The importance of the First World War as a turning point in the development of Russian history has been vastly exaggerated. How far do you agree with this statement?

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The importance of the First World War as a turning point in the development of Russian history has been vastly exaggerated. How far do you agree with this statement?

The First World War was a significant turning point as resulted in the end of three hundred years of Tsarist rule and also led to the world’s first communist government. Politically the impact was huge but to evaluate its importance as a turning point in the development of Russian history it needs assessing in terms of its economic and social impacts as well. It also needs evaluating against other key turning points such as the Emancipation edict of 1861, the 1905 revolution, Stalin’s rule in the 1920’s and also Khrushchev’s destalinisation era.

As mentioned above the First World War resulted in massive political change. As the patriotism declined due to losses at Tannenburg and Masurian Lakes the Russian population came out against the Tsar who was leading the war at the front. In similar conditions to the 1905 revolution which was in response to the failures of the Russo Jap War the people revolted against the Tsar with strikes and peasant uprisings. The main difference between the two occasions was that the army was on the Tsars side in 1905 but this time they helped lead the revolt with the Duma. The provisional government replaced the Tsar and it appeared that democracy was going to take hold in Russia. However, the problem of the First World War was still around and as losses continued to pile up the Bolsheviks managed to take hold of power. The First World War clearly had a huge impact as led to the downfall of the Romanov dynasty and led to communist rule. However, 1905 was also a time of political change. Nicholas II was forced into creating the Duma and allowing political parties and trade unions after uprisings which emerged from first the defeat to Japan and then the slaughter of civilians in Father Gapon’s march. This change was not as significant as the First World War’s as didn’t lead to a change in government and was only a small step towards democracy. When Nicholas II published the fundamental laws in 1906 the majority of the Duma’s power was gone and with it any real chance of democracy in Russia at that time. In the 1920’s and 1930’s Stalin changed the political structure of Russia even further away from democracy by creating a totalitarian state based around terror. With the use of the NKVD, Stalin’s secret police, Stalin crushed all opposition and controlled Russia by himself. Even though it was Lenin who created a one party state it was Stalin who removed any in party dissent and public debate through the purges and use of the Gulag. This political change was not particularly great as saw no change in government and was just an extension to the autocratic and one party system which Russia had been used to for over 300 years. Overall the First World War had the greatest political impact as led to seventy one years of communist rule and ultimately led to Stalin’s totalitarian state being created. It was the tipping point for the Tsarist governments fall from power.

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World War One also had an impact on the Russian economy. It cost over one and a half billion roubles which was mainly financed from foreign loans. The result was rampant inflation which meant that some services such as tram rides became free as it was unfeasible to make people pay. This made the public more discontent with the Russian government as their living standards were declining and it was one of the reasons for the overthrow of the Tsar. As well as this, the First World War also led to Lenin’s policies which he introduced when he took power. ...

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