The Impact of World War I on the Russian Empire
In 1914, the First World War began, pitting the Central Powers against the Allied Forces, including Russia. Initially, the Russian populace rallied behind Tsar Nicholas II, motivated by national pride. However, as the war dragged on, the situation quickly deteriorated. The Tsar's failure to consult with the Duma or its political parties led to a growing discontent among the people. The renaming of St. Petersburg to Petrograd reflected rising anti-German sentiments, fueled further by the Tsarina’s German origins and the dubious influence of Rasputin.
On the Eastern Front, Russian military strategy differed from that on the Western Front, leading to significant losses, with over seven million casualties reported by 1917. The retreating army also devastated the landscape, leaving millions of refugees in its wake and exposing the government’s ineptitude.
The war crippled Russian industry, causing labor shortages and leading to widespread food shortages in urban areas. By the winter of 1916, bread riots became commonplace, representing the public's growing frustration with governmental disregard for its citizens’ welfare. Ultimately, military discontent culminated in the shifting loyalties of soldiers, contributing to the collapse of Tsarist authority and setting the stage for the revolution. The First World War thus served as both a catalyst and a backdrop for the seismic shift that was about to unfold in Russian society.