WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Russian industry and agriculture struggled to cope with the war economy. Food shortages in the cities were heightened by the war – the limited railway system was focused on transportation of men and arms to the front, rather than food to the cities.

Detailed explanation-2: -In reality, Russia’s agricultural production fell sharply in wartime (see Table 1). Moreover, the magnitude of decline in cultivated grain areas in localities between 1914 and 1916 is strongly correlated with the incidence of the military draft (Castañeda Dower and Markevich 2018a).

Detailed explanation-3: -(i) Russia had few industries and the country was cut off from other supplies of industrial goods by German control of the Baltic Sea. (ii) Industrial equipment disintegrated more rapidly in Russia than elsewhere in Europe. By 1916, railway lines began to break down. (iii) Able-bodied men were sent to fight the war.

Detailed explanation-4: -The cost of food more than doubled during the war years. Lots of food was sent away to feed soldiers fighting in the war. There was less food arriving, as ships carrying supplies were attacked by German submarines. Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and bread were hard to find. There were long queues outside shops.

Detailed explanation-5: -Warring parties may plunder an enemy’s food supply, deliberately destroying farms, livestock, and other civilian infrastructure. Conflict can cause food shortages and the severe disruption of economic activities, threatening the means of survival of entire populations.