Provisional Government Flashcards
Historians Westwood and Thatcher
Prov Gov initially ‘populary accepted’
. Members liberal minded and some (Milyukov and Guchkov) were well known political figures
Legitimacy
Lacked legitimacy. Unelected body made up from members of the Progressive Bloc - ‘old duma in a new form’
Decisive Victory (WWI)
Prov Gov wanted to push for decisive victory while Petrograd Soviet demanded peace - wanted ‘no annexations and no indemnities’
^ PG had hands tied in respect of continuing the war
8 Principles
- Political prisoners released and political exiled (Trotsky) returned
- Secret courts ended
- Freedom of press
- PG promised/planned for consituent assembly
- Police disbanded, all policing undertaken by local militas
- New wave of administrators
Peasant Land Issue
PG argued only elected assembly could deal with it - irritated peasants
. Elections for consituent assembly postponed and worker committee’s clamped down on
June Offensive and July Days
400,000 Russian casualties during June Offensive
Political instability with July Days - public unrest and unsuccessful Bolshevik attempt to take power. Trotsky arrested and Lenin in hiding
- Brusilov replaced with Kornilov as commander - in - chief of army
Kornilov Affair
. Kornilov attempted to use army to close down soviet - Kerensky concerned PG also be overthrown and imposed military dictatorship
. Provided arms to Bolsheviks to defend Petrograd - conflict averted when railway workers refused to transport Kornilov army
Soviet Order No.1
All military units to maintain discipline and readiness, but seek soviet approval before carrying out orders by state Duma
