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Causes. It is widely believed that the 1905 revolution was a Spontaneous\nrising / accidental rather than it being planned. The increase in Strikes etc.\nhad a more social / economic focus rather than a political one despite the best\nefforts of revolutionaries. Industrial recession plus bad harvests had\nincreased unrest pre-1905 and Economic pressures on Russian people – taxation,\nlow wages, and growing unemployment. This Combined three main opposition\nclasses – workers + peasantry + reformist middle classes leading to a broad base. Furthermore Incompetence of the Tsarist regime to deal with tensions and problems in Russia meant that that Government’s policy of repression led to Witte Chairman of the Council of Ministers continue to be\nfrustrated at the lack of Tsar’s understanding suggesting government policy was a ‘…mixture of cowardice,\nblindness and stupidity.’ \n\n\n\nEvents in Russia’s\nforeign policy and military also fuelled the revolution. Russian fleet\ndestroyed at Tsushima in May 1905, they surrendered\nthe fight against Japan\n1905 war. Government was blamed for defeat which led to further outrages (for instance\nthe assassination of Plehve by SR terrorists). The summer of 1905 contained several\ninstances of troops / sailors disobeying orders (e.g. refusing to shoot unarmed\nstrikers) and in June 1905 Crew of the Potemkin battleship mutinied whilst at\nsea (began as protest against terrible food leading to a man being shot…triggering\nmutiny). They Sailed to Odessa\nwhere there were supporters and led to the Authorities retaliating (massacre). Alone\nwith Humiliation of Treaty of Portsmouth (Sept 1905), handing over control of Port Arthur (negotiated\nby Witte)\n\nEvents\n\n\n\n\n\nJanuary:\n Father Gapon wanted on the 22nd January to lead a peaceful march of\n workers and families to the Winter\n Palace to present a\n petition asking for relief from terrible conditions. However on January\n 9: Bloody Sunday took place. 150,000 striking workers and their families\n march through St. Petersburg\n to deliver a protest to the Tsar, they were shot and ridden down on\n multiple occasions by the army. Father Gapon repeatedly called out, ‘There\n is no God any longer. There is no Tsar.’This led to an incease in\n spontaneous workers\' strikes. February\n 4th the Grand-Duke Sergei Alexandrovich is killed by an SR assassin as\n protests grow. February\n 18th Reacting to the growing troubles, Nicholas II orders the creation of\n a consultative assembly to report on constitutional reform; the move is\n less than the revolutionaries want, but it gives them impetus. June:\n Soldiers used against strikers in Lodz.June\n 18: Odessa\n is halted by a large strike. June\n 14-24: Sailors mutiny on the Battleship Potemkin. August\n 6: Tsar issues a manifesto on the creation of a state Duma; this plan,\n created by Bulygin and nicknamed the Bulygin Duma, is rejected by\n revolutionaries for being too weak and having a tiny electorate. October:\n unrest had grown into a general strike. In cities (esp. Moscow / St.P) workers formed themselves\n into elected councils known as soviets. They represented workers demands,\n but could also be a potential base for political agitation (Trotsky leader\n of St.P soviet)October\n 9: As telegraph workers join the strike, Witte warns the Tsar that to save\n Russia\n he must make great reforms or impose a dictatorship. October\n 13: In cities (esp. Moscow\n / St.P) workers formed themselves into elected councils known as soviets.\n They represented workers demands, but could also be a potential base for\n political agitation (Trotsky leader of St.P soviet)October\n 17: Nicholas II issues the October Manifesto, a liberal scheme proposed by\n Witte. It grants civil liberties, the need for Duma consent before passing\n lawsOctober:\n Lvov joins\n the Constitutional Democrat (Kadet) party, which includes the more...

Modern West The Great War Background