A* Russia Source Question Russia in Revolution 1894-1924 A-Level History
Q: How far could the historian make use of Sources 3 and 4 together to investigate the reasons for the
abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in March 1917? Explain your answer, using both sources, the information
given about them and your own knowledge of the historical context.
The historian can make very good use of Sources 3 and 4 together to investigate the reasons for the
abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in March 1917. References to the external challenges that were facing
Russia on the front during the First World War and the challenges of the domestic front such as the food
shortages as well as the personal reasons of the Tsar provide a clear insight into the various accumulation
of factors that contributed towards the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in March 1917. Ultimately, whilst
Sources 3 and 4 are useful they both possess limitations due to their nature, origin, or purpose. However,
these are not of such an extent as to jeopardise the value of the sources to the historian.
Source 3 points out that one of the main reasons for the abdication of the Tsar were the struggles on the
domestic front. Source 3 claims that the “troubles at home threaten to have a fatal effect on the ultimate
course of this hard-fought war.” This refers to the ongoing instability on the home front during the First
World War such as the gargantuan amount of losses during battle coupled with food shortages. This can
be evidenced by the lack of food that was arriving in industrial cities. For example, in 1914 Moscow
received 2200 wagons of grain yet by Christmas 1916 a mere 300 were arriving. This delay stemmed
from the inefficiencies present on the Trans-Siberian railway, a one-way track that was in many places
incomplete. This railway was now clogged by the prioritised war supplies which meant that by the time
food arrived to the cities much of it was already inedible as it was rotten. Thus, one of the main concerns
of the population was the lack of food that was now arriving in the industrial cities that were reliant upon
the regime to deliver these supplies to the industrial cities. The failure to provide many with the
necessities undermined support for the war which the Tsar refused to retreat from. Consequently, many
saw the Tsar as wholly inept as not only was he failing to cater to their needs, but Russia was sustaining
outstanding losses that to many seemed irrational. This reluctance to take on board the advice of the
population ultimately birthed political instability which contributed to the abdication of the Tsar.
Furthermore Source 3 suggest that another reason for the abdication of the Tsar was his obsession with
the continuation of the war. Tsar Nicholas II believed that “the war should be carried to a victorious
conclusion at any price” for the “welfare of the people.” This refers to the Tsar’s erroneous belief that the
population was benefiting from the continuation of the war. Here lay one of the most important reasons
for the abdication of the Tsar: his lack of political perspicacity. The Tsar’s completely erroneous beliefs
thus demonstrated his political isolation from the struggles of the population who despised the war and
could no longer cope with the emotional and physical impact it was having upon them. This failure to
address grievances led to the outbreak of the February Revolution in 1917. By the 23 rd of February, on
International Women’s Day striking women in the Vyborg districts were joined by men from the nearby
engineering factories in protests against food shortages and by the 24 th of February an overwhelming
200,000 workers were on strike and taking part in demonstrations with banners calling for the removal of
the Tsar. Whilst clashes did occur, a mutiny started on the 27 th of February and military officers quickly
fled resulting in a complete loss of the capital city. This shows that one of the main reasons for the
abdication of the Tsar was his failure to track the political pulse of the nation. He appeared completely out
of touch and incapable of providing workers with their necessities which brought about a complete
collapse in confidence that ultimately led to his abdication by pushing the political nation beyond the
point of no-return. The Tsar’s erroneous belief in the continuation of the war undermined the support of
the population completely who were no longer willing to suffer the consequences of what appeared to be
a futile war. Overall, the Tsar’s failure to keep track of the political nation’s desire was the primary
reason that forced his abdication as the people had lost all confidence in his leadership his deposition was
seen as necessary for the benefit of the nation by the entire country.
Q: How far could the historian make use of Sources 3 and 4 together to investigate the reasons for the
abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in March 1917? Explain your answer, using both sources, the information
given about them and your own knowledge of the historical context.
The historian can make very good use of Sources 3 and 4 together to investigate the reasons for the
abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in March 1917. References to the external challenges that were facing
Russia on the front during the First World War and the challenges of the domestic front such as the food
shortages as well as the personal reasons of the Tsar provide a clear insight into the various accumulation
of factors that contributed towards the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in March 1917. Ultimately, whilst
Sources 3 and 4 are useful they both possess limitations due to their nature, origin, or purpose. However,
these are not of such an extent as to jeopardise the value of the sources to the historian.
Source 3 points out that one of the main reasons for the abdication of the Tsar were the struggles on the
domestic front. Source 3 claims that the “troubles at home threaten to have a fatal effect on the ultimate
course of this hard-fought war.” This refers to the ongoing instability on the home front during the First
World War such as the gargantuan amount of losses during battle coupled with food shortages. This can
be evidenced by the lack of food that was arriving in industrial cities. For example, in 1914 Moscow
received 2200 wagons of grain yet by Christmas 1916 a mere 300 were arriving. This delay stemmed
from the inefficiencies present on the Trans-Siberian railway, a one-way track that was in many places
incomplete. This railway was now clogged by the prioritised war supplies which meant that by the time
food arrived to the cities much of it was already inedible as it was rotten. Thus, one of the main concerns
of the population was the lack of food that was now arriving in the industrial cities that were reliant upon
the regime to deliver these supplies to the industrial cities. The failure to provide many with the
necessities undermined support for the war which the Tsar refused to retreat from. Consequently, many
saw the Tsar as wholly inept as not only was he failing to cater to their needs, but Russia was sustaining
outstanding losses that to many seemed irrational. This reluctance to take on board the advice of the
population ultimately birthed political instability which contributed to the abdication of the Tsar.
Furthermore Source 3 suggest that another reason for the abdication of the Tsar was his obsession with
the continuation of the war. Tsar Nicholas II believed that “the war should be carried to a victorious
conclusion at any price” for the “welfare of the people.” This refers to the Tsar’s erroneous belief that the
population was benefiting from the continuation of the war. Here lay one of the most important reasons
for the abdication of the Tsar: his lack of political perspicacity. The Tsar’s completely erroneous beliefs
thus demonstrated his political isolation from the struggles of the population who despised the war and
could no longer cope with the emotional and physical impact it was having upon them. This failure to
address grievances led to the outbreak of the February Revolution in 1917. By the 23 rd of February, on
International Women’s Day striking women in the Vyborg districts were joined by men from the nearby
engineering factories in protests against food shortages and by the 24 th of February an overwhelming
200,000 workers were on strike and taking part in demonstrations with banners calling for the removal of
the Tsar. Whilst clashes did occur, a mutiny started on the 27 th of February and military officers quickly
fled resulting in a complete loss of the capital city. This shows that one of the main reasons for the
abdication of the Tsar was his failure to track the political pulse of the nation. He appeared completely out
of touch and incapable of providing workers with their necessities which brought about a complete
collapse in confidence that ultimately led to his abdication by pushing the political nation beyond the
point of no-return. The Tsar’s erroneous belief in the continuation of the war undermined the support of
the population completely who were no longer willing to suffer the consequences of what appeared to be
a futile war. Overall, the Tsar’s failure to keep track of the political nation’s desire was the primary
reason that forced his abdication as the people had lost all confidence in his leadership his deposition was
seen as necessary for the benefit of the nation by the entire country.
