How Did World War 1 Contribute To The Downfall Of Tsarist Russia

To a great extent, World War One played a critical role in the fall of Tsarist Russia. Historians Lionel Kochan and Richard Abraham argue that “the war destroyed any confidence that still remained between the government and its people,” arguing that the war was such a failure for the Russians that the citizens could no longer accept the Tsarist government in Russia. This is a convincing argument when noting the effects of the war on Russia and its people. The war was a colossal and disastrous failure for Russia. A combination of corrupt and incompetent leadership, unpreparedness, and a lack of supplies and food for the army and the general population led to the complete and utter collapse of a regime that had stood the test of time for 300

These battles sent a message to the Russian people that Russia was not going to have an easy victory, reducing morale in the army and general population and generating feelings of anger and fear at the Tsarist leadership. Furthermore, this interpretation can be supported by the sacking of Generals Samsonov and Rennekampf. This was due to their failed leadership during the battles at Tannenberg and Masurian Lakes, which were the first signs of a disastrous war for Russia. Due to pressure from the Russian public, the tsar decided to discharge the generals of their positions, with Samsonov later committing suicide due to shame and guilt at his loss. However, the public shows a lack of trust in the government and its military leaders. Furthermore, Kochan and Abraham’s argument could be supported by the fact that Russia had a severe lack of supplies in wartime Russia, which is blamed on the poor leadership and lack of laxness the tsar showed before and during the war. Firstly, Russian forces were heavily undersupplied during the