On the western front armies fought the war from trenches stretched along eastern front. While on the eastern front, armies moved a great deal and fought battles leaving large casualties.

Well to do peasants were regarded as 'Kulaks' in Russia.

The Bolsheviks formed the majority party. They were eager to establish a socialist  state as quickly  as possible, even by force  and violence if need be.

In Russia, the war was initially popular and people rallied around Tsar Nicholas II but as the war continued people wanted the Tsar to withdraw from the First World War because:
(i) As the war continued, the Tsar refused to consult the main parties in the Duma. Support wore thin and anti-German sentiments ran high.
(ii) On the eastern front, where the armies did not fight from trenches, battles left large casualties, defeats 'were shocking and demoralising.
(iii) Russian armies lost badly in Germany and Austria between 1914 and 1916. There were over 7 million casualties by 1917.
(iv) Retreating Russian army destroyed crops and buildings to prevent the enemy from being able to live off land. The destruction led to over 3 million refugees in Russia. Soldiers did not wish to fight such a war.
(v) Able bodied men were called up to the war. As a result their were labour shortages and small workshops producing essentials were shut down.
(vi) Large supplies of grain were sent to feed the army. For the people in the cities bread' and flour became scarce. By the winter of 1916, riots at bread shops were common.

Liberals
(i) Liberals were one of the groups which looked to change society. They wanted a 'secular' nation which tolerated all religions.
(ii) They opposed religious discrimination and uncontrolled power of dynastic rulers. They wanted to safeguard the rights of individuals.
(iii) They wanted a representative, elected Parliamentary Government and a well-trained judiciary that was independent of rulers and officials.
Radicals
(i) They wanted a government based on the majority of a country's population. They supported universal adult suffrage, including the vote for women.
(ii) Unlike liberals, they opposed the privileges of great landowners and wealthy factory owners.
(iii) They were not against the existence of private property, but opposed concentration of property in the hands of a few.
Conservatives
(i) They were opposed to liberals and radicals. They generally opposed the idea of change during the 18th century.
(ii) By the 19th century, they accepted that some change was inevitable, but believed it had to be brought about through a slow process.
(iii) They respected old or past traditions and customs.

(i) The Revolution of 1905 resulted in the creation of an elected consultative Parliament or Durma.Th e Durma was vested with the powers to make laws.
(ii) The Tsar yielded and accepted in his manifesto - the 'October manifesto' to be a constitutional head. The manifesto granted freedom of speech, press and association
(iii) ' Soviets  ' like the Petrograd Soviet were set up everywhere  . These Soviets became instruments of political power and played a significant  role in the upheaval of 1917.