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1901-1903 Trans-Siberian Railroad
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In late 1900, former Minister of Interior, Prince Golitsyn formed the Russian Association (Russkoye Sobranie), an ultra-nationalistic anti-Semitic organization, which had close ties with Konstantin Petrovich Pobedonostov, the Procurator of the Holy Synod, who still had the ear of the Tsar. On 6 March 1901, the Russian Orthodox Church excommunicated Count Leo Tolstoy for his liberal ideas.
The Year 1901
On 3 April, Pobyedonostov wrote "All the strength of a State is in its people .and the salvation of the people from ignorance, from barbarous customs, from corruption, from fatal contamination by foolish and revolting ideas can be achieved only through the Church and through schools connected with it."
On 18 June, a fourth daughter, Anastasia Nikolaevna, was born to Nicholas and Alexandra. The Empress still deeply prayed for a son as male heir to the thrown. Earlier in the year she began to seek out "holy men" who claimed the ability to make such predictions.
On 25 July, in Finland, there was a mass refusal of Finnish men to register for military service as called for by a new Russian Army law, thus sparking the beginning of organized Finnish resistance.
During the autumn, a high ranking Japanese diplomat came to Russia in a vain attempt to conclude an agreement on the delimitation of spheres of influence in Asia, proposing that Russia retain Manchuria, while Japan would seek footholds on the Asian mainland. Japanese military leaders soon began planning for a war against Russia.
During December, the Social Revolutionary Party (SR) was established. The SRs were primarily concerned with the peasants and questions of land reform.
The Year 1902
In January, the Tsar received a letter from Count Leo Tolstoy which indicted autocracy and orthodoxy "which no longer address people's needs." The letter called for a full electoral franchise for workers and peasants, abolishment of landowners rights and the beginning of land reform. The Empress saw the letter as a vicious attack on autocratic rule. At her urging the Tsar began replacing some of the more liberal-minded ministers with conservatives.
During February, the Okhrana (secret police) began plans for setting up organizations for workers in an attempt to channel discontent away from the Russian government.
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In March, the Tsar replaced Education Minister, General Vankovskiy with G.E. Zenger, who continued further reforms within the education system.
On 15 April, a Socialist Revolutionary, S.V. Balmashov, murdered the ultra-reactionary Minister of the Interior, D.S. Sipyagin. Two days later the Tsar appointed V.K. Plehve, yet another ultra-reactionary to the post.
During April, mounting international pressure forced Russia to agree to withdraw her troops from Manchuria, which was to be accomplished by October 1903.
The Year 1903
In February, the Russian Ambassador to Japan, Baron R.E. Rosen, warned of a possible conflict with Japan, stating that Japan was preparing for the conquest of Korea.
During 1903, there was a wave of worker strikes and demonstrations in industrial centers in Poland, the Baltic region, Ukraine, the Urals and the Caucasus.
During 1903, the Russian Social Democratic Workers Party held a convention in Brussels, which resulted in a split between two factions, the Bolsheviks, led by V.I. Lenin, and the Mensheviks (Marxists who believed that their party should work to include all possible allies and recruit a mass following). The Mensheviks wanted to replace the autocracy with a bourgeois democratic republic, while the Bolsheviks sought revolution.
On 10 May, seeing him as a symbol of Finnish independence the Russian government banished Count Mannerheim from Finland.
On 25 July, the Tsar issued an Imperial Manifesto ordering that Armenian Church property be brought under the management of the state treasury. The Armenians saw the move as an encroachment on their sacred rights. In September, disorders erupted in Aleksandropol, Kars, Erivan, Baku and Tiflis.
In August, Russia announced that the Trans-Siberian Railroad was opened to traffic. The Lake Baikal section was not yet complete and trains had to be ferried across the lake by steamships.
On 29 August, the Tsar relieved S.Yu. Vitte (Witte) as Finance Minister, appointing him chairman of the Council of Ministers. E.D. Pleske replaced Witte as Minister of Finance. Witte opposed the Yalu Timber Company plan to take over Korea, which eventually turned him against the Tsar.
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The Year 1903
In October, there were worker strikes in Revel and unrest in Riga. Martial law was declared in the Baltic provinces. In November and December there were uprisings and unrest in Pskov, Kiev, Kharkov, Nikolaevsk and Bachmut.
During December, Tsar Nicholas II finally began to rule without the persistent interference of his domineering uncles.
The Year 1904
In early January, the Japanese Ambassador to Russia issued warnings to Count Vitte about an imminent conflict between their two countries. Count Vitte begged in vain for an audience with the Tsar to inform him of the danger. However, General Bezobrazov and Admirals Abaza and Alekseev (all with investments in the Yalu Timber Company) influenced the Tsar to adopt a warlike posture with Japan.
During January, the Union of Liberation met for the first time in Russia at St. Petersburg. The Union called for the abolition of autocracy and establishment of a constitutional government. The movement had started in Germany in 1902, with publication of the journal Liberation, edited by a Marxist, Peter Struve. The Union was a loose association of anti-autocratic groups, and played a significant role in unleashing the 1905 revolution.
In February, Russian Interior Minister V.K. Plehve approved an Okhrana plan to form the Assembly of Russian Factory Workers, in a move to influence the workers.
On 3 February, the Japanese government severed diplomatic relations with Russia.
On 8 February, the Russo-Japanese War opened as Japanese torpedo boats attacked the Russian Far Eastern Fleet at Port Arthur, heavily damaging two battleships and five cruisers off the Korean coast. Japan then declared war and soon seized control of Seoul.
On 18 February, the Tsar appointed V.N. Kokovtsov to replace Pleske as Minister of Finance. Kokovtsov was able to successfully negotiate with French banks for a five year loan of 300 million rubles (800 million francs).
On 20 February, the Tsar appointed War Minister General Kuropatkin as commander-in-chief of the Manchurian Army. General V.V. Sakharov replaced him as Minister of War.
On 12 April, Great Britain and France signed an Entente Cordiale, laying the foundation for the Triple Entente, which would later include Russia.
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© WARCHRON 2007
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