The Fall of Kerensky Flashcards
Who was the Progressive Committee and who did they become?
A group of deputies who disobeyed the Tsar’s dissolution of the Duma. They eventually renamed to be the Provisional Government.
Who were the Mensheviks?
A socialist political party
What did the Mensheviks form?
The Petrograd Soviet of Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Workers’ Deputies
What did the provisional government initially promise?
A Constituent Assembly, but in the meantime took full responsibility of governing the nation.
What was the issue with the PG from the beginning?
It was not a body voted into power by the people; it just assumed leadership.
Who was the PG made up of? (socially)
Middle class men.
Who was the Petrograd Soviet made up of? (socially)
Soldiers and workers.
Where were the PG and Petrograd Soviet set up?
The Winter Palace/The Tauride Palace.
Who took ‘dual authority’?
The PG and Petrograd Soviet from within The Tauride Palace.
Why did the PG and Petrograd Soviet form a dual authority?
They were dependent on each other; one could not rule without the other. The PG were the politics and the Petrograd Soviet were the force.
Who was the only member of both the PG and Petrograd Soviet?
Kerensky
Who led the PG?
Prince Lvov
What was the Petrograde Soviet Order No. 1? When was it issued?
Meant that soldiers only recognised the authority of the Soviet - dismissing the orders of the Duma unless approved by the Soviet.
How did the Soviet Order No. 1 affect the PG.
It weakened their authority and made them vulnerable.
What directions did the PG and Petrograd Soviet go after the Soviet Order No.1?
The PG became more conservative, whilst the Soviet became more radical.
How did the PG deal with the peasants’ demands for land restoration?
They ignored it.
How was the PG not so democratic?
They did not hold public votes on matters but only promised to. One was to be held in November but it never happened.
Who was George Lvov?
He was a popular, respected figure for his support and providing aid for soldiers during the war. He resigned from the PG after the July Days.
Who was Alexander Kerensky?
A moderate socialist who was leader of the Socialist Revolutionaries. He was a member of both the PG and the Soviet.
Which roles did Kerensky have in the PG?
Minister of Justice (March-April), Minister of War (May-August) and Minister-President (July-October)
What was Miliukov’s policy? How was this a problem for the PG?
The policy of continuing the war caused widespread street demonstrations, protesting and armed clashes. This is known as the April Crisis.
What was the April Crisis?
Demonstrators and protestors - and subsequent armed clashing - who were outraged by Miliukov’s policy about continuing the war.
What was the attempted coalition between the PG and Soviet for?
Soviet leaders were brought into the PG to soften the air between groups. The coalition was made up of 6 socialists and 16 nonsocialists. The coalition failed.
Who was Kornilov?
The Supreme Commander-In-Chief of the Russian Army from July 1917. He was a harsh, authoritarian officer. He believed force was needed to restore order and peace both domestically and combative.
Why did Kerensky take action against Kornilov?
There were fears of Kornilov’s likelihood to overthrow the PG and bring back the old order. Kerensky panicked at backed Bolshevik and other revolutionary unions to support the government.
Who did Kerensky turn to amidst fears of Kornilov’s authoritarian fears?
The Bolsheviks.
How did Kerensky’s use of revolutionaries to bring down Kornilov affect the former’s reputation.
It ruined it.
What happened on the 25th September?
A third coalition was formed under Kerensky. Trotsky became chairman of Soviet.
When was the third coalition formed (under Kerensky)?
25th September 1917
What made the October Revolution inevitable?
The incapability and incompetence of the PG.
What caused a power vaccum that enabled the October Revolution?
The incapability of the PG.
Why did panic spread in October?
Rumour spread that the PG was abandoning Petrograd - to advancing Germans - for Moscow.
As the MRC had control over Petrograd, where were Kerensky’s ministers of the PG?
The Winter Palace.
When was the Winter Palace, with Kerensky’s ministers inside, surrendered to the Bolsheviks.
25 October
