Causes of the October 1917 Revolution Flashcards
How did the Kerensky offensive fatally weaken the Provisional Government?
. Alexander Kerensky was the PR governments minister of war and in June 1917 he launched the Kerensky offensive.
. Most in Russia both civilians and soldiers wanted an end to the war and when Kerenskys offensive failed whole regiments deserted.
. The failure of the offensive drew the PR government more opposition within Russia as the PR had failed to win the war as they said they would.
How did the Kornilov coup fatally weaken the Provisional Government?
. It convinced Lenin that the PG was vulnerable when faced with a military threat and it convinced Lenin that it was ‘Ripe for the plucking’.
. Allowed the Bolsheviks to gain further support in the capital as they were portrayed as the ones who saved Petrograd from an invader. As a result the Bolsheviks had gained a majority on both the Petrograd and Moscow soviets.
What were the strengths of the Bolsheviks by October 1917?
. Lenin and the Bolsheviks were the only party which promised to end the war and as a result they had the sympathies of much of the workers and members of the military.
. The Bolsheviks adopted the land policy of the SR’s ‘Land to the peasants’ in order to draw the peasants towards the Bolsheviks. Lenin realised that he needed the support of the peasants to wage a successful revolution. Many peasants supported this policy and as a result supported the Bolsheviks.
