4) The Oct/nov 1917 Revolution Flashcards
When did Oct/nov revolution begin
25 th October 1917
Reasons for Oct/nov revolution
Weakness of PG
Defeat of WW1
Political manoeuvres of Bolshevik
Deteriorating economic situation
What did Kerensky do to act on the dangers posed by bolsheviks
October 23rd
Ordered Bolshevik papers to cease activities - Pravda and Izvestia
Wanted to send troops to Petrograd but they remained loyal to bolsheviks
Bolsheviks claimed his actions were a betrayal of the soviet and abandonment of principles
Kerensky gave Bolshevik excuse to act
What happened starting on the 25 th October
Red guard soldiers surround winter palace
Blank shot fired by battleship Aurora- signal of bol attack
Red guard and Trotsky successfully arrested majority of PG
Winter places guarded by outnumbered female troops
What did MRC ANnounce
On 25th Oct
Military revolutionary committee announced that the PG had been deposed
To what extent was was it a revolution
Relatively small scale affair
25,000 at most involved
Many bystanders
Forces quite small
Bolsheviks claim larger to legitimise their regime and emerge the revolution as popular
How long does it take the Bolsheviks to assume control the city
Three days
Very little fighting
No more than five deaths
Why was there so little fighting in the October November revolution
Provisional government had hardly any military resources left to combat assault
Trotsky admitted to revolution was essentially a series of small operation is calculated and prepared in advance
What did soldiers do on the night of the 24th of October
Moved into the city and took over key government buildings and positions in petrograd
British historian Robert services view on the revolution
Russia heading for a socialist takeover anyway and that Lenin merely ensured that this was the Bolshevik takeover
What happened with the all Russian congress after the revolution
Many seats went to Bolsheviks and more extreme left-wing social revolutionaries
In protest Mensheviks and right-wing social revolutionaries walked out of Congress leaving a Bolshevik and left wing social revolutionary coalition in control
That action simply played in the Bolsheviks hand
What is sovnarkom
Cabinet made up of key government ministers who between them would run the country
Comprised exclusively Bolsheviks
Lenin as chairman
Lenin had no intention of sharing power with a Soviets
Deliberately sidelined the Petrograd Soviet
Sovnarkom ruled by decree without seeking soviets approval
Met once or twice a day
Bolshevik dominate power structure
Why was the word commissar used in sovnarkom
Distinguish new officials from the old bourgeois ministers
Eg Trotsky was commissar of foreign affairs
By end of 1917 how did Bolshevik control look
Dominated major towns and railways
Would take four years of bitter civil war before the Communist could claim full victory of controlling country
Lenin reluctantly allowed seven left-wing social revolutionaries to join sovnarkom
Lenin hostile to any power sharing 
Coup detat
Sudden violent overthrow of an existing government by small group
Popular uprising definition
Large and diverse number of people adopt a common and shared vision and goal to social change
After Bolsheviks establish their control were there risings
Army cadet rising against bolsheviks within Petrograd quickly defeated by red guard
October 29th 
What did Lenin’s decrees and actions in December mean for Russia
Seen as a utopian phase
High optimism of Bolshevik rule
Idealised perfection
Lenin needed to fulfil his promises and win support
Key decrees and dates
October 1917
Workers decree (max 8hr day)
Decree on land (abolish private ownership)
Decree on peace (promise to end war)
November 1917
Rights of people of Russia decree - abolish titles and ranks
Dec 1917
Created secret police - Cheka
Lenin’s actions is December
What message was he sending
Danger of moving to socialism too quickly
First stage of state capitalism - degree of state control with private ownership 
What was veshenka
Council responsible for state industry
Supervised and controlled state development
In the early months what was done to combat opposition
Propaganda - eradicate class
Anti Bolshevik newspapers closed down
Cheka established
Leaders of opposing parties we’re imprisoned - dec
