. The czar had made Russia look inferior to neighboring nations, and also did not fullfill on his promises of civil liberties (2). Opposition groups started to form and increase, specifically the Marxists (a.k.a Bolsheviks). These groups then overthrew the czar, and provisional government implemented.

The February Revolution was an overthrow of the people of Russia, only becasue of the instability and collapse of the czarist regime. Russia lost one war and was in the process of losing another, the people were starving, and people took leadership roles in places they should not have been in. When the czar ordered troops to fire and kill his own Russian civilians, overhrow was inevitable (2). A leader cannot fire upon and kill his own Russian "kin" without severe consequences.

The February Revolution occured because of the collpase of the Russian government, and was the first major stage of the Russian Revolution and rise of Lenin.