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WarChron - 1907-1908 - Triple Entente - Tsarevich-Rasputin |
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The Year 1907
On 24 February, the Minister of Marine, Admiral A.A. Birilev was replaced by Admiral I.M. Dikov.
On 5 March, the Second Duma, chaired by F.A. Golovin, a Kadet, opened at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. It was attended by leftists parties, including SDs and SRs, who held one third of the total membership. The session soon became unworkable. During the Spring, Rasputin returned to St. Petersburg from Pokrovskoe in the Urals. He was soon introduced to other members within the Royal Family, and became even closer to the Empress.
On 14 April, police arrested 26 Anarchists in St. Petersburg and discovered plans to kill the Tsar and other high officials. All were quickly condemned to death and hung.
On 29 April, during a Duma session, Deputy Zurabov accused the army of training soldiers to repress civilians. He appealed for troops to revolt and join with the people to overthrow the government.
On 15 June, the Tsar dissolved the Second Duma. Many leftists were exiled. On the 16th, an Imperial Decree announced a new Electoral Law, which was actually in violation of the Fundamental Laws. The suffrage being introduced was neither universal, direct or equal, but it was generally seen as a step in the right direction.
On 30 July, Japan and Russia signed a treaty agreeing to respect each others territory. Russia was granted a sphere of influence in northern Manchuria and Outer Mongolia, while Japan gained influence over Korea and southern Manchuria.
On 31 August, Russia and Great Britain signed a Convention at St. Petersburg, which granted recognition of a status quo in Afghanistan, Russian influence in northern Persia, British in southern Persia, and Tibet was not to be under the influence of either party. This arrangement completed the establishment of the Triple Entente, which allied Russia with France and Great Britain. Elections for positions in the Third State Duma were held during September-October 1907. The people overwhelmingly elected those committed to cooperation rather than struggle against the government. The Duma opened on 4 December. It was thoroughly conservative in nature. N.A. Khomiakov was elected President. The Duma began to reach for power by grasping for the national purse strings. It stayed in office for five years, until June 1912.
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The Year 1907
During November, the Russian Council of Ministers decreed that all naval programs must be done in Russian factories, from Russian materials and with Russian workers.
In mid-December, the New York Times reported that the “condition of the Empress was slightly improved,” adding that her fever had abated and she was being treated for anemia and neuralgia.
During 1907, some 175 Russian editors and publishers were imprisoned for violating various press laws, included printing stories about the Royal Family.
The Year 1908
On 24 January, Prime Minister P.A. Stolypin reported to the Council of Ministers that most of the State Duma was opposed to granting funds for construction of warships.
On 31 January, the New York Times reported that the condition of the Empress had taken a turn for the worse. She was said to be suffering from depression and nervous disabilities, eye problems, and was being urged by doctors to try a change of climate abroad, possibly to visit Germany. The Empress was known to frequently fast to ensure a “state of grace” in the hope of some psychic receptivity. This practice appealed to her wish to see spirits that would watch over and guide her.
During the Spring, the Tsarevich fell and injured his ankle, developing swelling under his knee. Doctors were unable to relieve his pain. The Empress telegraphed Rasputin in Pokrovskoe in the Urals, who assured her of his prayers. The Empress strongly felt that her son's apparent recovery was entirely due to Rasputin's prayers.
On 16 May, the Third Duma passed legislation providing for universal compulsory primary education, with four years of school for children 8-11 years, male and female, to be effective within ten years.
On 8 August, the Tsar dismissed his uncle Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich as the Chairman of the Council of National Defense, transferring him to command the St. Petersburg Military District. The Tsar appointed War Minister General A. F. Rediger as the Council's ex-officio Chairman.
On 6 October, Austria-Hungary proclaimed the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. This move greatly upset Russia, which had hoped for Austrian support for the Russian demand that Turkey open the Dardanelles.
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Russia was completely unready for any military intervention and indignant over the humiliation of the land-locked Serbians who had wanted to acquire a part of Bosnia that would give them access to the Adriatic Sea.
On 17 November, the Tsar announced that the position of Chief of the General Staff, which was headed by General F.F. Palitsyn, would be made subordinate to the War Minister. Palitsyn was given a post on the State Council. Later, the office of the Main Artillery Directorate was established, led by Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich.
On 15 December 1908, the Tsar appointed General V.A. Sukhomlinov, then Governor General and Commander of the Kiev Military District, as Chief of the General Staff. Admiral I.K. Grigorovich was appointed as Deputy Naval Minister.
During 1908, V.M. Purishkevich, ultra-reactionary anti-Semite. co-founder of the Union of Russian People, broke away from them and formed the rival Union of the Arkhangel Mikhail (Michael). Most of its activities, violent pogroms, were carried out in Odessa, Bessarabia and South Russia.
The Year 1909
During January, a French loan agreement was concluded which enabled Russia to do without borrowing abroad for five years. There was considerable private foreign investment now pouring into Russian industry, banks and municipalities.
In January and February the Tsar dismissed the Minister of Commerce and Industry and the Procurator of the Holy Synod. There were already major rifts appearing within the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church. These events did not escape the eyes of the common people.
In January, the Tsar approved a proposal by General V.A. Sukhomlinov, which would revise Russia's whole war plan and allow for withdrawal eastwards from its frontiers in the event of war. The new north–south defensive line was to run from Grodno – Osovets – Brest-Litovsk. A growing animosity developed between Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich and General Sukhomlinov.
On 16 February, Tsar Nicholas II signed a revised mobilization schedule which perceived Germany, Austria-Hungary and Romania as potential enemies. The schedule was changed in late June 1910 with Germany being the prime threat. Yet another mobilization schedule was compiled in September 1913, which was not to take full effect until autumn 1914.
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© WARCHRON 2007
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