WW1 (jul 28, 1914 – nov 11, 1918)

Description:

Russia joins as part of their alliance w/ Serbia (attacked by Austria-Hungary)

the enemy are the Central Powers:
Germany, A-H, Turkey, Bulgaria

the allies are the Entente:
France, UK, US + a few minor ones

The war was a disaster
It was a key contributor to the fall of the Tsar via:
- military failures - huge casualties, humilating defeats (e.g. Tannenberg)
+ in 1915 Nick takes personal command over the army, so all the responsibility fell on him
+ unpopular conscription
- economic crisis - food shortages in cities, factories closed down, huge inflation
- Rasputin and the Tsarina - since the Tsar left for the front his wife and her confidante the controvertial Rasputin were left to handle the internal affairs,
this was a disaster: firing competent ministers and replacing them w/ loyal incompetents
+ the Tsarina was a German,
Rasputin was just a circus of a person
- failure to make political reforms - Nick decided to not compromise on the issue of political pluralism and no constitution was introduced (as the "Progressive Bloc" proposed),
so all the blame falls on the Tsar

all this led to resentment among the populace,
the atmosphere was rife for revolution

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