October rev in depth Flashcards
Petrograd Soviet- Each regiment to…
Why didn’t Petrograd Soviet take power?
Each regiment to elect committees that would send representatives to the Soviet
this wouldn’t follow the classical Marxist timeline- needed to be a period of education and industrialisation
Lenin’s initial impact:
The day after the revolution- what did Lenin do?
What did they describe it as?
Presented his thesis at meetings with the Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks
described it as the ‘ravings of a madman’
Who was the minister of war?
Why was he forced to resign?
who took over?
why was this sigificant?
Milyukov
Policy of continuing war in effort to make territorial gains- outraged socialists in the soviet and demonstrations-forced to resign
government reformed 5 may- 5 socialist leaders joined the coalition government- Mensheviks and SRs would be associated with failures of the war
Reasons for June offensive:
British and France desperately requested that Russia attack eastern front to take pressure off them
Successful offensive-better bargaining position
Discontent with PG: BOA
who argues that PG’s failure is less about dual power and more about the BOA
who claimed the power in the towns
who wanted to claim private land for common use in the countryside?
What was there an increase in?
Breakdown of authority
Orlando Figes
Members of the zemstvo and soviets or factory committees
commune elders
increase in the number of councils and soviets claiming democratic control over their units
Discontent for PG: War
While the PG produced legislation to create a “free Russia”…
While the PG produced legislation to create a “free Russia” the overriding priority was the war
Discontent for PG: land reform:
What was the PG’s position on land distribution?
how many cases of land seizure 1917?
were not against land distribution but wanted it done by the law set down by the constituent assembly
a land free-for-all would lead to further disintegration of the army as soldiers ran back home to claim land
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Discontent with PG: cities
How many factories closed down in Petrograd Feb-Jul
How many workers lost their jobs
harvest
568 factories
100,000 jobs
poor harvest 1917
Why was Kerensky a good man for PG;
An english nurse”
hes apart of PG and Soviet- liked on both sides
people “kissed him, his uniform, his car, and the ground which he walked”- extremely popular and excellent speeches. But vain.
Mistakes made by Kerensky:
continuing the June offensive despite Milyukov’s resignation and demonstrations against it
failure of the June offensive- July days
Arming the Bolsheviks in the Kornilov affair
Forming a coalition with the liberal cadets- lost all purchase with the far left
July days in detail:
how was order number 1 involved?
When did they refuse to send detachment of machine gunners to the front?
Who marched on the city centre?
order no1 guaranteed that the garrison would not be ordered to the front
stay in the city to protect attempts at counter revolution.
refused to send a detachment of machine gunners to the Front 20 June
Kronstadt sailors, workers and soldiers
Kornilov affair in detail:
who misunderstood who’s message?
events that follow:
Significance
Kornilov thought Kerensky was okay with putting Petrograd under military control and sent troops.
Kerensky- dismisses kornilov- orders for his arrest
Kerensky- releases Bolsheviks arrested from July days and arms them
40,000 guns distributed
Kornilov’s troops met by a Soviet delegation that persuaded them to halt their advance
Kerensky lost the trust of his generals and displayed weakness by calling on the Bolsheviks for help
Role of Trotsky:
Welcomed arrest to use his trial as a public platform
Trotsky told the Kronstadt sailors to side with Kerensky during the Kornilov affair-allowed arming of the Bolsheviks
Played a key role in turning radical popular opinion against the PG.
Trotsky managed to persuade the CC to withdraw from the conference by 5 October
Bolshevik popularity
10,000 to 300,000 members Feb to October
Won majorities in urban soviets
