To what extent does the impact of the First World War explain the outbreak of two revolutions in Russia in 1917?

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To what extent does the impact of the First World War explain the outbreak of two revolutions in Russia in 1917?

There is a debate whether the First World War was the impact of the outbreak of two revolutions in 1917. Other reasons worth to be considered are Tsars incompetence of rule, land issue and the economy. The main reason however, for the two revolutions is in fact the outbreak of World War I, as this factor is the root that led to all these following problems as a consequence.

The entry of Russia into World War I had an effect for the outbreak of two revolutions in the manner that it brought all the social class tensions of Russian society to a boiling point. Although, it has obtained some successes at the beginning, the dramatic changes were not far away. Russia was badly equipped and led army suffered a series of disastrous defeats as well as the railway signalling system breakage of food transportation, causing blocked lines and the trains being stranded, over 200,000 men were found dead. Food riots broke out in Russia's major cities and the countryside. The Provisional Government refused to pull out of the war for the reason of Russia receiving supplies and support from Russia's European allies, and began announcing new offensives. Loyal army has been replaced with around 15 million peasants, as army has sympathised with workers and themselves along with the navy began to mutiny against a government they had no desire to fight and die for with the Bolsheviks rioting.                                                                                                                                           In addition, the peasants could not plough, sow or bring in the harvests as the young men were off fighting in the war. And they were still heavily in debt after the emancipation of the serfs - they had to buy their freedom over 50 years, and many were still serfs. The situation in the countryside caused problems in the cities, because of lack of harvests they were starving, and in the army the ‘peasants in uniform' wanted to get back to their villages to help with the farming, this was especially true in the spring and autumn, the ploughing and harvest seasons. For these reasons, the First World War contributed majorly to the downfall of Imperial Russia and both revolution outbreaks. After his downfall, the war became increasingly unpopular. Demands for peace were growing intense; especially within the army and the Provisional Government attempts to regain the support of the Russian people were failing.

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In another way, it could be argued that the incompetence of Nicholas II to rule and his mistakes as well as decisions brought to the same problem of the two revolution outbreaks. The first mistake made was going to war, after which the chain of problems had followed out of the Tsars incompetence. By appointing himself as being a commander in chief hoping to inspire the army to fight with vigour and leaving Petrograd, he had a slender knowledge about war which led to him being put in a vulnerable position of being blamed for any defeats the army suffered ...

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