The Bolsheviks Flashcards
April Theses- April 1917
- Lenin
- there should be no co-operation with the Provisional Government
- the war should be ended immediately
- the land should be given to the peasants
- the Soviets should take power
The Bolshevik Party’s slogan
“peace, bread, land”, support for the Bolsheviks began to grow
What sparked the July Days?
Shortages continued because of the war. Kerensky launched a major attack on the Germans which led to a disasterous defeat
July Days
- There were enormous demonstrations in Petrograd
- Sailors and workers poured out into the streets
- The Bolsheviks were not ready to seize power
- The demonstrations turned to rioting and troops were sent in to deal with them
Autumn 1917- a second chance
Kerensky appointed Kornilov to lead the army. He ordered his troops to march on Petrograd
The people of Petrograd panicked
Kerensky also panicked and asked the Bolsheviks for help
Kornilov’s troops never arrived
The Red Army got to keep their rifles
The time is right
- They won an overall majority in the elections
- The situation in the rest of Russia was deteriorating fast
- Lenin sent a message from his hiding place in Poland telling them to sieze power
The Bolsheviks seize power
- planned a takeover on 7th November
- it was not a secret
- the red guards took control of trains etc but no one noticed
The Winter palace
- the Aurora fired a blank shot to start the attack
- the red guards entered and the provisional government gave up
Provisional government: war
- they decided to continue the war
- the war continued to go badly
The Probisipnal Government: land
- they would not give the peasants land
- the peasants began to take over land themselves
Political problems- PG
- Petrograd soviet was also very powerful
- Bolsheviks were also a big problem as they tried to take over the gov
- Soviets and workers were setting up in cities
Problems in PG- economic
- industry: didn’t have many people to run the factories
- inflation
- peasants started to take Nobles’ land
Problems- PG: military
- decided to continue the war
- soldiers continued to desert
- food and fuel shortages remained
July Days- date
16-17th July
Lenin’s actions in November
- 8hour working day
- employment insurance
- titles and class distinctions abolished
- women declared equal to men
Lenin’s actions- December
- the Liberal Party and the Cadets were banned
- factories controlled by workers’ committees
- banks to be run by the government
- army to be more democratic
why did Lenin shut down the Assembly?
they defeated his motion for the Assembly to have less power
What was the Cheka?
secret police force
arrested people who spoke out against the government
The treaty of Brest-Litovsk
- March 1918
- tried to spark an uprising against the Kaiser
terms of the ToBL
-Russia lost:27% of its arable land
26% of its railways
74%of its iron and coal
-50 million Russian citizens were displaced
Kronstadt Mutiny
- Trotsky’s forces stormed Kronstadt base
- heavy fighting
- large death toll
- had been loyal supporters
- well armed
NEP
- peasants allowed to sell surplus grain for profit
- pay tax
- small factories handed back into private ownership
- private trading of small goods allowed
