The 1905 Revolution

Paper 1 : Autocracy and Revolt in Russia, 1881 - 1914

The 1905 Revolution

RUSSO - JAPANESE WAR

• Russo-Japanese War Failure.

• • Nicholas II thought that the war as a victory in a short war would stop people criticising his government.
  • War made conditions worse.
    • Prices rose in cities.
    • Caused shortages of food and other goods.
    • Lack of industrial materials caused factories to close down.
    • Increased rate of unemployment and hungry.
  • As the war progressed, Russia was plunged deeper and deeper into crisis. 
    • 1905, Port Arthur fell to the Japanese, bringing renewed protest about the incompetence of the Tsar and the Government. 
  • This soon led to working class, the peasants and middle class, liberals joining together in the 1905 revolution.
  • Humiliating for Russia as Japan was such a small country.
• Major Battles
  • Russian Navy fought 2 major battles to relieve Port Arthur.
    • Liaoyang and Sha Ho.
  • Russians were defeated and surrendered.
  • 2nd January 1905, Japanese captured Port Arthur.
    • Russian Army suffered 90,000 casualties in its failed attempt to Mukden.
  • In May 1905, Russian Navy was attacked at Tsushima, Naval Battle in Japan.
    • 20 ships sunk.
    • 5 ships captured.
    • Only 4 ships managed to reach safety at Vladivostok.
  • Sergei Witte led the Russian delegation at the peace conference held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in August 1905.
    • Treaty of Portsmouth
      • Liaotung Peninsula and the South Manchurian Railway went to Japan.
      • Island of Sakhalin was divided into two.
      • The Nothern Manchurian Highway and Chinese Eastern Railway remained under Russian control.
• Casualties
  • 80,000 Japan army casualties.
  • 130,000 Russian men dead.
  • China suffered 20,000 civillian deaths.
  • China financially lost 69 million taels.
  • Unknown number of soldiers dead at sea, no agreed consensus soldiers at sea.
    • Many ships denied rescuing casualties that were left shipwrecked.
    • This led to Geneva Convention in 1906, gave protection and care to the shipwrecked soldiers.
• Major results :
  • Japan's prestige rose greatly as it is now seen as a modern nation.
  • Russia lost virtually its entire Pacific and Baltic fleets as well as international esteem.
  • Russia was France and Serbia's ally, that loss of prestige had a significant effect on Germany's future when planning to war with France and Austria-Hungary's war with Serbia.
  • Russian military capabilities in World War One was underestimated.

• Reason why Russia lost :
  • Lack of technology.
  • Underestimation of Japan as it is an "Asian" country.
  • Lack of Russian's infrastructure.
  • Unable to supply troops because industry was so backwards.
  • Geographically difficult to manipulate army troops around.

FATHER GAPON AND BLOODY SUNDAY (JANUARY 1905)

• Father Gapon and the workers of Petrograd were faced with problems when working.
  • Workers wanted reduced shift at factories to 8 hours, increasing in wages as well as sanitary improvements in working areas.
  • Dirty working areas has known to cause diseases which workers succumb to.
• As a result, Father…