Russia And WWI Essay, Research Paper
The administrative system of the Russian government has deteriorated
greatly. The present government has lost the will power and confidence
to carry on with this war at a successful rate. All Russians long for
a more confident and able power to rule Russia at this moment of war.
At the moment Russia needs a very strong leader to have authority over
it. An organised managerial structure over the military would help
immensely but disregarding Russia^s currents military status, the Tsar
Nicholas II has dismissed the Supreme Commander in Chief and taken up
the post himself. Even the Russian President of the Duma, Rodzianko
has stated in an account to the Tsar, that his taking over of the
position of Supreme Commander in Chief was an unwise action to take.
Another problem facing Russian military at the moment is the lack of
ammunition. Russian guns are sometimes limited to four shots per day
or less. Only 12% of the machine guns needed are available. Fuel, and
metals like copper and iron are scares, because of this shortage of
metals, mills are finding it impossible to supply a sufficient amount
of bullets and bombs ordered by the Central War Industries Committee to
fight this war. At this rate, Russia will never even come close to
defeating any of her enemies.
Also, there is a very large shortage of barbed wire which is resulting
in many deaths of soldiers in the trenches because of the lack of
protection. Most of the time the trenches are flooded with water knee
deep, so it is very difficult for the soldiers to lie down or sit down
which again results in them getting shot or bombed. Many men are
wounded and the lack of transport is depriving them from getting any
medical support so again many are dying relentlessly. Because of the
lack of ammunition, insufficient clothing and poor rations the soldiers
are loosing their courage and will to carry on with the fighting.
Unrest among the troops have developed and signs of mutinies are
evident as soldiers are growing more and more tired of the war and
anti-war propaganda has started among the troops.
The underdevelop railways system is another problem which is adding to
Russia^s plight. The railways system is so underdeveloped that it
cannot handle the massive troop movements from one place to another.
There is also a shortage in railway transport and due to this shortage
of transport for civilian purposes such as the ransportation of food,
has caused a bread shortage in the towns. With this shortage has come
inflation and now the real value of wages have fallen heavily.
Not only have the wages fallen but the food prices have risen almost by
500% The lack of food is resulted from the peasants^ unwillingness to
sell their grains or other stocks with the fear that they will be sold
for cheap prices. This lack of goods has increased the prices because
there is a great demand for the goods but the shortage has caused the
prices to increase. Also, there is evidence of goods disappearing
which could be circulating around the still wealthy Russians classes,
through the black market.
The absence of the Tsar is greatly worrying the country. When the
nation needs to have contact with him the most, he is becoming more and
more isolated at his military headquarters. The Tsar is away from
Petragrad (the capital) and his duties. The Tsarina, Alexandra is in
charge of his role as the Tsar at the moment and it is evident that a
priest named Rasputin is most influential in the Tsarina^s way of
ruling the country. He seems to have a very large say in the matters
of state but nobody seems to know as to why the royal family is so
close to a peasant like Rasputin.
Overall, the conclusion that one can draw from the events taking place
around Russia is that, this large country is not coping well with the
war at all. The lack of ammunition, a powerful leader, food, a
developed transportation system and more facilities for soldiers, is
pushing Russia further and further into defeat and humiliation as a
great power in Europe.
By Nimandra de J. Seneviratne