October/November 1917 revolution

Question 1

What happened on the 24th October?

Answer 1

• 5000 soldiers and sailors from Kronstadt moved into the city and Bolshevik Red Guards began to take over key government buildings in Petrograd
• they encountered some resistance but the troops duty generally gave in easily
• Lenin remained in hiding until the evening when he travelled to Smolny to take charge of the rebellion

Question 2

What happened on the 23rd of October?

Answer 2

Kerensky ordered the printers of two Bolshevik newspapers, Pravda and Izvestia, to be shut down

Question 3

How many people did Trotsky claim were actively involved in the revolution?

Answer 3

25000-30000 which is around 5% of all the workers and soldiers in the city

Question 4

How important was Trotsky for the success of the Bolsheviks revolution of 1917?

Answer 4

1. Trotsky controlled the red guards.
2. the Bolsheviks party had grown rapidly during the summer.
3. large number of Russians favoured a Soviet takeover.
4. Lenin continually urged the Bolshevik central committee to take action.
5. provisional government was very weak and had few defenders.
6. Trotsky suggested making an uprising coincide with the Second congress of soviets
7. Trotsky was chairman of the Petrograd soviets and one of the leaders of MRC

Question 5

Why was Lenin’s return a cause of the October Revolution and what was his role in the revolution?

Answer 5

As leader of the Bolshevik movement, Lenin remained in communication with the party whilst in exile in Finland. After his secret return on 7th October, he worked to persuade the party to consider revolution. Lenin played a key role in initiating the revolution, calling for action before the coming November elections which would have strengthened the Provisional Government.

Lenin declared “All power to the Soviets”. This showed that the Bolsheviks did not believe in the existence of the Provisional Government or an elected national assembly

He also promised “Peace, Land and Bread” to the masses

Question 6

what was the central committee and what role did it play?

Answer 6

• est 1903 , 29 elected members in 1917
• 21 full time revolutionaries working towards the organisation of an inevitible revolution
• encouraged the bolshevik newspapers across the country to spread thebolsheviks revolutionary message