AS FP1 : Developments between the Revolutions, Lenin's return and the July Days Flashcards
(16 cards)
Conceptual Awareness
What was the condition of Russia on the eve of Lenin’s return?
At the time of the February Revolution the Bolsheviks were a relatively small party with only 23,000 members, they only had 40 representatives in the 1500 person soviet and all their major leaders were in exile.
Russia was hardly an industrialised country that was ripe for Proletariat Revolution, there were roughly 3 million industrial workers, making up 2% of the population.
Lenin’s ideology and the April Theses
What was Lenin’s belief about the course of revolution in Russia?
Lenin believed that the Bolshevik’s job was to lead the people into a second revolution. He rejected the idea of a bourgeois revolution, instead believing in permanent revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat.
Lenin’s ideology and the April Theses
What were the terms of Lenin’s ‘April Theses’?
Lenin called for :
- The immediate end of the ‘Imperialist War’,
- All power to the Soviets
- Land transfer to the peasants
- End to collaboration with the Provisional Government.
“Peace, Bread Land.”
Lenin’s ideology and the April Theses
What were the reactions to Lenin’s April Theses?
- Some Bolsheviks feared that Lenin had grown out of touch and that his radical proposals would do more harm than good.
- Allegations that Lenin was in the pay of the Germans
- Mensheviks feared that, by stirring up discontent, Lenin would provoke a right-wing reaction.
- “The ravings of a madman.”
Lenin’s ideology and the April Theses
How did Lenin react to the opposition to his theses?
Lenin eventually got his way through persausion, threats of resignation and appeals to the rank + file.
Lenin’s ideology and the April Theses
How did Lenin build support for the Bolsheviks following his return to Russia?
Following Lenin’s return to Russia on April 16th, he sought converts at factory and party meetings, abandoned his call for the immediate overhtrow of the government in order to appease those who feared civil war.
He claimed personal credit for the peasant siezure of land and the anti-war demonstration in Petrogtad in April.
By the end of April, Lenin had won over the central committe of the Bolshevik party though “sheer force of personality” (R+W).
Lenin’s ideology and the April Theses
What was popularity for the Bolsheviks like by June 3rd 1917?
When the ‘All-Russian Congress of Soviets’ met on the 3rd of June 1917, it passed a vote of confidence in the Provisional Government, 563 votes to 126, showing that the Bolsheviks policies hadn’t taken over the Soviet. However, the Bolsheviks still did well in the City Duma Elections.
Lenin’s ideology and the April Theses
Why was the slogan “bread, peace, land” successful?
The solgan “peace, bread, land” was successful as it appealed to the soldiers and workers whose expectations and demands were becoming more radical and difficult to satisfy by the Provisional Government and Soviet.
Lenin’s ideology and the April Theses
Why was German money significant to Bolshevik popularity?
German money could be used to fund Bolshevik propaganda.
The July Days, causes
What was the June offensive, why was it significant to sparking the July Days?
The June offensive was a massive assault on Austo-Hungarian defences in Germany. By mid-July the Russians had suffered 400,000 casualties and were forced to retreat, surrendering more than 200 kilometres.
The July Days, causes
What was the economic situation in Petrograd like leading up the July days?
Between February and June, grain prices had doubled in Petrograd, while the shortages of fuel and raw materials had forced the closure of 568 factories, with the loss of 100,000 jobs.
Workers demanded price controls but the government didn’t want to act against the industrialists.
The July Days
What was the immediate catalyst for the July risings?
Sailors at the Kronstadt naval base organised a demonstration using Bolsheviks slogans, these demonstrations subsequently spread to the centre of Petrograd.
The July Days
Why couldn’t Lenin voice support for the July demonstrations?
Lenin could neither condemn nor support the action as a premature revolution signalled defeat and threatened to undermine the credibility of the Bolsheviks.
The July Days, consequences
How did Kerensky respond to the July risings?
- PG brought in reinforcements to crush the demonstrations,
- Despite the Bolsheviks’s involvement in negotiating the disarming and arrest of the sailors they were blamed for the bloodshet.
- Pravda was shut down, Lenin + Stalin fled whereas Trotsky and Kamenev were arrested.
- Bolshevik stronghold was raided and German money found, and Bolshevik leaders were denounced by their own newspaper (Izvestria).
- Bolshevik propaganda was burnt and Lenin’s reputation fell.
The July Days, consequences
How many were involved in the July risings?
100,000 involved and 700 were killed.
The July Days, consequences
What was the overall impact of the July Days?
The Bolsheviks footed the blame for these events. Their leaders were targeted by government propaganda and arrested, while Lenin was forced to flee.
