The Decembrist Revolution

A detailed Summary of The Decembrist Revolution

"In the early hours of the day after tomorrow, I shall either be the sovereign or a corpse." As Czar Nicholas stated, the Russian government's knowledge of an uprising planned to occur on the following day of Monday December 14, 1825 was quite known of. The conspirators behind this uprising, or Decembrists, were to play a significant role in Russian history and the world at large. Formed out of two secret societies, the North and South were composed of a group of small conspirators who desired drastic, revolutionary change in Russia by overthrowing an every-ready Czar. Doomed from the beginning, the Decembrist Revolt was a complete failure. It is due to the failed unity between the North and South Societies, rushed plans and the horrible leadership of Decembrist leaders that inevitably led to the failure of the Decembrist Revolt of 1825.

News traveled slowly across Russia's great distances. The first plotters had looked forward to the Czar's death as the signal for revolt. The Northern Society did not learn of Alexander's illness until the day before his demise became known in the capital. News of Czar Alexander's passing took them completely by surprise. When the North learned that the very next day would b

On December 14, 1825 at approximately 4pm, Czar Nicholas of Russia gave the order for his artillery to open fire upon the Decembrists. Russian police estimated 70 to 80 deaths occurred from the artillery barrage. Demonstrators in full flight; the revolt was concluded over the course of a single day. The masterminds behind the revolt: Ryleyev, Kakhovsky, Pestel, Sergey Muravyov-Apostol and Bestuzhev-Ryumin were hanged on July 13, 1826. 120 Decembrists were exiled to Siberia. Overall, the Decembrist Revolution failed for a large number of reasons. "Instead of a general social uprising, it proved to be merely the revolutionary outburst of an insignificant minority of youth apostates..." The United Slav's, the Polish Secret Society and the Russian peasantry were eager and obvious allies to the rebel's cause but remained left behind in the dark. The Northern and Southern Societies inability to join ranks and unite, left them divided when they knew success could only be obtained through harmony. The failure to follow a specific course of action, perhaps partly due to the cowardice of key conspirators created a backfire of plans, installing confusion amongst their ranks. Ultimately, it is due to the failed unity between the North and South Societies, rushed plans, and the disastrous leadership of Decembrist leaders, that inevitably led to the failure of the Decembrist Revolt of 1825.

Sergey Trubetzkoy was the leader or 'dictator' of the Northern Society. In order for any organization of sorts to succeed, a strong leadership is necessary for moral and objective reasoning. Trubetzkoy was quite the opposite. "...in early December felt ready to give up or postpone the undertaking altogether." When the hour to revolt approached Trubetzkoy was not among his followers, where one would assume a leader should be. Instead, Trubetzkoy wandered the streets all day, avoiding the Senate Square altogether "in great fear and dejection." Without Trubetzkoy's presence of a central command, the mutinous rebels faced not only the Czar and his troops but inaction and confusion.

In spring of 1824, Colonel Pavel Pestel, the leader of the Southern Society, appeared in the capital with the mission to merge the Northern and Southern Societies together. A conference of the Northern Society resolved that the merger was "both useful and necessary" . Although both societies knew that a merger was in order for success, the Northerners didn't agree with Pestel's dictatorial scheme of having the directorate of the Society becoming the Provisional Government, which would remain in power for a decade or longer. The Northern Society wanted to set up a constitutional monarchy whereas the Southern Society wanted the establishment of a republic. All that the two sides agreed upon was an agreement that neither Society should start the insurrection without consulting the other. From that point on, the two organizations continued to function separately, which played a major factor leading towards the failure of the Decembrist movement and revolution altogether. Coordination between the North and South would have allowed them to act much faster and stronger through a common unity.

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Approximate Word count = 2393
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History