The Dual Authority (March to October 1917)

Question 1

Who was Prime Minister of Prov. Gov.?

Answer 1

Prince Georgi Lvov

Question 2

Who was the Minister of War in Prov. Gov.?

Answer 2

Alexander Guchkov

Question 3

Who was the Foreign Minister for the Prov. Gov.?

Answer 3

Pavel Miliukov

Question 4

Who was the Minister of Justice for Prov. Gov.?

Answer 4

Alexander Kerensky

Question 5

List 5 changes that the Prov. Gov. introduced that support Lenin’s view that Russia at the time was the ‘freest country in he world.’

Answer 5

• Full and immediate amnesty for all political and religious cases, including terrorist attacks, military uprisings, and agrarian offences
• Freedom of speech, unions, press, assembly and strikes.
• Abolition of all class, religious and national restrictions
• Universal suffrage
• Abolition of restrictions on soldiers’ enjoyment

Question 6

Fill the blanks:
‘The ____ had power without authority; the _____, authority without power’

Explain what this means.

Answer 6

1. Soviets
2. Provisional Government

This means that Soviets had popular support an power over the population while the Provisional government ruled, but was unable to enact any real change without it being ‘permitted by the Soviets’

Question 7

Where was Lenin at the time of the February Revolution?

Answer 7

Zurich, Switzerland

Question 8

How did Lenin return to Russia?

Answer 8

His comrades in the Swiss socialist movement had shady connections with the German government. An agreement was made that Lenin and 31 other Bolsheviks would be able to travel through Germany via a sealed carriage without needing passport checks and travel documents.

Question 9

When did Lenin deliver his April Thesis?

Answer 9

4 April 1917

Question 10

Outline 3 or more idea expressed in the April Thesis.

Answer 10

• Disapproval with the Prov. Gov. commitment to the ‘predatory imperialist war’
• The Bolsheviks would offer ‘no support for the Prov. Gov.; the utter falsity of all its promises should be made clear’.
  -Revolutionary Defencism was flawed

Question 11

Quote 1 or more perspectives that highlight the negative reactions to Lenin’s ideas.

Answer 11

“This is the ravings of a madman! It’s indecent to applaud this rubbish!’ -Alexander Bogdanov

Question 12

Note the slogans that Lenin developed.

Answer 12

• ‘Peace, Bread, Land!’
• ‘Turn this imperialist war into a civil war!’
• ‘All power to the Soviets’

Question 13

According to Tsereteli’s policy of Revolutionary Defencism, Russia will continue the war so long as the aims of the conflict did not include ‘____’ and ‘_____’.

Answer 13

Annexations and indemnities

Question 14

When did the Soviets make its ‘Appeal to the Peoples of the World’?

Answer 14

14 March 1917

Question 15

How did Miliukov’s Note appear to contradict the Prov. Gov. ‘s Declaration of War Aims?

Answer 15

While the ‘Appeal to the people’s of the World’ denounced war and and ‘acquisitionist ambitions’, Miliukov’s note declared Russia’s right to Constantinople and the Dardanelles.

Question 16

On what day did the April Crisis protests begin and approx. how many people were protesting?

Answer 16

20 April 1917
25,000

Question 17

What were the main demands of the April Crisis protests?

Answer 17

• ‘Down with Miliukov and Guchkov’
• ‘Down with the Imperialist war!’
• The desire for the Soviets to take power

Question 18

How did the Soviet executive committee diffuse the April Crisis?

Answer 18

They issued a 3 day ban on demonstrations

Question 19

Name the Significant Mensheviks and SRs who became ministers in the First Coalition Gov.

Answer 19

Irakli Tsereteli (Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs)

Matvey Skobelev (Ministry of Labour)

Viktor Chernov (Ministry of Agriculture)

Alexander Kerensky (Ministry of War)

Question 20

What was Kerensky’s position in the Prov. Gov. at the time of the June Offensive?

Answer 20

Minister for War

Question 21

Why was Kerensky called ‘Supreme Persuader in Chief’?

Answer 21

He was a flamboyant and captivating speaker

Question 22

Who commanded the June Offensive?

Answer 22

General Alexei Brusilov

Question 23

When did the June Offensive begin? When did the Russian advance halt?

Answer 23

22 May 1917
6 July 1917

Question 24

Identify 2 outcomes of the June Offensive that were challenges for the Prov. Gov.

Answer 24

• Morale was eroded
• Revolutionary Defencism was discredited

Question 25

What caused the Kadets to leave the First Coalition Gov. in July 1917?

Answer 25

Key figures in the Constituent Assembly, namely Kerensky, Tsereteli, and Tereshchenko, were willing to offer concessions to Rada, an organization that acted as parliament and represented Ukrainian interests.

These concessions enraged by the concessions and on 2 July they resigned from the coalition after being unwilling to accept their loss of authority and the disillusionment from policies made by soviet ministers.

Question 26

Which military group initiated the July Day protests? The arrival of which group further radicalized the demonstrations on 4 July?

Answer 26

Machine Gun Regiment
Kronstadt Sailors

Question 27

What location was the scene of significant events during the July Days?

Answer 27

Tauride Palace

Question 28

What did protestors shout at Viktor Chernov when he addressed the crowd during the July Days?

Answer 28

‘Take power, you son of a bitch, when it’s given to you!’

Question 29

Briefly explain how the weather brought an end to the July Days.

Answer 29

Heavy rain washed over Petrograd, dispersing demonstrators off the streets.

Question 30

Briefly explain how lack of clear Bolshevik leadership brought an end to the July Days.

Answer 30

The Bolsheviks were unsure whether to support the protests or not. But because of the disorganized nature of the leadership, the protests were increasingly violent and chaotic.

Question 31

Briefly explain how the actions of the Justice Minister Pereverzev brought an end to the July Days.

Answer 31

In order to rouse hostility towards the Bolsheviks from soldiers, he utilized a set of new tactics:
- leaked to the press unsubstantiated reports that the Bolsheviks were receiving financial support from the germans
- ordered a detachment of soldiers to ransack the offices and printing presses of Pravda
- right-wing journalists wrote articles accusing Lenin of being a German spy

This decreased popular support for the Bolsheviks within the eyes of the common people

Question 32

Briefly explain how the actions of War Minister Kerensky brought an end to the July Days.

Answer 32

• ordered the seizure of Bolshevik HQ and other buildings where the party worked
• issued arrest warrants for Bolshevik leaders and activists (800 arrested)

This led Bolshevik leaders, such as Lenin, to escape to Finland

Question 33

Briefly explain the impacts of the July Days on Bolshevik leadership.

Answer 33

The July Days resulted in a drastic decrease in the influence of the Bolshevik party, which had gambled away its growing popularity in an attempt to influence protests. Most leaders of the party were either in hiding or imprisoned.

Question 34

When was Kornilov appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army?

Answer 34

18 July 1917

Question 35

Briefly summarise the demands Kornilov made shortly after his appointment.

Answer 35

• the restoration of the death penalty for all soldiers, even in non-combat areas
• a ban on soldiers’ committees and unions at the front
• military control over railways
• all factories working for defense industries to be subject to military discipline
• set quotas for defense industries, any worker that did not meet the quota would be sent to the front
• ban on strikes and organizers face capital punishment

Question 36

What was decided at the Moscow State Conference?

Answer 36

‘It created nothing and it decided nothing’-Trotsky

Question 37

Briefly explain the events that led to Kornilov’s coup.

Answer 37

19 Aug
- Kornilov ordered his Cossack troops, including the Savage division, to be stationed closer to Petrograd. He called for them to be garrisoned in towns with easy railway access to Moscow and Petrograd
25-26 Aug
- Lvov, Minster of the Church, traveled between Petrograd and the H of High Command, presenting himself as a mediator between Kornilov and Kerensky. He gave differing accounts to each for what the other party wanted from them.
-Kornilov thought that h was being encouraged to start a military dictatorship. Kerensky thought Kornilov was demanding dictatorial powers and his resignation
-Kerensky impersonated Lvov via telegraph to confirm his intentions. This furthered the misunderstanding between the two
27 Aug
- Kornilov was dismissed by Kerensky and asked to return to Petrograd. Kornilov was enraged and ordered his troops to prepare for advance towards Petrograd to ‘save Russia’

Question 38

How did the Soviet defend Petrograd against Kornilov’s troops?

Answer 38

Workers’ militia called the Red Guard was stationed alongside garrisoned soldiers in readiness for the impending assault. A vast network of trenches, barbed wire, and barricades were constructed around the city. About 3000 Kronstadt sailors guarded key bridges and buildings.

Question 39

What was the outcome of the Kornilov affair:
- Conservatives who supported Kornilov
- Kerensky
-Bolsheviks

Answer 39

• Conservatives were appalled
• Kerensky’s influence and reputation sunk
• Bolsheviks’ reputation grew immensely, known as the defenders of Petrograd. They also had guns now

Question 40

What revolutionary ideal was associated with the Bolsheviks that was a key factor to their popularity in Aug-Sept 1917?

Answer 40

They were the only party opposing the war.

Question 41

When did the Democratic State Conference meet? Who attended and what was decided?

Answer 41

• 14-19 Sept 1917
• Attended by representatives of Soviet parties,
  Soviet deputies and trade unions
• They decided nothing whatsoever

Question 42

When did Kerensky form the 3rd Coalition Gov.?

Answer 42

25 Sept 1917

Question 43

What was the purpose of preparliament?

Answer 43

It would act as a prelude for the Constituent Assembly and advise the government on policy initiatives.

Question 44

Describe the stability and authority of the 3rd Coalition Gov.

Answer 44

It was the weakest and least successful of all the Prov Gov. It lasted 4 weeks

Question 45

What led to Trotsky being elected Chairman of the Petrograd Soviet on 25 Sept?

Answer 45

Trotsky denounced the new government in a speech and organized a walk-out in protest. He then replaced Chkheidze as chairman.

Question 46

What was Lenin encouraging the Bolshevik party to do during mid-Sept?

Answer 46

For the Bolsheviks to take power through their own hands.