What was the primary force behind the February Revolution?

The primary force behind the February Revolution was indeed the soldiers and workers' mutinies. This revolution was characterized by widespread discontent among the working class and military personnel due to severe food shortages, economic hardship, and the ongoing strains of World War I.

As morale plummeted, many soldiers began to desert the front lines, and workers organized strikes and protests in significant numbers, demanding better working conditions and an end to the war. The situation escalated as various groups, including soldiers and workers, united against the Tsarist regime, leading to mass demonstrations in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg). This culminated in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the establishment of a provisional government, marking a critical turning point in Russian history.

In this context, the other options do not encapsulate the primary drivers of the revolution. While children's riots might reflect societal unrest, they were not a central factor in the events of February 1917. Political debates were ongoing, but they lacked the urgency and mass mobilization that characterized the moment. Foreign invasion played a role in the overall instability but was not the primary catalyst for the revolution; rather, it was the internal dissent from soldiers and workers that fundamentally destabilized the regime.