The Grand Duchess Olga was nineteen years when WWI broke out, an intelligent, thoughtful young woman and widely admired.
During the prime ministership of Stolypin, the rate of economic growth in Russia outstripped every other country in the world, to the extent that by 1910 Russia was the fastest growing country in the world. Had there been security within the ruling house, the autocracy would not have been undermined by members of its own family. Kaiser Wilhelm would have thought twice about drawing a strong country into war. He knew Russia was being destabilised from within, thus She was weakened.
I am shocked at BourbonFan's even mentioning that Alexandra Feodorovna's relationship with Rasputin was improper.
tsaria