October Revolution: Coup or Popular Revolution Flashcards
Historians
Mark Galeotti “it was really an armed coup.”
Beryl Williams: Despite the fact many supporting The Bolsheviks, no one knew what Bolshevism stood for -meaning it was a coup.
Chris Read: claims that Lenin was a key figure, but there was also a lot of independent action at local level.
Planning
The Kornilov Revolt panicked the Provisional Government into arming Bolshevik “Red Guards”.
The Bolsheviks worked hard to gain more support from the Petrograd Soviet (the workers’ committee helping to run the city).
The German advance on Petrograd forced the Petrograd Soviet to arm even more “Red Guards”.
Lenin decided that the “Red Guards” defending Petrograd should start a revolution.
Trotsky decided that the revolution should happen when all of the Soviets met in Petrograd (24th October).
Kerensky thought that there might be a revolution so he had telephone wires to the Bolshevik headquarters cut, & he brought in extra troops to defend the Winter Palace, where he was based.
As Trotsky ordered, Bolsheviks in Petrograd at night took control of post offices, railway stations, banks, telephone centres & Kerensky’s military HQ: no meaningful resistance.
Lenin arrived in Petrograd wearing a wig & glasses. He then hid while the revolution continued.
Kerensky fled from Petrograd.
Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Palace through an open window at the back. Only 5 people were killed.
Bolsheviks then arrested the remaining members of the Provisional Government. Lenin took over as the leader of the new Bolshevik government.
Support
Military
Support - Specific Soviets
*The Petrograd Soviet announced its support for the Bolsheviks (by
279 votes to 115).
(Sep 1st)
*The Moscow Soviet announced its support for the Bolsheviks (by
355 votes to 254).
(Sep 5th)
*The Kiev Soviet announced its support for the Bolsheviks (by 130
votes to 66).
(Sep 8th)
Bolshevik Support - numbers on the day
The October Revolution. About 40,000 Red Guards & 10,000 sailors
from Kronstadt were involved.
Support notes
in October Moscow Municipal election 51% of vote was for Bolsheviks
About 500k demonstraters for July
Days Arguement: Shows lot of support but also they needed rifles as July Days failed.
about 5,000 Red Guards
Petrograd Soviet
The Petrograd Soviet was dominated by Social Revolutionaries and Mensheviks, while the Provisional Government remained in control of Russia.
Winter Palace
On the night of 24-25 October, Bolshevik soldiers entered the Palace and at 2am arrested what remained of the government.”
• only 5 people killed at the Winter Palace
Coup arguement for support paragraph
• Bolshevik support of popuoar polices
was just a tactic to ensure lack of opposition for take over of power
Number of rifles
• 40,000 rifles to Bolshevik
Planning Lenin
1902- What is to be done?” -He outlines how a revolution will occur (secretly, planned, not spontaneous, led by a few leaders)
MRC
The MRC was the Bolsheviks’ Military Revolutionary Committee in 1917. Led by Trotsky, the MRC planned the October Revolution. If you need evidence that the October Revolution was a secret planned coup then the MRC would be good evidence for this.
Percentage of vote Bolsheviks wons in the 1917 Constituent Assembly election
23%
Why not knowing what Bolshevism means is not democratic?
To be democratic, you have to be informed of what exactly you are supporting
