February Revolution

The February Revolution of 1917 in Russia was the first stage of the Russian Revolution of 1917. Its immediate result was the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II.

It occurred largely as a result of dissatisfaction with the way that the country was being run by the Tsarina and Nicholas' ministers, who were acting on the authority of the Tsar who was away at the Army Headquarters as Commander-in-Chief. This in itself caused tension as involvement in the First World War was seen to be causing the majority of the problems Russia was experiencing internally.

The February Revolution saw a largely bloodless transfer of power from the Tsar. The regime that came into being was an alliance between liberals and socialists who wanted to instigate political reform, creating a democratically elected executive and constituent assembly.

In the first half of February lack of food supply caused riots in the capital, Petrograd. On February 18 (O.S.) the major plant of Petrograd, Putilov plant, announced a strike; the strikers were fired and some shops closed, which caused unrest at other plants. On February 23 (O.S.) (March 8, N.S.) a series of meetings and rallies were held on the occasion of the International Women's Day, which gradually turned into economic and political ones. They continued during the following days. At one point, a large battalion of soldiers was sent to the city to quell the uprising, but many shot or deserted their officers and joined the revolt instead. News reached the Tsar of the problems in Petrograd and so he decided to take a train to the government capital to attempt to calm the situation. The real reason of his return was that his children, including the Tsarevich Alexei of Russia had contracted the measles and Nicholas was hurrying back to Tsarskoe Selo to be with them. However, on route the royal train was instructed to divert by a group of disloyal troops. When he reached his destination, the Army Chiefs, his remaining ministers (Those who had not fled on 29th Feb under pretence of power cut) in unison, suggested that he abdicate and so the Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the throne on March 2 (O.S.)(March 15, N.S.), he also abdicated for his son the Tsarevich; and nominated Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich to succeed him. However, he refused and the Provisional Government took control of Russia by default.

The Provisional Government which replaced the Tsar was initially led by a liberal aristocrat, Prince Georgy Yevgenyevich Lvov. After his government failed, he was succeeded by a Social Revolutionary, Alexander Kerensky. Maintaining Russian involvement in the first World War, Kerensky was unable to deal with the problems Russia faced. Pressure from the right (such as those behind the Kornilov Affair), from the left (mainly the Bolsheviks) and pressure from the Allies, to continue the war against Germany, put the government under increasing strain. On March 1, 1917 the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies issued Order No. 1, which ordered the military to obey its orders rather than those of the Provisional Government. Ultimately the regime and the Dual Authority formed between the Petrograd Soviet and the Provisonal Government instigated by the February Revolution was forcibly replaced in the October Revolution.