oct rev

Question 1

Why was it surprising that the Bolsheviks won?

Answer 1

1. They were one of just many revolutionary groups.
2. Had 23,000 supporters out of 145 million Russians
3. Lenin, leader of the Bolsheviks, was in exile in Switzerland.

Question 2

What were the demands in the April Theses?

Answer 2

1. Rejection of the PG
2. All power to the Soviets.
3. Workers enjoy the wealth of Russia.
4. To end the war

Question 3

Why were the Bolsheviks able to seize power in Oct 1917?

Answer 3

1. Discontent of the masses.
2. Failure of the PG.
3. The role of Lenin
4. The role of Trotsky

Question 4

How did discontent of the masses lead to the Bols winning in Oct?

Answer 4

1. Slogans such as ‘Bread, Peace, Land’ easily summed up mood and appealed to workers.
2. With his April Theses, he gained support with the peasants and by April membership has risen to 75,000
3. Active work by Bolsheviks in army units, factories and ships on Kronstadt began to convince many people that if they backed Lenin they could have a say in how Russia was run. They said they were doing this on behalf of the soldiers and many ordinary people were even more radical than the leaders

Question 5

How did failures of the PG lead to Bs winning in Oct?

Answer 5

1. They lacked military control because of ‘Order Number 1’, which meant that the army and navy would only accept orders that were approved by the PS.
2. Failed to meet peasant demands to seize land from the wealthy and redistribute it because they were afraid soldiers would leave the front lines and that it would send Russia into disorganised chaos. Bs promised land.
3. Continued to fight in the war the PS said that they would only fight to defend Russian soil. June Offensive , while Kerensky was still the War Minister the PG ordered an attack on Austrian and German soil in Galicia under the command of General Brusilov 200,000 casualties because Russian soldiers refused to advance

Question 6

What role did Lenin play in the Bs winning the Oct Rev?

Answer 6

He was skilful in appealing to the people. While hiding in Finland after the July Days, he wrote a book called ‘State and Revolution’ where he said after the revolution there would be a classless society. This appealed to many Russians.

Question 7

How did the role of Trotsky help the Bs win in the Oct Rev?

Answer 7

1. He had been elected chairman of the Petrograd Soviet and used its Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) to seize power. By 23 Oct, MRC had control over all soldiers in Petrograd and by the night of 24/25 Oct the revolution had started.
2. Trotsky thought it would be best to seize power before the All-Russian Congress of Soviets met later in Oct so the congress would be forced to accept what had happened

Question 8

Timeline of the Revolution

Answer 8

24-25 Oct: Lenin returned to Petrograd. Red Guards occupied key positions in the city. As the 2nd ARCS gathered fighting was going on. Mensheviks and SRs were protesting.

25 Oct: In the evening, Red Guards and Kronstadt sailors advanced the Winter Palace (PG headquarters). Kerensky couldn’t persuade any more experienced troops to support him. Fell with hardly a a fight.

26 Oct: Declared at the Congress of Soviets that the Bolsheviks had taken power.