The PG Flashcards
What was the PG’s purpose? What was the Bolsheviks’ attitude towards them?
- To govern until elections could be held
- The Bolsheviks initially supported them as they thought of their time in office as time for them to get organised
Who did the PG consist of, and what were its aims?
- Middle-class politicians (Octobrists/ Cadets)
- It was led by Prince Lvov, a wealthy landowner
- Kerensky was also in the PG
- They wanted to make a constitution and a democratic government
List 5 reforms made by the PG. Who was responsible for most of them?
- 8-hour working day
- Freedom of religion and speech
- Legalisation of trade unions
- Abolishment of secret police
- Amnesty for political prisoners
- Kerensky, who was very popular
List 6 problems the PG encountered.
They weren’t an elected body; they didn’t represent Russia.
- More defeats in WW1
- Soldiers deserting
- Peasants looting landlords and seizing land
- Soviets (workers’ councils) being set up
- Food shortages
- Subject nationalities wanting independence
Who were the PS and how important were they? What effect did they have on the PG?
The PS was an elected body (it had 3000 members by early March 1917)
- The Petrograd Soviet contained revolutionaries (particularly SRs and Mensheviks)
- The PS and PG shared power and both ran the country, known as ‘Dual Authority’
- They did initially work together (Kerensky was a member of both)
- However, over time they weakened the PG’s authority
What were the differing attitudes towards the war? What was Soviet Order Number One?
The Bolsheviks influenced the PS to distance themselves from the PG as they continued the war. The PG continued the war to fight as one of the Allies, but the PS only wanted to get Germany out of Russia.
- It meant that the military orders from the PG were only followed if approved by the PS
- It had been issued on 1st March
What was the purpose of the June offensive, and how did it go?
- Due to the fear of huge concessions, Kerensky (Minister for War), the PG, PS and some Bolsheviks supported a June offensive
- Ended with 60,000 deaths, more desertions and a decrease in the PG’s popularity
- But the All-Russian Congress of Soviets (representatives of the national Soviets) voted in confidence of the PG in June 1917- only 13% were Bolsheviks
What did the June offensive cause? Who became very important after this?
- The July Days (3rd to 6th), when soldiers (who had deserted) and some Bolsheviks tried to overthrow the PG in Petrograd
- Germany sent exiled rebels like Lenin to Russia to cause unrest
- Kerensky brought in loyal troops to stop the rebels
- Lenin fled again
- 400 were killed/injured
- Kerensky became PM on July 8th
What was the Kornilov Revolt and the factor that caused it?
- By late August, Germany was threatening Petrograd, so General Kornilov wanted to set up a military dictatorship for stability
- He tried to seize power
What were General Kornilov’s aims?
He issued a manifesto which was meant to win him support and laid out his aims:
- Attack the Bolsheviks in the PS
- Ask for the war to be continued
- Call for a meeting of the Constituent Assembly
How did Kerensky deal with the Kornilov revolt?
- He released Bolsheviks who had been imprisoned after the July Days from prison and armed them
What were 4 effects of the Kornilov revolt?
- The army was weakened even further as their Commander-in-Chief had been arrested
- More desertions
- The PG’s popularity decreased while the Bolsheviks’ increased
- Lenin made plans to return
