Russia Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Russia Revolution - Essay Example Nicholas II didn't have political will, didn't have emperor's charisma and was short-eyed politician. His surrounding was unqualified men too and neither they nor he had a clear idea about the situation in the country as they lived in the world of luxury. It's enough to remind that situation in 1917 in Russia was very uneasy: Russia barely survived revolution of 1905, working movement inspired by Marxist ideas was growing on the hand with nationalism in Poland, Finland, Ukraine, Baltic provinces and Caucasus. Imperial government policies were very ineffective and in many respects suppressed dynamic development of province. Domestic and foreign policy caused nation's anger and disrespect both in the eyes of own people and foreigners. As a result, Russian defeats and casualties on the WWI battlefields became a culminating point of Russian troubled times - the March Revolution began. Ultimately, Czar's rule was replaced and two main powers appeared: Provisional Government, which consist ed of wealthy elite, and local Soviets, which represented the majority of population. Power dualism in the society ruled only by chaos was not successful. Provisional government with progressive western ideas of future reforms saw Russia as a democratic state ruled by elective parliament and government. Provisional government was established as a government organ to rule the country before the constituent assembly was elected. Provisional government was a legitimate body as prince Mikhail gave it plenary powers after tsar Nicholas II abdicated in favor of his brother prince Mikhail. Provisional government was formed from the most influential political figures of Russian empire: aristocrats, politicians from Duma (including social democrats) and military men. Provisional government proclaimed that it would continue war with Germany until the victory and that constituent assembly would be elected after victory in the war. Besides Provisional government proclaimed the course directed on the spread of civil liberties and democratic freedoms. Provisionary government made attempts to establish monopoly over bread trade and over provisions trade in general in order to avoid speculation, growing social unrest and in order to prevent famine. But in Russia nearly everyone was sure that neither Provisional Government nor the Soviets could adequately solve a number of economical and political problems: only the constituent government would have such plenary functions. At the same time a number of democratic reforms proposed by Provisional government which got the favor of both progressive ruling classes and low classes (workers and peasants) were postponed until the elections to constituent assembly. Property reforms, working day length, economical reforms and political reforms remained to be projects until the end of the war as it was proposed by Kerenskiy (the head of the Provisional government). Provisional government had utopian illusion that victory in the war over Germany would solve economical and political problems, but by the 1917 tensions in soci ety caused by wartime hardships reached the top. Such policies led to the four issues of political crisis in the country. The first crisis started in April after Provisional government failed to find consensus in the issues of participation in the war as socialist members of Provisional gover

See information below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

See information below - Essay Example The frustration of being just two credits shy of graduation and newly married is touched on briefly, but is an important fact that helps clarify his frustration. As he takes us on his journey into the horrors of war, we begin to see a pattern of disorganization from those in authority, and vague answers to the young men's questions about their return home. One incident underscores this disorganization clearly. On a mission to a local Iraqi bank, two soldiers are left standing guard outside. While the rest of the group is inside the bank enjoying a precious few moments in air conditioning, insurgents fire upon the two men outside. One of the men is shot very seriously in the neck. Trying to get medevac to the scene proves to be the most difficult part of the incident. It seems commanding officers and their staff, do not leave the compound. Tracking the exact location of the bank and dispatching the appropriate help becomes a source of frustration for the men on the scene. What is tell ing in this scene is not that the two men were fired upon, but the slow and disorganized response from their commanding officers. The promise of going home is held in front of the men frequently throughout the story only to be withheld from them over and over again. They are told, 'just keep up the work a little longer. We'll be home soon.'(Crawford 19) The commanding officers seem unconcerned with the stress and fatigue that these men are facing, and only seem concerned with their own plans of glory and recognition.The imagery that Crawford uses gives us a land that is as bleak and unwelcoming as his first descriptions of the storm. We see a country decimated by war and it's citizens living in squalor. "The building was full of rotting feces. Piles of it, along with MRE toilet paper, littered the floor. The heat had turned the building into an oven, and the smell was overpowering."(Crawford 32) The gritty descriptions of crumbling buildings and human waste flowing in the streets fill the pages and lend to the feeling of a complete breakdown of a society.Interwoven through the stories of fear and exhaustion th ere are some moments of humor that remind the reader that these are ordinary men thrown into extraordinary circumstances. They are trying desperately to hang on to a sense of normalcy in an alien world. The story of Cum, a homeless Iraqi child, and his friendship with Crawford clearly display the overall feeling of desperation. While the story is told in a dispassionate way, the sense that the boy meant a great deal to Crawford is apparent based on his statement that they talked for hours without understanding each other's language. Without language to join them they manage to forge a friendship based on the child's innocent and eager nature. Eventually because of Iraqi attitudes toward Americans, something happens to the child. What that something is, is never made clear, but Crawford's guilt over the incident is palpable.The frequent mention of drugs seems to be another desperate attempt to escape the situation that he finds himself. One incident has a medic injecting Crawford wit h morphine just for the sleep the drug will allow him. Crawford spends a day in bed after the morphine