Topic 3 Russia: PG and the Bolshevik Takeover Flashcards
(18 cards)
1
Q
Positives of the PG
A
- ended capital punishment
- ended press censorship
- released all political prisoners
- Okhrana disbanded
2
Q
Sharing Power with the Petrograd Soviet
Weaknesses of the PG
A
- March-October 1917 “Dual Power”
- PS more popular with Russians, made of soldiers and workers
- PS not blamed for mistakes
- Army Order Number 1 - armed forces take orders from the PS
- PG could not rely on the support of the army if faced with a crisis
- PS run by Mensheviks and other Marxists but under control of Bolsheviks by Sept 1917
3
Q
Continuation of War
Weaknesses of the PG
A
- wanted to wait for a Constituent Assembly before deciding
- pressured by Britain and France to keep troops of Eastern Front
- June 1917 Kerensky launched June Offensive on Austrian and German forces, catastrophic defeat
- many soldiers deserted (encouraged by B agitators)
4
Q
April Theses
A
- Apr 1917 L announces at Finland Station
- immediate overthrow of PG
- immediate end to ‘capitalist’ war as it only led to proletariat suffering
- nationalisation of industry
- nationalisation of land
- all power to the soviets
- immediate ending of cooperation with PG
5
Q
What were the two slogans of the April Theses?
A
- Peace, Bread, Land
- All Power to the Soviets
6
Q
Why was Lenin’s April Theses very popular?
A
offered solutions to all of the problems facing Russia
7
Q
Causes of the July Days
A
- June Offensive
- Food Shortages
- Bolshevik Propaganda (widespread by June)
8
Q
Events of the July Days
A
- 3-17 July
- started by anarchist revolutionaries
- soldiers, sailors and workers protested
- PS didn’t support demonstrations
- PS and PG agrred to work tog. to stop demonstrations
- 4th July thunderstorm dispersed crowds
- 5th July K sent troops to break up crowds
- K argued B were dangerous
- L fled to Finland as leading B arrested
9
Q
Who was the president of the PG?
A
Kerensky
10
Q
Kornilov Revolt
A
- K appointed Kornilov was Commander in Chief of the Russian Army to restore discipline
- Sep 1917
- Kornilov brought troops to Petrograd in case of unrest
- instead decides to stage military coup to oust PG, introduce a military dictatorship and martial law
- K gives weapons to PS (run by B) to stop revolt
- 25k B defend city
- T sent agitators to persuade troops to desert
11
Q
Effects of the Kornilov Revolt
A
- B get credit for saving Petrograd, seen as heroes
- increase B popularity (340k members by Oct 1917)
- 40k Red Guard now armed with weapons given by K
12
Q
What were the 5 stages of the Bolshevik Takeover?
A
- Lenin returns to Russia
- Military Revolution Committee
- K tries to stop Bolsheviks
- Bolsheviks seize control
- All Russian Congress of Soviets
13
Q
Lenin Returns to Russia
Step 1
A
- mid-Oct L returns from Finland in disguise
- convinced B to revolt after forcing a meeting with other leading B for 10 hours
- supported by T
14
Q
Military Revolution Committee (MRC)
A
- K tries to send all B-influenced units out of Petrograd
- PS set up MRC in response
- led by T
- Petrograd Regiment pledged allegiance to MRC
15
Q
When did the Petrograd Regiment pledge allegiance to the MRC?
A
26th October
16
Q
Kerensky tries to stop Bolsheviks
Step 3
A
- K called for arrest of MRC leaders and crackdown
- L and T called it a counter-revolution
- T use position as chairman of PS and head of MRC to take control of roads, bridges, army HQs and the PO
17
Q
Bolsheviks Seize Control
Step 4
A
- night of 25th-26th Oct
- seize state bank and Winter Palace
- WP only defended by Women’s Death
- takeover signalled by blank shell fired by battleship Aurora
- Battalion and Cadets; most of Cossacks had abandoned
- Propaganda show this as a struggle but was peaceful w/ little resistance
- PG ministers did not resist
- only 5 Red Guard soldiers hurt
18
Q
All Russian Congress of Soviets
Step 5
A
- representatives of all the Soviets in Russia
- 743 delgates in total
- many delegates left the meeting in protest after hearing of the takeover leaving SRs and Bolsheviks
- these voted in favour of the takeover
- so out of those that voted, PS had supported the takeover
- “dustbin of history” - T
