The phrase bloody sunday is used all across the world on some sundays where people have a unwanted project, or an important dead line the next day. It is the dreaded cram sessions that no one looks forward to. But where did the phrase “bloody sunday” originate from? The first Bloody Sunday took place in Russia 1905. The Russian people worked in horribly unsafe factories, the country entered an unnecessary war and was losing it, and the government was corrupt. When new leadership came into play, one may think that things are bound to get better, but in the case of Russia, things just got worse.
So the people of Russia did the only thing they thought would get attention; a peaceful protest where they would make demands to better the Russian people’s conditions. This protest took a turn for the worst when violence broke out by the guards. Russia would not be the same for decades to come. The peaceful protest that was aimed to freed the oppressed people of Russia turned violent because of the week ruler, and even weaker government. In all of history, something doesn’t just happen overnight; there must be a build up that leads to the inevitable explosion.
In Russia’s case, there were two main contribution; the corruption and weak government and the Russo- Japanese War. Nicholas II, the tsar of Russia, secluded himself from his people, simply because he didn’t like the location of the former palace, St. Petersburg. He was stubborn and wouldn’t listen to loud cries of his people. He, just like his father, ruled over a corrupt government and made no effort to change. He also made no effort to improve the poor and unsafe working conditions. He favored the expansion of the empire, but for personal gain, not o help his people.
The second reason for the unhappy citizens was Russo- Japanese War. This war started as a result of Russia’s inferior views towards Japan. Russia refused Japan’s plan to divide Korea into spheres of influence. In vengeances of this denial, Japan launched several naval attacks on the Russian Naval Fleet. The Russians underestimated the ability of the Japanese, and lost most of the major battles, costing them the rest of the war. The war wasn’t just unnecessary but also cost Russia a great deal; both in money and the trust of its people.
The Russian working class began to suffer more and more in the months leading to the end of the war. There was one person that the working man looked up to for advice on the situation that laid before them. This man was Father Georgi Gapon. Father Gapon became a priest at the St. Petersburg Cathedral, this was before freedom of religion was abandoned in Russia. He however was different than most of his fellow priest, he was concerned about the welfare of the working class and the poor. He disagreed with the unsafe working environments that men, women, and children faced everyday.
He organized the Assembly of Russian Workers in an attempt to form trade unions. He even meet with and wrote letters to the tsar of Russia. In his discussions he emphasised the unsafe working environments, the unfair pay, and how the war was affecting the Russian People for the worst. When he had no response from Nicholas, he took matters into his own hand; he told the workers to go on strike, sign a petition, and join him on a march to St. Petersburg. On Sunday, January 22, 1905, one hundred and fifty thousand workers gathered at the winter palace, St.
Petersburg, to list their demands. The marchers wore their Sunday best, children lined the front, and the adults pulled in behind them, all holding icons. They sang hymns of praise and religion. Their list of demands were small but would help their way of life tremendously. The demands were 8 hour work days, freedom of unions, various ways of improving working conditions, free medical aid, higher wage for women, elections for assembly, freedom of speech, press, association and religion, and finally to end the war in Japan. The workers marched to the six assigned spots along the palace.
All was going well until the palace guards locked their entrance into the gates. Expecting no force from the guards, the protestors marched onward. A few guards shot warning shots over the heads, but others panicked and shot into the crowd. The protesters scrambled, while others attacked the guards. This resulted in the death of 200 and the wounding of another 800, varying from both men, women, and children. This day became known as oody Sunday. The only thing achieved by the protest death. The saddest thing of alI, was on January 21st, 1905, Father Gapon wrote to Nicholas “The people believe in thee.
They have made up their minds to gather at the Winter Palace tomorrow at 2 p. m. to lay their needs before thee. Do not fear anything. Stand tomorrow before the party and accept our humblest petition. I, the representative of the workingmen, and my comrades, guarantee the inviolability of thy person. ” Father Gapon wrote this to warn Nicholas of the events that would happen, not so Nicholas could prepare, but to make sure Nicholas understand the intention of the protest; completely peaceful. However, even with the peaceful warning, the guards still shot at them.
Nicholas, main historians believe, tried his best to cover up any fault on his part, he tried making the protesters the guilty party, he tried making himself the “good guy” and by doing so tricked other high ranking leaders he was innocent. Even if the high officials didn’t believe Nicholas, they were going to protect their own self and support his story. The tsar and other high Russian officials claimed that the protestors started the riot. Nicholas accounted in his diary, “a painful day. There have been serious disorders in St. Petersburg because workmen wanted to come p to the Winter Palace.
Troops had to open fire in several places in the city; there were many killed and wounded. God, how painful and sad. ” Most accounts agree, however, that the guards where the guilty aggressors. Still tsar refused to acknowledge the majority belief and seeked to have all the protestors arrested, especially Father Gapon. Nicholas, main historians believe, tried his best to cover up any fault on his part, he tried making the protesters the guilty party, he tried making himself the “good guy” and by doing so tricked other high ranking leaders he was innocent.
News spread of the horrible incident, and in a domino effect, riots broke out across Russia. With tension already high, any trust in the government died with those protestors. Alliance with the tsar were broken and a full-blown revolution broke out. More troops were sent to Moscow as more violent riots broke out among the entire country. The laboring population where against the nation and the order of everything in it. Many of the extreme liberals that were part of the protest were arrested. Father Gapon was forced into hiding, but was still directing strikes.
Tension was at its highest, all work had been suspended, and large international revolution had begun. This revolution didn’t end until the start of World War I, but tensions were still high. The oppression of the Russian People lead to not just the one bloody massacre, but an entire revolution. The people of Russia aimed to end their oppression with a peaceful protest that turned violent. After this peaceful protest was tried and failed, people resorted to violence. This caused uprisings and eventually a revolution. Russia would take decades to return to normal.
