The provisional government

Question 1

When did Lenin return to Russia?

Answer 1

3 April 1917

Question 2

When was Lenin’s April Theses released?

Answer 2

17 April 1917

Question 3

What were the two slogans of the April Theses?

Answer 3

Peace, Bread and Land

All Power to the Soviets

Question 4

Why did the Provisional Government not withdraw from the war?

Answer 4

Russia was virtually bankrupt however was running on loans and war credits from wartime allies

Question 5

What did the Petrograd Soviet think of the war?

Answer 5

Russia must withdraw

Question 6

What did the Provisional Government do on 27 March 1917? What was controversial about it?

Answer 6

Formally declare to their allies their desire for a “lasting peace.” Miliukov drafted a note to confirm the governments desire to “fully to carry out the obligations required.”

Question 7

When was the Provisional Governments war time statement reach the press? What was the effect?

Answer 7

20 April 1917.
Socialists saw it is an imperialist gesture.
This resulted in street disturabances.

Question 8

How did street disturbances in April 1917 affect Russia’s government?

Answer 8

Minister of War, Guchkov, resigns. Miliukov resigns as foreign minister.
Lvov invites members of the Soviet to join the government; Mensheviks and SRs join.
Kerensky became minister of war.

Question 9

Why did the Provisional Government fail to address land issues?

Answer 9

The liberals believed they needed to pay compensation to the former landowners, however there was not enough money. They believed a Constituent Assembly must solve the issue.

Question 10

How did peasants in the spring of 1917 rebel?

Answer 10

Organised themselves into armed mobs and attacked the manor of the local landlord. The lord either fled, was arrested, or was forced to sign over agreeing to peasant demands.

Question 11

What did peasants demand in the countryside?

Answer 11

Lower rents, compulsory sale of grain, tools, or livestock to peasants at fair prices.

Question 12

What did the Provisional Government do in May 1917 that exacerbated the peasants anger?

Answer 12

Moved to protect property rights of landowners through legislation

Question 13

Who led the June Offensive?

Answer 13

Kerensky and Brusilov

Question 14

How many soldiers deserted during the June Offensive?

Answer 14

170 000

Question 15

What were the losses of the June offensive?

Answer 15

Several hundred thousands of men were lost and several million square miles of territory were lost.

Question 16

What were contributing factors to the governments crisis in June besides the war?

Answer 16

Ukrainian autonomy, and the fraction of the coalition between the Kadets and the Socialists. Prince Lvov resigned as prime minister.

Question 17

What happened on 8 July 1917?

Answer 17

Kerensky becomes prime minister.

Question 18

What happened on 3 July 1917?

Answer 18

Thousands march in the street demanding the Provisional Government abdicate.

Question 19

Who joined protests on 4 July?

Answer 19

20 000 sailors from the Kronstadt naval base and 20 000 workers from the Putilov steel works.

Question 20

What did the Provisional Government on 6 July in response to protestors?

Answer 20

Arrested 800 Bolsheviks, Bolshevik paper Pravda was banned, Bolshevik headquarters raided.

Question 21

How did Kerensky and Kornilov differ in their attempts to consolidate power in mid August?

Answer 21

Kornilov wanted to purge socialists from the government. Kerensky disagreed as he came from the soviet and felt if the government was too right wing it would lead to monarchism or civil war.

Question 22

What occurred on 26 August 1917?

Answer 22

Kornilov requested Kerensky appear at military headquarters; Kerensky suspected a plot and so was able to give himself temporary dictatorial powers.

Question 23

How did Kerensky raise defences against Kornilov?

Answer 23

Turns to soviet for assistance and ordered the release of all Bolshevik prisoners to be freed and armed. Bolsheviks effectively organise militias and expand the Red Guard

Question 24

How were Kornilov’s forces stopped?

Answer 24

Railway workers persuade them no coup had happened

Question 25

how did political groups emerge from the Kornilov affair?

Answer 25

Kerensky emerged as ineffective. Bolsheviks were revised, seen as defenders of the revolution.

Question 26

What did Trotsky do in September 1917?

Answer 26

Becomes chairman of the Petrograd Soviet