Russia Topic 3 - PG and Bolshevik Revolution Flashcards
(9 cards)
Weakness of the PG
March 1917 - power shared with PS
Army order number 1 - soldiers and sailors take order from PS - so PG couldn’t rely on army
Also, chose to continue fighting WW1 - June 1917 (june offensive) kerensky launched a massive attack on opposition forces - massive defeat and soldiers deserted - loss of support
Mistakes of PG
Didn’t solve land issue- peasants were seizing land and murdering those who resisted
PG worried land reforms would just make more peasants desert, so waitied for a constituent assembly to decide, too late
Didn’t solve food issues - lack of supply to cities, rations were small, seizing of land meant more chaos and less productivity in agriculture
Impact of PS
Initially worked with PG, didn’t want to weaken them and allow a stronger revolution to occur, also agreed with some of their principles like freedom of speech and freedom to strike
But then challenged the PG - army order num1 meant their power increased, and Lenin worked hard during 1917 to get control of the PS, which meant in oct revolution the PS could seize power
April Theses
announced by Lenin april 1917
he demanded overthrow of PG
land for peasents, immediate end to the war
All power in Russia must be given to the soviets, and all cooperation with other parties stopped
This had the effect:
popular as offered solution to problems by ending war etc
helped by slogans “Peace Bread Land” and “All power to the soviets” this propoganda was spread into most industrial cities, helped to overthrow the PG in the july days
July Days
period 3-17th july, lots of anti-government demonstrations, caused by rising prices + failed june offensive
Started by anarchist revolutionaries
Failed - PS didn’t support and met with PG and agreed to stop them together
5th july kerensky sent troops to break up the mobs
he then argued that the bolsheviks were dangerous and had leading bolsheviks arrested, lenin fled to finland
Kornilov Revolt
kerensky appointed kornilov as commander of russian army
kornilov brings troops to Petrograd to use in case of unrest
however, kornilov actually tried to take over the PG and arrest its members and introduce a military dictatorship
It failed - kerensky gave guns to the PS to stop it
soldiers and workers were organised into the red guard
within days bolsheviks organised 25k armed recruits
Trotsky sent agitators to persuade kornilovs troops to desert
bolsheviks get credit for stopping revolt
Bolshevik Takeover
Kerensky tried to send all bolsheviks out of petrograd after bolshevik propoganda leaked a takeover was imminent.
In response the trotsky setup the military revolutionary comittee
THE MRC took control of roads, bridges, the army HQ and other things
25 oct red guard took control of bridges and railway stations
26 oct bolsheviks move on winter palace
there was little fighting as many cossacks had already left
congress voted in favour of the bolshevik takeover
Role of Lenin
april theses - “peace bread land” and “all power to the soviets” - helped with popularity
worked to get control of the PS
In oct 1917: sent letters to leading bolsheviks to take over
Spent many nights persuading other leading bolsheviks that the take over should happen immidiately, it was then succesful
Role of Trotsky
joined the bolshevik party in aug 1917, moved up the ranks by being elected to the bolshevik central comittee and then in september elected as chairman
In oct 1917: he helped organise the MRC, supported Lenin in an immediate uprising, organised the red guard and the plan to seize specific bridges and railways
