The administrative system of the Russian government has deteriorated greatly. The present government has lost the will power and confidence to carry on with this war at a successful rate. All Russians long for a more confident and able power to rule Russia at this moment of war. At the moment Russia needs a very strong leader to have authority over it. An organised managerial structure over the military would help immensely but disregarding Russia^s currents military status, the Tsar Nicholas II has dismissed the Supreme Commander in Chief and taken up the post himself. Even the Russian President of the Duma, Rodzianko has stated in an account to the Tsar, that his taking over of the position of Supreme Commander in Chief was an unwise action to take.
Another problem facing Russian military at the moment is the lack of ammunition. Russian guns are sometimes limited to four shots per day or less. Only 12% of the machine guns needed are available. Fuel, and metals like copper and iron are scares, because of this shortage of metals, mills are finding it impossible to supply a sufficient amount of bullets and bombs ordered by the Central War Industries Committee to fight this war. At this rate, Russia will never even come close to defeating any of her enemies.
Also, there is a very large shortage of barbed wire which is resulting in many deaths of soldiers in the trenches because of the lack of protection. Most of the time the trenches are flooded with water knee deep, so it is very difficult for the soldiers to lie down or sit down which again results in them getting shot or bombed. Many men are wounded and the lack of transport is depriving them from getting any medical support so again many are dying relentlessly. Because of the lack of ammunition, insufficient clothing and poor rations the soldiers are loosing their courage and will to carry on with the fighting. Unrest among the troops have developed and signs of mutinies are evident as soldiers are growing more and more tired of the war and anti-war propaganda has started among the troops.
The underdevelop railways
system is another problem which is adding to Russia^s plight. The railways system is so underdeveloped that it cannot handle the massive troop movements from one place to another. There is also a shortage in railway transport and due to this shortage of transport for civilian purposes such as the ransportation of food, has caused a bread shortage in the towns. With this shortage has come inflation and now the real value of wages have fallen heavily.
Not only have the wages fallen but the food prices have risen almost by 500% The lack of food is resulted from the peasants^ unwillingness to sell their grains or other stocks with the fear that they will be sold for cheap prices. This lack of goods has increased the prices because there is a great demand for the goods but the shortage has caused the prices to increase. Also, there is evidence of goods disappearing which could be circulating around the still wealthy Russians classes, through the black market.
The absence of the Tsar is greatly worrying the country. When the nation needs to have contact with him the most, he is becoming more and more isolated at his military headquarters. The Tsar is away from Petragrad (the capital) and his duties. The Tsarina, Alexandra is in charge of his role as the Tsar at the moment and it is evident that a priest named Rasputin is most influential in the Tsarina^s way of ruling the country. He seems to have a very large say in the matters of state but nobody seems to know as to why the royal family is so close to a peasant like Rasputin.
Overall, the conclusion that one can draw from the events taking place around Russia is that, this large country is not coping well with the war at all. The lack of ammunition, a powerful leader, food, a developed transportation system and more facilities for soldiers, is pushing Russia further and further into defeat and humiliation as a great power in Europe.
Our Networks