biggest loser of human lives in World War I. A large amount of food was supplied to
the War front during the war. This led to the shortage of food in the cities. On
March 8th 1917, around 10,000 women of the capital St Petersburg, took out a
procession demanding ‘Peace and Bread’. Workers also joined them in this protest.
Tsar Nicholas II was really upset by these protests. He ordered the army to
suppress the demonstrators, even by firing at them. Instead, the soldiers also
joined the demonstrators. In just two days, the situation became so bad that the
Tsar left his throne and escaped. Russians made a Provisional government. This was
the first Russian revolution of 1917 and it was called as the March revolution
| Women in the February Revolution |
| 'Women workers, often inspired their male co-workers … At the Lorenz telephone factory,… Marfa Vasileva almost single handedly called a successful strike. Already that morning, in celebration of Women’s Day, women workers had presented red bows to the men … Then Marfa Vasileva, a milling machine operator stopped work and declared an sudden strike. The workers on the floor were ready to support her … The foreman informed the management and sent her a loaf of bread. She took the bread but refused to go back to work. The administrator asked her why she refused to work and she replied, “I cannot be the only one who is satiated when others are hungry.” Women workers from another section of the factory gathered around Marfa in support and gradually all the other women ceased working. Soon the men downed their tools as well and the entire crowd rushed onto the street.’ |
A bigger revolution took place later in October 1917 and it was not spontaneous. The
liberals and aristocrats ruled Russia after the abdication of the Tsar. They decided
to continue the War to save the honour of Russia. The common people were tired of
the military action and economic shortage and did not want the War. They began
organising themselves in councils which were called Soviets. These Soviets of
soldiers, industrial workers and people in rural areas were united by a group of
Russian Communist party called Bolsheviks. These groups represented the common
people’s power.
