February revolution Flashcards
What were the main causes of the February Revolution? 1917
World War I: Military defeats, food shortages, and economic strain.
.Tsar Nicholas II’s Weakness: Autocratic rule, failure to address reform, and distrust of advisors.
.Social Discontent: Peasants, workers, and soldiers faced harsh conditions and inequality.
Petrograd Strikes: Strikes and protests over food shortages escalated.
How did World War I contribute to the February Revolution?
Massive military losses damaged morale.
Food and fuel shortages led to unrest in cities.
Strained transport and economy created chaos.
What were the key events of the February Revolution?
trikes in Petrograd over food shortages.
.Soldiers refused to fire on protesters and mutinied.
.Tsar Nicholas II abdicated on March 2, 1917.
.The Provisional Government was formed.
What was the outcome of the February Revolution?
Tsar Nicholas II abdicated, ending 300 years of Romanov rule.
.The Provisional Government was established.
.The Petrograd Soviet shared power in a system of Dual Authority.
who was the president of the duma?
michael rodzianko
who was the leader of the provisional government ?
prince lvov
what were the Petrograd soviet?
A revolutionary council formed in February 1917 to represent workers and soldiers in Petrograd.
who led the Petrograd soviets?
The leaders of the Soviet were a mix of radical socialists, Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries but also a small number of Bolsheviks.
What was “Order No. 1”?
.Issued by the Petrograd Soviet on March 1, 1917.
.Gave soldiers the right to elect their officers and refuse orders from the Provisional Government if the Soviet did not approve.
When did Lenin return to Russia?
Lenin returned to Petrograd on April 3, 1917, after living in exile in Switzerland.
How did Lenin return to Russia?
He traveled through Germany in a sealed train, with German support, as they hoped Lenin would destabilize Russia and weaken its war effort.
Why was Lenin’s return important?
.He revitalized the Bolsheviks with his revolutionary agenda.
.Introduced the April Theses, which set the Bolshevik strategy for overthrowing the Provisional Government.
What were the April Theses?
directives Lenin presented on April 3, 1917, outlining the Bolshevik goals.
What were the main points of the April Theses?
End the War: Immediate withdrawal from World War I.
No Support for the Provisional Government:
Land Redistribution: Seize land from nobles and give it to peasants.
What were the main points of the April Theses?
End the War: Immediate withdrawal from World War I.
.”All Power to the Soviets”: Transfer power to workers’ councils (Soviets).
.No Support for the Provisional Government
.Land Redistribution: Seize land from nobles and give it to peasants.
.Immediate Steps Toward Communism: Nationalize banks and industries.
What slogan summarized Lenin’s April Theses?
“Peace, Land, and Bread”, reflecting Bolshevik promises to end the war, redistribute land, and address food shortages.
What were the July Days?
A period of armed demonstrations and protests in Petrograd by soldiers, workers, and Bolsheviks from July 3–7, 1917, demanding the Provisional Government step down.
What caused the July Days?
Continued participation in World War I led to rising anger.
.Economic Crisis:
Land Reforms: Peasants demanded land redistribution, which the government delayed.
Bolshevik Agitation: Bolsheviks encouraged dissatisfaction with slogans like “All Power to the Soviets.”
What happened during the July Days?
On July 3, thousands of soldiers and workers took to the streets in Petrograd.
.Armed demonstrators surrounded the Tauride Palace, demanding the Soviets take power.
.The Provisional Government used military force to suppress the protests by July 5.
.Bolshevik leaders like Lenin fled or went into hiding, while others were arrested.
What were the consequences of the July Days?
Government Crackdown: Bolshevik offices were raided, and their newspapers shut down.
.Lenin’s Escape: Lenin fled to Finland to avoid arrest.
.Loss of Bolshevik Support: Bolsheviks were blamed for the chaos, temporarily losing influence.
.Kerensky’s Rise: Alexander Kerensky became Prime Minister, strengthening the Provisional Government—briefly.
How many people were involved in the july days?
Roughly 500,000 protesters in Petrograd participated in the unrest.
What was the Kornilov Affair?
The Kornilov Affair was an attempted military coup in August 1917, led by General Lavr Kornilov, aimed at overthrowing the Provisional Government and establishing a military dictatorship.
What happened during the Kornilov Affair?
General Kornilov, commander of the Russian Army, believed the Provisional Government was too weak and needed stronger leadership.
In August 1917, he marched his troops towards Petrograd to seize control.
Kerensky, the Prime Minister, initially supported Kornilov but then feared the coup would make him a dictator.
Kerensky called for the Soviets and Bolsheviks to defend Petrograd, turning against Kornilov.
Kornilov’s forces were stopped by worker militias and Bolshevik Red Guards.
What were the consequences of the Kornilov Affair?
Weakening of the Provisional Government: Kerensky lost credibility and support.
.Rise of the Bolsheviks: Bolsheviks gained popularity for their role in defending Petrograd.
.Discrediting the Army: Kornilov’s actions exposed divisions in the military and the Provisional Government’s inability to control it.
.Kerensky’s Dependence on the Soviets: After the coup attempt, Kerensky relied more heavily on Bolsheviks and Soviets for military support.
Why was the Kornilov Affair important?
.bolsheviks gained mass support
.It revealed the weaknesses of the Provisional Government, leading to the Bolshevik seizure of power later in October 1917
who was kerensky ?
replaced prince lvov as prime minister on july 8 1917
who is Dzerzhinsky ?
Helped establish the military revolutionary committee with Trotsky.
Became head of the cheka in december 1917 (secret police force created by lenin)
who is Zinoviev?
member of the central committee from 1907 - 1927
who is Trotsky ?
chaired the petrograd soviet (sept 1917) and organised the military revolutionary committee with Dzerzhinsky
what was the military social committee?
a militant group created to prepare for the october revolution
who was kornilov ?
Appointed by Kerensky as commander in chief of the army in july 1917
Who was Milyukov ?
Leader and founder of the kadets
.wanted to prevent russia from leaving WW1
.Belived that the military takeover by kornilov would be preferable to a socialist regime
Who is Kamenev ?
He edited the Bolshevik newspaper : the pravda
opposing lenins april thesis
What was the Sovnarkom?
he Sovnarkom (short for Soviet of People’s Commissars) was the government formed by the Bolsheviks after the October Revolution of 1917, replacing the Provisional Government.
Who were the key members of the Sovnarkom?
The Sovnarkom was led by Vladimir Lenin as Chairman.
Other key members included Trotsky (People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs), Stalin (People’s Commissar for Nationalities), and Molotov (People’s Commissar for Foreign Trade).
What was Veshenka?
Veshenka (All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Soviets) was a body set up after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 to act as the central government of Soviet Russia, coordinating the Soviets across the country.
What were the Lenin Decrees?
a series of laws passed by the Sovnarkom (the Bolshevik government) under Vladimir Lenin after the October Revolution of 1917, which aimed to implement Bolshevik policies and transform Russia into a socialist state.
How was the provisional governments weakness a reason to bolshevik success in octover 1917 ?
.They failed to satisfy peoples needs especially peasants
.didnt withdraw from the first world war and hoped to get territorial gains
Kerensky was seen as indecisive and irresponsible
kornilov affair made them look weak and strengthen bolshevik position
How did the role of lenin lead to bolshevik success in October 1917
.April thesis summarised his ideas which pleased the people.
convinced everyone to make the revolution to take place a month before elections in November so that the Bolsheviks could get credit and win the elections
how did the mistakes of Kerensky lead to Bolshevik success in october 1917?
.letting kornilov take militant control.
makes mistake by releasing arrested Bolsheviks and arming them with weapons to help him-kornilov leaked this so all praise went to bolsheviks.
how did the role of trostky lead to bolshevik success in october 1917?
he organised the revolution and whipped up support by sending bolshevik speakers around factories.
.set up the red guards and massed troups organised a s state of mutiny and armed revolution.
What were the concequences of the november 1917 elections?
The bourgeoisie lost the right to vote in new soviet government
.in 1921 all other political partys were banned
Who won the November elections 1917?
the socialist revolutionaries
What happened in january 1918?
Workers were put in charge of the railways and now its the red army to protect the regime
What happened in march 1918 ?
Trotsky was placed head of his army and the capital had transferred to Moscow
What happened to the church in 1918?
religion was banned and states were separated.
