1917 October Revolution - Essay plan

Question 1

Main Thesis Summarised

Answer 1

• PG is weak
• Soviets / Bolsheviks capitalised off of their weakness
• Bolshevik leadership was effective in radicalising revolution and organising revolution
• if PG wasn’t as incompetent + doomed from the start revolution would have been less viable

Question 2

POINT 1 - PG weakness

Answer 2

• Dual Authority - Soviet order 1
• Lack of claim
• Policies lacklustre
  war =July offensive - July Days - Kornilov
  land = national peasants revolt etc.

Question 3

POINT 2 - Bolshevik taking advantage of weaknesses of PG

Answer 3

Land - Left SR’s
- Anti-war stance
- July Days - Kornilov affair
- Not part of PG or Pre -Parliament - legit

Question 4

POINT 3 - Leadership of Bolsheviks

Answer 4

• Lenin
  = Letters from afar - April Theses
  = end accomodationism
  = radicalisation - adapt Marx
• Trotsky
  = Chairman of Soviet
  = MRC 1/3 - 10,000 soldiers

Question 5

Point 4 = Kerensky

Answer 5

July Offensive / Kornilov
- discuss if leadership was fault - ministerial crisis - war minister

pre -emptive attack on Bolsheviks

lack of armed aid - no soldiers - only loyal to Soviets