July–August: Second (founding) Congress of Russian Social-Democratic Party: split into Menshevik and Bolshevik factions.
July 20–22: Union of Liberation founded in Switzerland.
1904
January 3–5: Union of Liberation organized in St. Petersburg.
February 4: Plehve authorizes Gapon’s Assembly.
February 8: Japanese attack Port Arthur; beginning of Russo-Japanese War.
July 15: Assassination of Plehve.
August: Russians defeated at Liaoyang.
August 25: Sviatopolk-Mirskii Minister of the Interior.
October 20: Second Congress of Union of Liberation.
November 6-9: Zemstvo Congress in St. Petersburg.
November–December: Union of Liberation organizes nationwide campaign of banquets.
December 7: Nicholas and high officials discuss reform proposals; idea of introducing elected representatives into State Council rejected.
December 12: Publication of edict promising reforms.
December 20: Port Arthur surrenders to the Japanese.
1905
January 7–8: Major industrial strike in St. Petersburg organized by Father Gapon.
January 9: Bloody Sunday.
January 18: Sviatopolk-Mirskii dismissed; replaced by Bulygin.
January 10 ff.: Wave of industrial strikes throughout Russia.
January 18: Government promises convocation of Duma and invites population to submit petitions stating grievances.
February: Government-sponsored elections in St. Petersburg factories.
February: Russians abandon Mukden.
March 18: All institutions of higher learning closed for remainder of academic year.
April: Second Zemstvo Congress calls for Constituent Assembly.
Spring: 60,000 peasant petitions submitted.
May 8: Union of Unions formed under chairmanship of Miliukov.
May 14: Russian fleet destroyed in battle of Tsushima Strait; D. F. Trepov appointed Deputy Minister of the Interior.
June: Riots and massacres in Odessa; mutiny on the battleship
August 6: Bulygin (consultative) Duma announced.
August 27: Government announces liberal university regulations.
September 5 (NS): Russo-Japanese peace treaty signed at Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
September: Students open university facilities to workers; mass agitation.
September 19: Strike activity resumes.
October 9–10: Witte urges Nicholas to make major political concessions.
October 12–18: Constitutional-Democratic (Kadet) Party formed.
October 13: Central strike committee formed in St. Petersburg, soon renamed St. Petersburg Soviet.
October 14: Capital paralyzed by strikes.
October 15: Witte submits draft of what became October Manifesto.
October 17: Nicholas signs October Manifesto.
October 18 ff.: Anti-Jewish and anti-student pogroms: rural violence begins.
October–November: As Chairman of Council of Ministers, Witte initiates discussions with public figures to have them join cabinet.
November 21: Moscow Soviet formed.
November 24: Preliminary censorship of periodicals abolished.
December 6: St. Petersburg Soviet orders general strike.
December 8: Armed uprising in Moscow suppressed by force.
1906
March 4: Laws issued guaranteeing the rights of assembly and association.
April 16: Witte resigns as Chairman of Council of Ministers, replaced by Goremykin.
April 26: New Fundamental Laws (constitution) made public; Stolypin Minister of the Interior.
April 27: Duma opens.
July 8: Duma dissolved; Stolypin appointed Chairman of Council of Ministers.
August 12: Attempt by Socialist-Revolutionary Maximalists on Stolypin’s life.
August 12 and 27: Stolypin’s first agrarian reforms.
August 19: Courts-martial for civilians introduced.
November 9: Stolypin’s reform concerning communal landholding.
1907
February 20: Second Duma opens.
March: Stolypin announces reform program.
June 2: Second Duma dissolved; new electoral law.
November 7: Third Duma opens; in session until 1912.
1911
January–March: Western
September 1: Stolypin shot; dies four days later; replaced by Kokovtsov.
1912
November 15: Fourth (and last) Duma opens.
Conclusive split between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks.
1914
January 20: Goremykin Chairman of Council of Ministers.
July 15/28: Nicholas orders partial mobilization.
July 17/30: Full Russian mobilization.
July 18/31: German ultimatum to Russia.
Julv 19/August 1: Germany declares war on Russia.
July 27: Russia suspends convertibility of ruble.
August: Russian armies invade East Prussia and Austrian Galicia.
Late August: Russian armies crushed in East Prussia.
September 3: Russians capture Lemberg (Lwow), capital of Austrian Galicia.
1915
April 15/28: Germans launch offensive operations in Poland.
June 11: Sukhomlinov dismissed as Minister of War; replaced by Polivanov.
June: Further cabinet changes.
June–July: Formation of Progressive Bloc.
July: Special Council of Defense of the Country created; other councils and committees follow to help with war effort, including Military-Industrial Committees.
July 9/22: Russians begin withdrawal from Poland.
July 19: Duma reconvened for six weeks; Russian troops evacuate Warsaw.
August 21: Most ministers request Nicholas to let Duma form cabinet.
