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Why WWI was crucial to the Bolshevik success
Massive strain on the state – World War I drained Russia’s economy, devastated agriculture, and disrupted supply chains. Food shortages, inflation, and collapsing infrastructure made everyday life unbearable. Without the war, the tsarist regime would still have been autocratic and unpopular, but the crisis wouldn’t have been so acute.
Collapse of the army’s loyalty – Millions of soldiers were mobilized, poorly supplied, and slaughtered at the front. By 1917, the army had lost faith in the tsar and later in the Provisional Government. If there hadn’t been a catastrophic war, there wouldn’t have been this massive breakdown of military discipline that allowed revolutionaries to take power.
Delegitimization of the monarchy – Nicholas II was already unpopular, but his personal decision to take command of the army (and fail) linked the monarchy directly to defeat and suffering. Without WWI, his regime might have stumbled along in its usual mix of repression and reform instead of collapsing suddenly in 1917.
Provisional Government’s weakness – After the February Revolution, the Provisional Government chose to keep fighting the war. This was incredibly unpopular and gave the Bolsheviks their powerful slogan: “Peace, Land, and Bread.” Without WWI, that rallying cry would have lacked its most urgent element.
Momentum for radical change – WWI created a sense of total crisis: people wanted not just reforms, but a complete break with the old order. In peacetime, moderates (like liberals or moderate socialists) might have retained more influence, and Bolsheviks would have remained a fringe faction.