GCSE MOCK- Oct/ Nov Revolution 1917 (Bolshevik Revolution) Flashcards
Who were the Bolsheviks?
Revolutionary party
Believed in KARL MARX ideology
Believed one day, working classes liberate themselves from economic and political control of the ruling classes
Who came into power after Tsar’s abdication
Provisional Government
Who were the Provisional government
Temporary body until elections could be held
What 3 urgent descisions did the provisional government face
- Continue war?
- Distribute land to peasants now?
- how best to get food to starving workers in cities
What were the PROBLEMS with the Provisional Government
Unelected
Seen as dictatorial body of upper class citizens
Many of its participants had little/no experience
Who were the Petrograd Soviets
Councils elected by workers, soldiers and sailors
Who did Petrograd soviet share a dual power with
Provisional Government
What was the problem with Petrograd soviet and provisional government sharing a dual power
Existence of two political bodies increased potential for political disagreement
Who were the provisional government made up of and what did they want
- Kadets and Octoberists
wanted moderate changes to government of Russia
Who were the Petrograd soviet made up of and what did they want
- Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks
- wanted to give power to working classes
Who returned to Russia from Switzerland in April 1917
-with the help from who
- lenin
- Germans
What programme did Lenin set out, where did he set this programme out
- April Theses
- Outlined at Finland Station in Petrograd
What were Lenin’s 2 slogans in the April theses
‘peace, land, bread’
‘all power to the soviets’
How did Lenin’s slogans in the April theses increase support for the Bolsheviks
-as it contrasted the provisional governments message drastically
What was Lenin’s plan for the Bolsheviks to succeed
-Bolsheviks must first gain control of Petrograd soviets, so when they took power it could be in the name of the Soviets
Who returned to Russia in May and what did this man become
- Trotsky
- became leading spokesperson for the Mensheviks
What made the Provisional Government unpopular
- chose to continue Russia’s military action in WW1
- land reforms were postponed
What occurred in June 1917 and why did this anger the Russian people
- Provisional Government declared to continue Russian’s involvement in WW1
- this angered russian ppl as they wanted war to end
- June 1917- KERENSKY (minister of war) rallies the army for a great offensive against the Germans, known as the JUNE OFFENSIVE.
Why was the June Offensive attack launched by the Provisional government a disaster
- led to huge increase in desertions
- support for Bolsheviks increased
What occurred in July 1917 and what was this known as
- JULY DAYS:
- Bolsheviks led protests against the war
- led to a rebellion
- attempted to overthrow PG
What happened as a result of the July Days
- Bolshevik leaders arrested
- Trotsky arrested
- Lenin escaped to Finland
What occurred in September 1917
- Kornilov (army leader) marched troops towards Petrograd intending to get rid of Bolsheviks and PG and restore order
- Kerensky gives imprisoned Bolsheviks weapons- this was his only option
- Bolsheviks formed army called red guards
- Kornilov’s troops refused to fight members of the Soviet- Kornilov’s plan collapsed
How did Kornilov’s revolt increase support for Bolsheviks
-Bolsheviks were seen as saviours of Russia
Why were Kerensky’s provisional government doomed by October and how did this lead to the October/November Revolution
- it had tried to carry on the war but failed
- lost army’s support
- lost peasants support
- in contrast Bolsheviks were promising what ppl wanted the most
- so by end of October Lenin believed the time was right for the Bolsheviks to seize power
