Role of Russia in WW1

Introduction: Russia entered the war as an ally of Serbia, after the declaration
of war on that nation by the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Germany. Russia
primarily occupied German forces on the Eastern Front until the Russian
Revolution overthrew the Tsar and the new revolutionary government signed a
ruinous peace treaty and ended hostilities, freeing a large number of troops for
the Western Front.
Background: When the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot dead in
Sarajevo in June 1914, it triggered a wave of threats, ultimatums and troop
mobilisations. By August, Serbia (Russias Balkan ally) had been invaded by
Austria-Hungary and Russia had declared war in response, prompting the
German kaiser to declare war on Russia.
Russia fought WWI together with its Entente allies France and the UK. On the
opposing side were the Central Powers Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman
Empire and Bulgaria.
Russia was an asset to the Triple Entente because in 1914, it had the largest
army in the world. Entering the war served a specific purpose in Russia
domestically: it doused anti-government sentiment which had peaked with a
general strike in St Petersburg in July 1914.
Russia on the Eastern Front:
1. Russias involvement became a major distraction for the German Empire,
preventing it from achieving a successful blitzkrieg on the Western front
and occupying France.
2. Its war effort began poorly with a defeat at the Battle of Tannenberg
(August 1914) against Germany. Reason: army not equipped properly,
poor leadership from generals.
3. Russian offensives against the weaker Austro-Hungarians were more
successful, allowing them to push across the Carpathians and into Galicia
(now in Ukraine) in 1915. But advances by the Central Powers and a
shortage of artillery shells in May 1915 forced Russia to withdraw (the
Great Retreat). BUT pushing back Russia exhausted the Germans. This
allowed Russian forces to regroup.
4. The Russians followed it up with the Brusilov Offensive in Galicia, in JuneSeptember 1916. This was Russias greatest success during WWI.

5. The Russians also conducted successful operations against the Ottoman

Empire throughout 1916, taking control of some strategic cities. The
Tsarist armies' achievements on the battlefield effectively inspired
Romania to join the war on the side of the Entente.
Impact of participation in WW1 in Russia
1. While Russia entered the war for similar reasons to her European
neighbours (imperial rivalry, poisonous nationalism), she did not do so on
an equal footing. Russias economy was still developing and reliant on
foreign investment; her industrial sector was incapable of competing with
the powerhouse German economy.
2. In September 1915 the tsar took command of the army, a move that
associated him with future defeats and losses.
3. By 1916, two years of war had decimated the Russian economy:
a. triggered downturns in agrarian production
b. problems in the transportation network
c. currency inflation and food
d. fuel shortages in the cities.
4. Bread riots broke out in Petrograd and led to the revolution that brought
down the Romanovs.
The Bolsheviks swept to power and fulfilled their campaign promise to take
Russia out of the war, signing a peace treaty with the Central Powers. According
to the 1918 treaty, the new government cancelled all Imperial Russias
commitments to its allies.
With that, Russias role in WW1 ended although, ultimately, it paid the greatest
price among the members of the Entente: 1.6 million dead soldiers, 1 million
dead civilians.