Provisional Government and the Bolshevik Revolution Flashcards
Why was the Provisional Government set up and what was its mistakes that it made?
The Provisional Government was set up during the February Revolution. It consisted of 12 members of the Duma and planned to rule until the people elected a Constituent Assembly to work out a new system of government.
The Provisional Government made at least five serious mistakes:
- It decided to continue the war. It launched a disastrous offensive in June that led to the collapse of morale and discipline in the armed forces, rising unrest and an increased popularity for the Bolsheviks, who wanted peace.
- It failed to solve the food shortages. The workers demanded food, and would riot if they didn’t get it. The Provisional Government couldn’t solve this issue as the Petrograd Soviet controlled the food supply system.
- The Provisional Government didn’t carry out land reform. Peasants wanted land, but they refused to give it as they were a temporary government.
- The Provisional Government failed to control the armed forces. The Petrograd Soviet had the ears of them instead. The armed forces refused orders from the Provisional Government if it contradicted with the Soviet’s.
- The government needed to stop revolutionary groups getting support. To create a democratic society the government allowed free speech, free press and they released political prisoners. Whilst these were creditable reforms, it left their opponents free to criticise the government and to spread their ideas.
What was the Petrograd Soviet?
It was a council of 2,500 deputies elected by workers and soldiers whose interests it aimed to protect. It was dominated by the Mensheviks, who aimed for a workers’ revolution but thought the time wasn’t ripe yet. At first the two bodies worked closely together, but they gradually grew further apart. The Soviet soon became influenced by the Bolsheviks, who opposed the Provisional Government. The Soviet issued Order Number One, stating that it would obey the Russian Provisional Government only if they believed that the government was running Russia correctly.
Explain how Lenin organised opposition to the Provisional Government.
From April-July 1917 Lenin organised opposition and caused unrest:
• He issued his April Theses after his train from Switzerland arrived in Petrograd and he turned ideas into slogans, such as ‘Peace, bread and land’. The Theses was Lenin’s political ideas and theories. The Theses called for an end to cooperation with the Provisional Government and for a second revolution to establish communism. Lenin also condemned Russia’s involvement in the war in this theses.
- He used shrewd tactics, like persuading Bolsheviks to work for the overthrow of the Government and the establishment of a communist regime. He stopped the cooperation of the Petrograd Soviet and the government and made sure Bolsheviks were becoming a majority in the Soviet.
- He built up the organisation of the Party with the help of German funds. Membership increased from 26,000 to 200,000 between April and August 1917. The party ran newspapers, like Pravada, and a central committee ran the Party with local committees in the factories and the army. He also organised a private army, called the Red Guards.
What were the weaknesses of the Provisional Government?
- Its members had no real experience of government.
- It became increasingly dominated by the middle and upper classes who refused to agree to reform.
- Because it was temporary, its members refused to carry out reforms until the Constituent Assembly met. Unfortunately the elections for this assembly had been delayed until the end of 1917.
How did the Bolsheviks become more influential in the Petrograd Soviet?
• At the First All-Russian Congress of Soviets in June 1917 the Bolsheviks had about 25% of the delegates. The Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries held the majority until they joined the Provisional Government, undermining their supporters and gaining support for the Bolsheviks.
Outline the events of the July Days and their consequences/results.
- Angry at the failure of the Brusilov Offensive, workers, soldiers and sailors rioted, demanding government by the Soviet. The Bolsheviks supported them but didn’t lead the riots.
- The government reacted by quelling the riots. Loyal troops put down the protests.
- The Provisional Government accused the Bolsheviks of working for the Germans and Kerensky locked up all the Bolsheviks he could find. Lenin fled to Finland, expecting to be arrested and executed.
- Lenin’s policy of ‘All power to the Soviets’ seemed to pay off as by August the Bolsheviks seemed to be gaining control of the Petrograd Soviet. Workers wanted peace, workers’ control of industry, and fair wages. The Bolsheviks also gained peasant support by support peasant land takeovers.
Outline the events of the Kornilov Revolt and its impact on Bolshevik Reputation.
- In September 1917, General Kornilov, the right-wing Commander-in-Chief, tried to seize power. Kerensky turned to the Bolsheviks to defend Petrograd against Kornilov and his followers.
- He released Bolshevik leaders and gave weapons to the Red Guard. Bolshevik activists persuaded Kornilov’s troops to desert. This had important results for the Bolsheviks who:
- emerged as heroes, gained popularity and won a majority in the Petrograd Soviet.
- became a well-armed fighting force.
- the Bolsheviks had been weakened by the July Days, but the Kornilov Revolt strengthened them.
Explain why the Bolsheviks were able to seize power in October 1917.
- By October 1917, there was great discontent in Russia. The peasants were killing their landowners and taking their land.
- Peasant soldiers were deserting so that they could go home and claim land. Other soldiers, influenced by Bolshevik agents, refused orders and killed officers.
- High prices and food shortages caused more hunger in the cities.
Trotsky had been a Menshevik, but joined the Bolsheviks during the July Days. Explain his role in the October Revolution. i.e. what he did.
- arranging for it to begin the night before the Second Congress of Soviets. He wished to claim that it was done on behalf of the Petrograd Soviet.
- persuading soldiers in the Petrograd garrison and the sailors at Kronstadt naval base to support the uprising and supply the weapons.
- making detailed plans for the military operations, including the seizure of key buildings in Petrograd and Moscow.
- he used his position in the Military Committee to move loyal army units outside of Petrograd and ordered them to defend against the German advance.
Did Kerensky realise that the Bolsheviks were getting ready to seize power? If so, what did he do?
Kerensky knew of Trotsky’s plans but he couldn’t take action. He had lost the support of many troops in Petrograd. He had left Petrograd to gain support, but found few Generals who were willing to support him. He had left the Winter Palace under the protection of not enough troops, leaving the Provisional Government essentially defenceless.
When the Bolsheviks did try to seize power by driving the Provisional Government out of the Winter Palace, Kerensky sent repeated messages to the army appealing for help, but only a few hundred assorted troops turned up, including some students. 140 women and 40 soldiers who had been crippled by wounds. The Petrograd garrison could’ve easily crushed the Bolsheviks, who were only a few thousand in number, but they didn’t.
Outline the events of the Bolshevik Takeover.
- On the 10th of October Lenin persuaded the Bolshevik Central Committee to prepare for revolution. Two weeks later Bolshevik agents were sent to win the support of the Petrograd garrison.
- Two days after this, Kerensky closed down Bolshevik newspaper offices. A day after that (24th Oct) Bolsheviks and Red Guards captured telephone exchanges, power stations, railway stations, banks and main bridges into Petrograd. Then, the very next day on the 25th of October, the Cruiser Aurora fired at the Winter Palace where the Duma was soon captured by the Red Guards.
- From the 26th of October-2 November revolution took place in other Russian cities.
Explain why the Bolsheviks were successful in taking power.
- Lenin was able to persuade the Bolshevik Central Committee to agree to an uprising. He was a gifted public speaker, who used simple slogans to win support.
- Trotsky played a key role in ensuring the success of the seizure of power. He managed the Red Guards and successfully organised the taking over of key buildings.
- by mid-October the party had 340,000 members.
- the Provisional Government’s power was weakened due to the competition with the Petrograd Soviet. It had no control over the armed forces and its decision to continue the war was unpopular.
- Russians weren’t willing to fight to keep the Provisional Government in power.
