To what extent was the war the main cause of the February Revolution?

1) The Tsar failed to address problems which led to the February Revolution. 2) As the war was not going so well, the Tsar had decided to take personal control of the Russian Army on the Eastern Front from the influence of the Tsarina and Rasputin. This action was a huge mistake as he was a poor military leader and had no experience on this subject. This meant that if he failed at any task, it would be entirely his fault. He was also weak and did not keep his promises he made to the people. 3) The Tsar helped cause the February Revolution as he failed to address the problems going on back in Russian such as the food strikes. He had left the Tsarina and Rasputin in charge of Russia and people were getting angrier that the problems were not being sorted. Soldiers were getting tired of the war and were increasingly leaving the war and going back home to Russia. He was also stubborn to take advice from other people around him such as Rodzyanko who said that the only way to salvage power was to give up power to the Duma. 4) However, the Tsar did re-organise his government by substituting inefficient ministers and set up of a committee of war industries to ensure there was enough supplies for the soldiers.  The Tsar inadequacies enabled his chief advisor Rasputin to take sole control of Russia and his lack of co-ordination acted as a hindrance to Tsarism and inevitably caused the February revolution.

1) Another cause of the February Revolution was the build up of opposition towards the Tsar. 2) One opposition to the Tsar was the Bolsheviks. From the beginning of the war they opposed the idea of war therefore when the war failed people turned to the Bolsheviks.  Everyone else was all for the war between the central powers. They were the only group that were against the war. Lenin, the leader of the Bolsheviks was trying to appeal to the working class and had a leaflet printed out called “What is to be done?” stating his views on Russia and what he would try to implement in the country. 3) However, people soon realised that the war was not going to plan and many other issues were occurring. Therefore people turned to an alternative, the Bolsheviks. People only turned to them to oppose the Tsar as there was no other option. 4) The Bolsheviks were working towards a revolution as this was the only way to eliminate the Tsar. Even his own supporters were going against him which suggests there was no order in Russia. The failure of the Tsar led to an increase to the opposition because he was not an experienced leader and did not control the issues arising in Russia.

1) A last cause of the February Revolution was the role of Rasputin. 2) His influence over the Tsar and Tsarina was great as they let him make decisions for them.  His was constantly asked on his decisions on state affairs. For example, he was allowed to dismiss the Tsar’s old ministers and replace them with his own friends who were inexperienced in these issues. The Tsarinas’ association with Rasputin provoked unpopularity as he was disliked amongst many people especially the upper class. 3) Rasputin caused the February Revolution as he has no experience of political issues when asked about his opinion. The decisions that he made could have been inappropriate decisions resulting in the failure of Tsarism. His actions were suitable to improve conditions. 4) However, Rasputin was a long term cause and he essentially began the collapse of the Tsar. The Tsar could be the cause of Rasputin as he had sole decision on who were his advisors and ministers.

Overall, I think that it was the war that was the most important factor of the February Revolution because the country could not cope with the stresses of the war such as the length of the war, the deaths that came with it and the many shortages it brought to the economy and the social aspects. The Tsar could not hold everything together was becoming weaker. There needed to be change but the Tsar was reluctant to do so. I also agree with Norman Stone who said, “Russia was not advanced enough to stand the strain of the war…the economic chaos came more from a contest between the old and the new…” this is basically saying that the First World War was important in bringing the end of Tsarism.