Lenin's role in rev

Question 1

intro to lenin role in rev

Answer 1

-lenin did not expect tsar to abdicate as early as march 1917
-did not expect revolution to occur in his lifetime
-returned to russia with help of German government after abdication (Germany wanted to increase tensions)
-when lenin returned there was a shift in attitude to the provisional government
-argued that there should be a socialist revolution and socialists should take over government
-other key leaders: Stalin, zinoviev, bukharin

Question 2

Lenin’s beliefs

Answer 2

-demanded socialist revolution
-declared April thesis:
“peace, land and bread”- wanted to removed the provisional government. wanted to end Russian involvement in ww1, wanted to introduced land reform for the peasants. wanted to end the hardships of war.
“all power to the soviets”- demanded that all power be delegated to the soviets, feb revolution first step towards revolution and soviets to take over the government

Question 3

the impact of Lenin’s return

Answer 3

-initially very little impact, did not gain much support for April thesis
-began to send bolsheviks into Petrograd for support of workers strikes
-wanted to end the provisional government
-hwoever, the bolshevik majority began to oppose the PG, attracted support of radicals like Trotsky