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Russia > Bolshevik Seizure of Power > Flashcards

Bolshevik Seizure of Power Flashcards

1
Q

How much involvement did the Bolsheviks have in the February revolution? Why?

A

Little involvement, they only had 10,000 members at this point. Lenin was in Zurich during the revolution and the party had not expected to see a revolution for a long time.

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2
Q

What evidence is there that the Bolsheviks wanted to accommodate rather than listen to Lenin’s calls for a class war?

A
  • Pravda urged “critical support” for the new government and soviet
  • The Marxist view believed in having a bourgeois revolution first and that was what February turned out to be
  • Some Bolsheviks wanted to reunite with the Mensheviks of the RSDLP – important to reduce hostility and maximise democratic chances
  • Kamenev and Stalin supported working with the PG (some of the first leading figures back in Petrograd)
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3
Q

When did Lenin arrive in Petrograd? What were the key ideas in his April Theses?

A

April 1917

1) The Soviets would be the basis for a new revolutionary government
2) The war would be immediately ended
3) Co-operation with the PG would end
4) Land would be given to the peasants
5) A worldwide socialist revolution would be borne out of Russia and other countries would support them in doing so.

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4
Q

What was Lenin’s slogan to sum up his April Theses?

A

“Peace, Bread, Land”

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5
Q

Why was Lenin opposed to the war?

A

He thought it was carried out to benefit the bourgeoisie and capitialists. He thought it simultaneously was the cause of the socio-economic grievances of the proletariat.

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6
Q

How did Lenin justify his Theses and the need for a socialist revolution?

A
  • He argued the Bourgeoisie was too weak to carry out the democratic revolution
  • Claimed that the proletariat already had power in the soviets
  • Classed peasants with the proletariat due to the idea of class consciousness
  • Thought that the socialist revolution would first hapen in a backward capitalist society like Russia before sparking off further revolutions in Europe.
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7
Q

What was the consequence of the April Theses?

A

It framed the Bolsheviks in clear opposition to the PG

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8
Q

What was Bolshevik party membership in February 1917? April 1917?

A

February 1917 - 23,000

April 1917 - 100,000

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9
Q

What proportion of votes did the Bolsheviks acquire in the Moscow municipal elections in July and October?

A

July - 11%

October - 51%

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10
Q

When did the First All Russian Congress of Soviets meet? What was the membership of the three main revolutionary parties in the congress?

A

June 1917
SRs = 285
Mensh = 248
Bolsh = 105

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11
Q

How did the All Russian Congress of Soviets indirectly challenge the PG?

A

It was an alternative body which had electoral legitimacy

Its existence added strength to the Bolshevik slogan - “All power to the Soviets”

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12
Q

What did Lenin declare at the All Russian Congress of Soviets? What did the congress prevent the Bolsheviks from doing?

A
  • He declared that the Bolsheviks were ready to take government alone
  • Congress however prevented the Bolsheviks from staging a major demonstration in Petrograd shortly after the meeting
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13
Q

How often did food prices double in 1917?

A

Every other month

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14
Q

What proportion of bread rations did manual workers receive in October compared to March in Petrograd?

A

Less than 1/6 of their March rations

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15
Q

What proportion of coal needs were being fulfilled by May?

A

1/3

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16
Q

During which months was the Putilov factory temporarily closed?

A

July and September

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17
Q

How many people were registering as unemployed with a union in July? October?

A

July - 37.4 a day

October - 71.3 a day

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18
Q

How many strikers were there in April? October?

A

April - 35,000

October - 1.2 million

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19
Q

How many casualties were there in the first few weeks of the Kerensky Offensive which began the 18th June?

A

400,000

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20
Q

Why did the Bolsheviks grow more appealing to the workers and peasants as 1917 continued?

A

Since the social, economic and political problems worsened during the period. The PG was incapable of solving food shortages, peasant disturbances in the countryside and holding elections for the CA. Since the other revolutionary parties were part of the PG, workers turned to the Bolsheviks and their promise of “peace, bread, land”.

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21
Q

How did the Bolsheviks try to entice soldiers?

A

They used “trench Bolshevism” - propaganda targeting soldiers. The promise of peace was attractive for the soldiers. They printed a special version of Pravda for the soldiers.

22
Q

What were the five main causes of the July Days?

A
  • The Kerensky Offensive and its failure
  • The poor socio-economic situtation within Petrograd e.g. Putilov factory closed in July for a month
  • The fear of the Petrograd garrison of being sent to the front after Kerensky demobilised two regiments at the front for disobeying orders
  • The resignation of 4 Kadet ministers on the 4th July which destabilised government
  • The Petrograd demonstration on the 18th June which showed off the strength of the SOviets
23
Q

What were the July Days (3rd and 4th July)?

A

The workers and soldiers rose up, marching the streets and commandeering the motors of ministers. 20,000 armed sailors joined the movement on the 4th July from the Kronstadt naval base and marched to the Tauride palace, demanding the Soviet takes power. Chernov came out to try and calm the crowd but was almost lynched

24
Q

How was the July Uprising put down?

A

Loyal troops were brought into the city and secured control of it quickly

25
Q

What was the impact of the July Days on the Bolsheviks?

A
  • They had 800 senior party members arrested (including Trotsky)
  • Lenin fled to Finland
  • The printing of Pravda was stopped on the 7th July
  • Papers were leaked regarding Bolshevik links with the German enemy which damaged public opinion of them
  • The Soviet condemned the role of the Bolsheviks in the July Days in an article in Izvestiya
26
Q

What was the impact of the July Days on the PG?

A
  • It led to a cabinet reshuffle following Lvov’s resignation. Kerensky became PM.
  • It gave the PG a boost in popularity as it showed the effectiveness of them to handle the July Days
27
Q

What percentage of votes did the Bolsheviks receive in the Petrograd city Duma in August 1917?

A

33%

28
Q

What change in policy towards peasants was designed to satisfy their land interests?

A

Kerensky switched from a policy of land nationalisation to free hand division of land

29
Q

Why did Kerensky grow unpopular amongst the PG?

A

He was very arrogant - he slept in Alexander III’s room in the Winter Palace and used his desk

30
Q

When was the Kornilov revolt?

A

26th August - 2nd September

31
Q

Why was Kornilov seen as a “darling” by certain people?

A

He was CIC of the army and was a loyal Tsarist who never accepted the revolutionaries nor the February revolution. However, he had no personal political objectives and hence industry leaders and right wing allies wanted to use his military power to remove the PS since they benefitted from the PG.

32
Q

What city, just 300 miles from Petrograd, did the Germans take on the 21st August?

A

Riga

33
Q

What did Kornilov and Kerensky agree to do in order to bring back control in Petrograd?

A

Bring in loyal troops to the city to suppress the PS

34
Q

Who did Kerensky call on to stop Krymov’s march on the city after fearing Kornilov wanted to instate a military dictatorship?

A

The Petrograd Soviet

35
Q

How was the Kornilov coup stopped?

A

The Bolsheviks took a leading role in coordinating the defence of Petrograd. Soldiers were then sent out to meet Krymov’s men and persuade them to put down their arms and turn against their officers instead.

36
Q

How did the army high command react to the coup?

A

They became demoralised. They thought that Kerensky had betrayed Kornilov and contributed to growing dissent and desertions within the army in the midst of a world war. General Alexeev who was appointed CIC actually resigned.

37
Q

How did the rank and file of soldiers react?

A

There were even more desertions and killings of army officers - Figes claims these rates increased. They didn’t want to fight for the PG who had planned to crush the workers and soldiers of the Soviet.

38
Q

How did the Bolsheviks benefit from the Kornilov affair?

A
  • Their prisoners gained amnesty
  • The Red Guard become armed
  • They obtained a reputation as saviours of the Soviet and hence it was healed after the July Days
  • They were able to set up the MRC, using the Kornilov Coup as an excuse
39
Q

What were the main electoral successes for the Bolsheviks after the Kornilov revolt?

A

They became the majority in Petrograd, Moscow, Saratov and Riga Soviets. Trotsky became the chair of the Petrograd Soviet on the 25th September and 4/7 of the executive positions were filled by Bolsheviks. In the Moscow City Duma Elections, the Bolsheviks gained 51% of the votes as opposed to 11% in the previous elections.

40
Q

In what building was the Soviet located after the July Days and the October Revolution planned?

A

The Smolny Institute

41
Q

What was the MRC?

A

The Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet who promised to defend Petrograd from the Germans or another Kornilov type assault. Secretly however, they drafted the plans to overthrow the city. Trotsky was the chairman.

42
Q

When did Lenin return to Petrograd?

When did the Bolshevik central committee support Lenin’s idea for an immediate revolution?

A

7th October

10th October - the agreed to takeover power

43
Q

What sparked the October Revolution?

A

23rd Oct - Kamenev and Zinoviev’s letter to leading figures is released in Gorky’s newspaper, warning of the Bolshevik’s plan. 24th Oct - Kerensky responds by sending troops to close Pravda and Izvestiya and draw up the Neva bridges which connect the main city to the suburbs of workers. The Bolsheviks were thus forced to act

44
Q

Why is the revolution sometimes called a “bloodless” revolution?

A

Because in Petrograd there was very little resistance and attempts to protect Kerensky. Many guards of the winter palace slipped away or got drunk, allowing the soldiers and Red guard to take the palace easily. Railway stations and public buildings were taken over. Life continued as normal for those living in the city. There were an estimated 5 deaths.

45
Q

Who called the revolution a “systematic seizure of government buildings”?

A

General Polkovnikov in Petrograd

46
Q

What occurred in Moscow at the same time?

A

A more bloody fight between the soldiers and workers took place. A truce was made on the 2nd September.

47
Q

How did Lenin want to use the Second All Russian Congress of the Soviets on the 25th October? Why did this turn out to work?

A

To legitimise the Bolshevik takeover of power
Since the SRs and Mensheviks walked out the Congress, the Bolsheviks had a majority to vote in favour of the takeover of power.

48
Q

How many party members did the Bolsheviks have by October 1917?

A

350,000

49
Q

How many strikers were there in October 1917?

A

1.2m

50
Q

What was the unemployment rate in October 1917? What was the national debt?

A

71%

National debt was 50bn roubles

51
Q

Why did Kerensky’s and the SR’s popularity decline as a result of the new coalition goverment programme from July 1917?

A

On the Kadets’ insistence, Kerensky passed tough new restrictions on public gatherings, restored the death penalty at the Front and agreed to roll back the influence of the soldiers’ committees to restore military discipline.

52
Q

What foolish decision did Kerensky make in the days leading up to the revolution?

A

He announced his plans to transfer the bulk of the Petrograd garrison to the Northern Front

Russia (24 decks)

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