Repression

Repress - To control a group of people by force.

• Peasant unrest and workers strikes went on throughout October 1905, together with the mutinies in the army 
• The majority of the tsar's army remained loyal, this meant the tsar could still control the people 
• The tsar's government responded by using brutal force to repress strikes, unrests mutinies 
• In December 1905, the leaders of the St. Petersburg soviet were arrested after the soviet called for more strikes and suggested that workers have weapons for themselves 
• The government used extreme force to gain control over the country 

Pyotr Stolypin was the minister of interior and was appointed by Nicholas to become the prime minister

• Stolypin gave the army complete control over law and order in almost every part of the country 
• Newspapers were shut down, Trade unions were closed; Suspected revolutionaries were rounded up and thrown in prison. Special army courts tried anyone suspected of causing trouble with no lawyers allowed to defend the accused.
• Repression was hard in the countryside, Stolypin ordered groups of soldiers to ride out to villages where there was peasant unrest and use brutal force.

• Stolypin was hated by both liberals and radicals.
• People called the hangman's noose "Stolypin's Necktie" and those carted off to exile in Siberia traveled in "Stolypin's wagons"
• The terrorist wing of the socialist revolution targetted Stolypin for assassination 
• Stolypin was assassinated one day on September 11th, when he was at the opera.