DISSENT AND REVOLUTION: The February/March Revolution Flashcards
What happened in January 1917?
150,000 Petrograd workers demonstrated on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday
What was the cause of the revolution?
The shortage of bread
What happened in February 1917? Disorder
200,000 workers were on strike and the crowds overturned Tsarist statues, waved red flags, sang La Marsaillaise
Almost all the major factories and most shops were closed
Head of the mounted police was beaten and shot
Nicholas ordered the Duma to dissolve
The Tsar commanded order to be restored by military force- 40 demonstrators in Petrograd were killed
Mutiny in the Volynskii regiment where a sergeant shot his commanding officer. Police headquarters were attacked
Revolutionaries set up a Soviet
What happened in February 1917? Government
The Duma set up a 12 man Provisional Committee to take over the government
Nicholas offered to share power with the Duma
The Petrograd Soviet
Agreed that each regiment should elect committees and send representatives to the Soviet
The Order No. 1 was produced on 1 March. It promised no honorific titles for officers, all soldiers to enjoy full citizens’ rights when off duty. Soldiers and workers had to obey the PG if the Soviet agreed with the PG
‘Soviet of workers’ and soldiers’ Deputies’
Composed of radical socialist intellectuals, Mensheviks, Bolsheviks, SRs
Believed their main task was to protect the rights of workers and peasants
The Provisional government
Grand Duke Mikhail relinquished political authority to PG under Prince Lvov
Comprised those who had formerly favoured constitutional monarchy- liberals, moderate socialists and Kadets
The mass of workers, soldiers and peasants regarded it as a self-appointed committee of the wealthy
Dual authority
Kerensky was a member of the PG and the Soviet. He negotiated an agreement to work together
The Soviet accepted the PG’s promises of freedom to strike, the election of a constituent assembly
Conflicts between PG and PS
PG tried to discipline army deserters and restore order. PS encouraged defiance
PG wanted to win the war. PS wanted to end the war
Milyukov announced in April 1917 that the government would continue fighting until a ‘just peace’ had been won. Pressure from protest of PS led to his resignation
