1917 Russian Revolutions: Dual Power, Lenin, and Bolshevik Seizure

What was the 'Dual Power' system established in March 1917?

Authority shared between the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet.

What was the significance of Order No. 1?

It gave the Petrograd Soviet control over all military weapons and stated soldiers should only obey the government if the Soviet agreed.

Who was the only individual to hold a position in both the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet?

Alexander Kerensky.

When and where did Lenin return to Petrograd from exile?

3 April 1917 at the Finland Station.

What were the two most famous slogans from Lenin's April Theses?

'Peace, Bread and Land' and 'All Power to the Soviets.'

How did Lenin's ideology differ from other socialists in April 1917?

He rejected the need for a 'bourgeois stage' of revolution, believing Russia could move immediately to a proletarian takeover.

What was the outcome of the June/Summer Offensive led by Kerensky?

A disastrous failure with high desertion rates and hundreds of thousands of Soviet casualties.

What triggered the 'July Days' (3-5 July) in Petrograd?

Frustration over the failed offensive, economic plight, and the Petrograd garrison's fear of being sent to the Front.

What was the immediate result for the Bolsheviks after the July Days?

Several leaders were arrested, Bolshevik newspapers were closed, and Lenin fled to Finland in disguise.

Who became Prime Minister on 8 July 1917?

Alexander Kerensky.

What was the Kornilov Affair (August 1917)?

An attempted military coup by General Kornilov to restore order in Petrograd.

How did the Bolsheviks benefit from the Kornilov Affair?

They were seen as the 'saviours of the revolution,' their Red Guards were armed by the government, and their popularity soared.

On what date did the Bolsheviks gain overall control of the Petrograd Soviet?

9 September 1917.

On what date did the Bolshevik Central Committee finally vote to seize power?

10 October 1917.

Which two prominent Bolsheviks opposed the October armed uprising?

Zinoviev and Kamenev.

What was the MRC and who directed it?

The Military Revolutionary Committee, controlled by Trotsky.

When was the Winter Palace captured?

The night of 25-26 October 1917.

What was the Sovnarkom?

The 'Council of People's Commissars,' the first all-Bolshevik government cabinet formed after the revolution.