Last Tsar Of Russia example essay topic

Nicholas II would be known as the last tsar of Russia. He had to abdicate in 1917 when enormous riots broke out and spread all over Russia. Many people disliked him because he ruled Russia as an autocrat. Democracy was nothing the tsar encouraged and he wanted to "let all know that I, devoting all my strength to the welfare of the people, will uphold the principle of autocracy as firmly and as unflinchingly as my late unforgettable father" (1), and that spurred anti-tsarist feelings among peasants, workers, and diverse political parties.

Nicholas strongly opposed a parliamentary government and he never liked the idea by creating the Duma. Nicholas' opinion about war was his downfall. In 1905, Russia confronted Japan in a war that would only end in disaster. This of course, was against the people's will. The only thing the Russo-Japanese war contributed to in Russia, was to put the tsar in an even worse position.

His subjects demonstrated and on Nicholas command they were all shot to death. These reason among many others led to Nicholas abdication in March 1917. However, the events following the tsar's abdication is an arguable matter that historians have different opinions about. One cannot be certain what really happened to the tsar and his family. Most people argue that, the whole Romanov family was massacred when they were held in house arrest in Yekaterinburg.

One other possibility is that the tsar and tsarina were assassinated, but at least one of the daughters managed to survive and escape. However, it is the former of the two cases that is most likely true. On the morning of August 14, 1917, the Romanov family saw the Alexander Palace for the last time. Soldiers, who were guarding the family and loyal to the new government, brought them to house arrest in Tobolsk, for safety reasons they told them. Alexandra, the tsar's wife, in a letter to a friend wrote, "What shall the future bring to my poor children?" (2).

After a weeks travel they reached Tobolsk which is located in Siberia and they were held by Red guards. Their life in Tobolsk was monotonous, however they did not live a miserable life, but the future did not look bright. In April 1918, they had to move once again, yet this time Nicholas, Alexandra, and Marie left alone. Nicholas's on, Alexis, had to stand behind because of his illness and three of his daughters (Olga, Tatiana, and Anastasia) stayed to look after him. Nicholas was sent to the Urals, to a town called Yekaterinburg. They were imprisoned in a house belonging to Ipatiev.

On May, 1918, the rest of the family was allowed to join their parents again. In two months time they would all be dead, because the entire royal family was shot to death by the Bolsheviks on July 17, 1918. "Though we know that the storm is coming nearer and nearer, our souls are at peace. Whatever happens will be through God's will". (2). This was from Alexandra's last letter.

The entire family was awaken in the middle of the night on July 17, 1918. The guards explained that there were some shooting in the town and it would be for their safety if they went downstairs. The tsar and his family got dressed and forty minutes later, Nicholas was carrying his sick son downstairs. Besides the family, a family doctor and three servants joined them. They were led to a small room in the basement. There were no chairs so Alexandra asked "May we not sit?" (2).

Two chairs were brought and Alexandra and Nicholas, with Alexis in his arms, sat down. Moments later, Yakov Yurosky entered with twelve soldiers. Yurosky read from a piece of paper which said the family was to be executed. The tsar did not have much time to say anything before Yurosky had pulled out his pistol and shot the tsar in the head. The tsar's last word was a surprising and horrified "What?" (2).

Alexandra was killed instantly, however, bullets aimed at the daughters seemed to bounce off them. In Tobolsk the daughters had sewn jewels into their dresses and therefore acted like bulletproof vest. They had to be finished off by stabbing them to death. The massacre was complete and the entire Romanov family was slaughtered. In an interview with Pavel Medvedev, these described events are supported. He was a Red Guard commander and this is the only eye-witness account from 1919.

He said, "The sovereign walked ahead with their heir [Alexis]. In my presence there were no tears, no sobs, and no questions... the Empress sat down by the wall... behind her stood her three daughters. The Emperor was in the middle, net to the heir, and behind stood Dr Boykin... Eleven men walked into the room: Yurovsky, his assistant, the two from Cheka, and seven Latvians". (3). Medvedev was then sent out from the room but heard shooting and returned and saw the following, "The blood was gushing... the heir was still alive- and moaning.

Yurovsky walked over to him and shot him two or three times at point blank range... The scene made me vomit". (3). However, this raises lots of questions, for example, why was the children killed?

Why did the Bolsheviks keep it a secret? What happened to the bodies? The tsar had, to a large extent, contributed to the assassinations. The tsar had to abdicate for a number of reasons and was detested by many. Even though he was disliked and possessed no power, Lenin still considered him a threat.

He believed, if Nicholas was released he would have the ability to unite the White forces. Between 1918-1920, a vicious civil war was thought that almost tore Russia apart. The involved were the Reds and the Whites. The Reds were fighting for one cause; Lenin's, whereas the Whites were fighting for different causes: some wanted the tsar back, some a military dictator, and others wanted a constitutional government. As one can see, there is no way such an army can be organized and united. If Nicholas would have been released it would exacerbate Lenin's position.

Lenin believed Nicholas release would have rallied the White Army to at least some extent. And if that was the case, Lenin would have to confront an even dangerous army. Yet, if Lenin would have sent the order to kill Nicholas, he would become a martyr, .".. from the Communist point of view Nicholas II would have made a very poor prisoner in the dock; his very lack of intelligence combined with his dignity and Christian resignation would have made him an object of pity rather than of popular indignation. Indeed, the former emperor, an abject failure while on the throne, displayed while prisoner the kind of fortitude and equanimity that moved even his jailers". (4). However, it is very likely and almost certain that Lenin sent the order to kill the tsar when the Whites approached Yekaterinburg.

Trotsky later justified the killing of the Romanovs: "The execution of the tsar's family was needed not only to frighten, horrify and dishearten the enemy, but also to shake up our own ranks to show them that there was no turning back, that ahead lay either complete victory or ruin... ". (4). Eight days after the bloodbath, the Whites captured Yekaterinburg. When they reached Ipatiev's house they saw bloodstains and bullet holes in the walls, but they could not find any evidence about the tsar's murder. It took months before the investigators could find anything of value.

In January 1919 the remains of a huge bonfire were found near an abandoned mine shaft in a forest outside the town (2). They found many things like Alexandra's pearl earrings, the tsar's belt buckle, a piece of Alexis' cap, and Anastasia's dog. It was concluded that the Bolsheviks had killed the family and burned their bodies in the forest. The executioners had loaded a truck with the corpses and had then traveled north to the forest of Koptiaka where numerous mine shafts could be found. When they arrived, the Bolsheviks took anything of value before heaving the family into a pit. After they were thrown in, the murderers tried to destroy all evidence with grenades and then pouring sulfuric acid on the bodies.

The pit was then covered with dirt. However, not all historians agree on this, especially not when a girl, called Anna Anderson claimed to be Anastasia. Since no one know where the Romanovs were, people, out of financial worries, tried to imitate the Imperial family members. A year after the executions, a young woman jumped from a bridge into a canal in Berlin. Luckily, the police rescued her and brought her to a hospital. After gaining consciousness the woman claimed that she was Anastasia.

Her physical appearance was similar to Anastasia's but she could not speak a single word of Russian. Some thought she lost the Russian Language due to some mental illness. She asserted that she did not get shot in the basement, instead she was rescued by a guard and had traveled to Berlin to find relatives. This sounds ambiguous and media has done much to make us believe it was her. She knew many details about the Romanovs private life and was therefore believed. Even people who knew the Romanov family believed it was Anastasia.

This girl has created much controversy and when she in died 1984, it seemed her identity would always be a mystery. However in 1991, archaeologists opened a burial pit in Yekaterinburg. Two of the royal children were found missing. One of them was Alexis and the other one was Anastasia. Russian forensic scientists spent a long time to reveal whether the bones of the missing children were there or not.

In December 1994, they came out officially with the report. Anastasia was in the grave, and this could be concluded by analyzing small pieces of bone. Another peace of evidence came after Anna Anderson's death in 1984, when her body had been cremated. A piece of intestine had been kept in a hospital where she once had an operation. Scientists took tests, trying to link her blood with that of the Romanovs, but they concluded it was not Anastasia. The DNA tests taken proved that Anna Anderson was really only a Polish peasant girl.

Yet, back in the mine shaft they were not able to find the remains of Alexis and Maria. Of course people tried to imitate Alexis also, but as we know he suffered from hemophilia which should make it impossible for him to survive the gunshots. It was also reported that they had identified Nicholas, Alexandra, and the rest of the daughters. Therefore, it can be concluded that no one survived the terrible deed ordered by Lenin. Nicholas II brought this fate upon himself when failing to satisfy the masses. The issue that was most frustrating was that the tsar could not stay away from World War I. The tsar's abdication was totally spontaneous and it was hard to predict the Romanovs future in a problematic time like this was.

However, they ended up in Urals (enemy land) and this served a prelude of what was going to happen. However, it is hard to believe that anyone of the Romanovs survived the basement. There is, basically too much evidence against it. The most famous example is, as stated before, the survival of Anastasia. The fact that she did not know a single Russian word speaks against her and of course that Anna Anderson's blood type was not similar to any of the Romanovs should be evidence enough. But the bones of Maria have yet to be found.

Bibliography

Books: Brewster, Hugh. Anastasia's Album Fi hen, Terry. Russia and the USSR 1905-1941 Lowe, Norman. Modern World History Sifakis, Carl. Encyclopedia of Assassinations, revised Edition Wood, Anthony. The Russian Revolution Internet Sources: web web web.