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In February 1917, the seeds of revolution suddenly took root. As discontent simmered among the masses, a spontaneous uprising resulted in the February Revolution, which would lay the groundwork for the eventual downfall of Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov dynasty that had ruled for over three centuries.
Economic Strain and the Rise of Revolutionary Ideas
The backdrop to the revolution was painted by an economy exceedingly burdened by war—a war that had laid waste to the manpower and resources of the nation. The Russo-Japanese War had unveiled the frailty of the Tsarist rule, while World War I transformed this frailty into chaos. The Russian army faced unprecedented defeats, diminishing morale among soldiers and civilians alike.