PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT Flashcards
ESTABLISHMENT
3rd March 1917
Govern until elections for Constituent Assembly
Seen as - dictatorial body of upper class citizens - Prince Lvov = PM + Kerensky = Minister of Justice + SR
BOLSHEVIKS - initial support - Problem! WORKING CLASSES seize power from MIDDLE CLASSES
“Reforms”:
- Freedom of religion
- Freedom of speech
- Recognition of trade unions
- Intro. 8-hour-day - industrial workers
- Promise elected parliament
- X secret police
- AMNESTY for political prisoners
“Problems”
Unelected
‘Death squads’ to kill deserters = army hate PG
Peasants angry –> taking nobles land, PG sent troops to regain land
Soviets were being set up (elected councils of workers)
X end war = inflation + hunger
WEAKNESSES
March - SOVIET = **3,000 elected members
Dual authority
Gulf grew; Bolshevik influenced Soviets, attacked PG for continuing war —-> PG -Germany surrender, Bolsheviks = Germans out of Russia
“Soviet Order Number 1”
March 1917
= Orders of Petrograd Soviet were only binding in regards to military affairs if they were approved by the Soviet = weakened authority
“Defeats in war + June Offensive”
Continue war, why? Concerned of heavy German demands if Russia made peace
Kerensky persuaded troops to join June Offensive
**Stalin + Kamenev - felt continue war
June Offensive = **60,000 deaths + desertions + unpopularity decrease = weakened
Germany - exiled revolutionaries back (Lenin) - stir rebellion - April 1917, Lenin in Petrograd
June 1917, 1st meeting for All-Russian Congress of Soviets - vote of confidence to PG - 105/882 in congress = Bolsheviks
“July Days”
PG problems
Soviet strengthening
Dual power strain - Austrian front disintegrating - soldiers flood to Russia
3-6 = in Petrograd, soldiers + Bolsheviks - overthrow PG
Restored, how? = Kerensky sent troops to squash rebels - **400 killed/injured + Lenin to Finland
Kerensky new PM, 8th July 1917 - continue war + wait till elections until pulling out
Dispute - small change since tsar abdication
THE KORNILOV REVOLT
Showed PG not in control
Kornilov = Supreme Commander-in-chief
Late August = Germans threatening Petrograd = deserters + refugees flooding city –> Kornilov - Russia defeat Germany - need stability at home - no anarchy/socialist-style government
Didn’t want X war = sought for military dictatorship
He marched on Petrograd - to save PG -
To win support + display aim = issued manifesto:
- Asked war continue
- Called for meeting of a CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
- Attacked Bolsheviks in Petrograd Soviet
Condemned Kerensky = Petrograd under MARTIAL LAW
Bolsheviks - persuade K’s troops to desert
Railway workers = prevent troops
Printers X publication of supporting newspapers
“Significance of the Revolt”
Army High Command = lost C-in-C = morale sank
DESERTIONS increased
Bolsheviks strengthened, how? - show they were saviours of Petrograd + followers armed + imprisoned from July freed
Lenin’s return + activities before
War 1914 - Lenin Poland ——-»»>
Austrian help - Switzerland
BOLSHEVIKS = traitors in Russia + many SOCIALISTS in Europe supported war = Bolsheviks X current thinking
1917 revolution = Lenin return - to put forward message - want peace/X chaos in Russia
German got Lenin out of exile - to overthrow government = Russia pull out of war = German’s could focus on western front (fight Britain + France)
3rd April 1917, Lenin in Petrograd = inspiration + clear plan
Accused of spy
German money = fund REVOLUTION
“April Theses”
Lenin announced plans:
X support PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT
Worker’s revolution
Bolsheviks popularity grew = **24K, Feb. -> 100K, April
June 1917 - 40 newspaper spreading Lenin’s ideas
‘Red Guard’ - ***July = 10K armed workers in Petrograd
“Impact of July Days”
Kerensky accused Bs of being German spies - knew Lenin return funded by Germans
Lenin fled + leading Bolsheviks arrested/hid
PRAVDA (Bolsheviks newspaper) closed down
Party declining
Lenin directed from Finland
Altered view that peasants would not play big role in revolution (his view before 1917)
Accepted + encouraged land seizure = support in countryside
‘land to the peasants’ + ‘Peace, Bread, Land’ = more followers
Bs Anti-War policy = sway Russian army
“Impact of July Days”
Kerensky accused Bs of being German spies - knew Lenin return funded by Germans
Lenin fled + leading Bolsheviks arrested/hid
PRAVDA (Bolsheviks newspaper) closed down
Party declining
Lenin directed from Finland
Altered view that peasants would not play big role in revolution (his view before 1917)
Accepted + encouraged land seizure = support in countryside
‘land to the peasants’ + ‘Peace, Bread, Land’ = more followers
Bs Anti-War policy = sway Russian army
Move to revolution
All-Russian Congress of Soviets = meeting in October - Possible Bolsheviks X majority of representatives in it
—> So? overthrow PG before meeting - present authority as fait accompli = hard for congress to reject
Unlikely to win majority in Constituent Assembly elections - in power before = results ignored if unfavourable for Bolsheviks
Lenin called for revolution whilst in Finland.
Returned on 7th October, then into hiding
10th October, persuaded Bolshevik Central Committee to agree to uprising
2 influential leader objected - Kamenev + Zinoviev = published objections in newspaper = Kerensky alerted
23rd October, Kerensky attempt to remove threat
- closed Pravda, attempted to gather leading Bolsheviks
- -> Bolsheviks forced to revolt
Events of Revolution
24 October, key buildings captured -Telegraph offices + railway stations
Road blocks set up - on city’s bridges + roads around Winter Palace (where PG was in session)
Citizens went about everyday business (little resistance)
25th October, Kerensky escaped = tried to raise troops from front
Troops guarding PG = Women’s Death Battalion (**200) + Military Cadets - both surrendered
Cruiser Aurora, sailed up River Neva, when fired its guns = PG gave in + arrested
**Result? = 6 soldier deaths + 18 arrests + collapse of PG
“Bolsheviks take power”
All-Russian Congress of Soviets = assembling at Smolny Institute - Bolshevik = 390/650 seats
As wasn’t Soviet take-over of power = SR + Menshevik representatives condemned Bolshevik actions
2 sets of representatives left congress = Bolshevik huge majority = strengthen
26th October Lenin formed Council of People's Commissars (government) - All Bolshevik membership: Lenin = head Trotsky = Commissar of Foreign Affairs Stalin = Commissar for Nationalities
“Role of Trotsky”
Bs secured Petrograd Soviet - elected leader
October - member of MILITARY REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE (3-men)
= **controlled: 20,000 Red Guards + 60,000 Baltic Sailors + 150,000 soldiers of Petrograd Garrison
October - less street skirmishes (hard to control) --> small, disciplined units of soldiers + workers = Trotsky able to discipline/organise Smolny Institute (former girl's school) - planned seizure of key buildings of PG + overthrow of PG on 24th October
“Role of Lenin”
Persuaded Bolsheviks to oppose war - unlike Mensheviks + Socialist Revolutionaries –> still following Marx’s ideas - Lenin view changed in April Theses
‘Peace, Bread, Land’ + ‘All power to the Soviet’ = easily understood + gained support
had energy + vitality = spurred Bolsheviks
Oppose war = key reason why gain support, 1917
German fund = create Red Guard + equip them
Persuaded majority of Central Committee of Bolshevik Party to seize power in October
Trotsky organised revolt, but - Lenin idea to remove PG
1 week into revolt - Bolshevik control of Moscow
The weaknesses of the PG
Temporary body + unelected
Dual authority + Sov order No.1
Kornilov Revolt = reaemed Bs
The weaknesses of the PG
Look back in book
Temporary body + unelected
Dual authority + Sov order No.1
Kornilov Revolt = rearmed Bs
1917, PG unable to gather support –> other parties published lots of propaganda = when crisis - Kerensky received little help
Bolshevik control of armed forces
Soldiers of Petrograd mutiny
MRC = Bolsheviks controlled some armed forces
Lack of Alternatives
Bolshevik control of armed forces
Soldiers of Petrograd mutiny
MRC = Bolsheviks controlled some armed forces
Lack of Alternatives
Many political parties = didn’t offer clear leadership in 1917
Discredited - supported war = discontent in army
Constituent Assembly elections delayed
Lack of Alternatives
Many political parties = didn’t offer clear leadership in 1917
Discredited - supported war = discontent in army
Constituent Assembly elections delayed = demand for land X addressed = seizing of land increased, 1917
LEFT WING agitators infiltrated army = lowered morale
“Bolshevik Decrees”
Nov. 1917 - Lenin set up SOVNARKOM
SOVIETS joined revolution
End 1917 - Russia in soviet hand, Problem! = Not all Soviets controlled by Bolsheviks = Bolshevik not total power
Countryside = peasants support SRs
Election for Constituent Assembly = looking like SRs will win more votes than Bolsheviks –> if happen SOVNARKOM handed over to rivals
Lenin had to keep promises in April Theses (land to peasants) –> So?
**Issued decrees
Economic:
Land Decree – Land from nobility and church given to peasants
Workers Decree – 8 hour day and factories to be controlled by workers’ committees
Insurance Decree – Insurance for unemployment, illness or injury
Banking Decree – All banks to come under government control
Political:
Press Decree – All non-Bolshevik newspapers banned
Political Parties Decree – The Liberal Parties were banned
Police Decree – A counter-revolutionary secret police called Cheka was formed
Peace Decree – Armistice in December 1917 led to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918
“The Constituent Assembly”
Elections = November 1917
SRs gained more seats than all the other parties combined = ***370/707
MENSHEVIKS = 16
CADETS = 17
“The Constituent Assembly”
Lenin removed threat to Bolsheviks + SOVNARKOM
Elections = November 1917
SRs gained more seats than all the other parties combined = ***370/707
**MENSHEVIKS = 16
CADETS = 17
Lenin concerned most of votes from WORKING CLASSES of the cities + some nationalities (Finns and Estonians) were trying to break away = (disintegration of Russia)
Lenin wrote Pravda article - as Soviets in Russia = no need for Constituent Assembly
CS met, 18th January 1918
Bolsheviks + left-wing SRs - proposed power of Assembly is limited –> proposal defeated = Lenin dissolved Assembly
Red Guards killed/wounded 100 demonstrators outside Tauride Palace
2 leaders of Cadets killed
Lenin removed threat to Bolsheviks + SOVNARKOM
THE EXECUTION OF THE ROMANOVS
The Romanovs were imprisoned in a remote town in Siberia. The British royal family refused to sanction any rescue attempt
The Tsar and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks to destroy any hopes that the monarchy could be restored.
It used to be thought that local Bolsheviks killed the royal family on their own initiative, but more recent evidence has shown that Lenin gave the order.
