This is a can of worms. We are flogging this poor woman like a dead horse.
SHE WAS NOT SOLEY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION. Of course not, just like Marie Antoinette did not start the French Revolution. They just contributed and were scapegoats for public opinion. But it was all self inflicted.
Its just the glaring mistakes she made that scream out at one from the historical records. What would we have done if we were in her position ?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and although she found herself in an extremely complex situation, made up of all sorts of problems, I think her arrogance and narrow minded perception was her down fall. I also think she had mental and emotional problems, which went way back to her childhood. Adjustment problems. Perhaps that is why she did not adapt or adjust to being Empress. I think she carried some of these problems over to her children, by isolating them from the "cruel" world.
The first thing I think she should have done was to consider the advice offered to her by the family, and others in government. Instead she showed them the door.
The second thing which should have been done, in my humble opinion, was to appoint an emergency " council" composed of a cross section of people from different levels, including Nicholas's uncles, to assist in running the country during the time her husband was playing war at the front. The Duma was constantly being disbanded, that together with her constant " hiring and firing" of people, did not contribute to stability or continuity.
Perhaps there were many other things she could have done if she thought carefully about the singularly difficult situation she found herself in. Thought about them intelligently.
I think that she really believed that God had put her in charge of Russia at that time, to the exclusion of everyone else.
I am going to be shot down in flames for saying this.
How intelligent was she ? Taking everything into consideration. Should she have been left in charge of the largest country in the world ?
Many people here are constantly saying that she was such a wonderful mother and wife. Was she ?
I dont think so. She closetted her children away from everything, subjected them to Rasputin, and bullied her husband into making the most disastrous decisions in history. Her children have been described as being a bit " backward' in some ways, as they were denied normal social interaction. Any reasonably intelligent parent would not do that would they ?
At what point, does one in a situation like this, say to yourself " something is wrong here, this is not working, i am not coping, maybe I need help" ?
I sometimes wonder if she influenced her husbands decision to engage in the disastrous Japanese war ? Although he also did not listen to good advice.
Considering all the disasters afterwards, I have this theory that she influenced this one as well. It just seems to be an Empress Alexandra "special" . Perhaps I am wrong. But I think about this one very often.
I am running for cover!!
And no, she did not only start to interfere, at the start of the war. She started on day one.
Now you can all shoot me down in flames !!!
Con
