The February/March Revolution of 1917

What were the main causes of the February Revolution?

Nicholas’ refusal to make concessions.
Impact of war at home.
The people/proletariat.
Russia’s performance in WW1.
Rasputin’s bad influence.
Bolsheviks.
Peasants.
Soldiers.
Ruling class.

What happened on the 14th February, 1917?

The duma president, Rodzianko, sent a telegram to the Tsar, warning him that unrest was imminent.
Desertion by those closest to the Tsar - unwillingly set in motion the Feb Revolution.

What happened on the 18th February, 1917?

Full scale strike by employees of the Putilov Works.
Over the next five days, the strikers were joined by a growing number of workers, angered by the rumours of a further cut in bread supplies.

What happened on the 25th February, 1917?

International Women’s Day - thousands of women joined the protestors, demanding food and an end to the war.
By the 25th, Petrograd was paralysed by strike. Attempts to dispense the workers were hampered by growing sympathy among the police for demostrators.

How did order in Petrograd break down?

The Tsar was at the military HQ at Mogilov and relied on letters from Alexandra.
Nicholas ordered the commander of the Petrograd garrison, General Khabalov, to restore order. Due to disorder of the police and militia, and the garrison disobeying orders, the situation was uncontrollable.
Khabalov begged for martial law but the proclamation couldn’t even be printed.
By 26/2, all by a few thousand of 150,000 garrison troops had deserted.

Duma provincial committee:

Rodzianko informed the Tsar that only a major concession on the government’s part offered hope of preserving imperial power.
Nicholas ordered the duma to dissolve - it did formally, but 12 rebellious membered disobeyed, and remained in session as a ‘provisional committee’.
Made up of landowners, industrialists, lawyers - part of the Progressive Bloc.
Octobrists, Kadets, two SRs.
Alexander Kerensky called for the abdication of the Tsar.

Petrograd Soviet:

27 February - first meeting of the ‘Petrograd Soviet of Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Workers’ Deputies’.
Driving force of the Soviet was the Mensheviks with leader Alexander Shlyapnikov.
28 Febuary - published the first edition of the newspaper ‘Izvestiya’.

Abdication for the Tsar:

28 February - Tsar decided to return to Petrograd, believing that his presence would have a calming effect. The royal train was intercepted by mutinous troops - diverted to Pskov. Here members of Stavka and representatives of the old duma informed the Tsar of the seriousness of the situation in Petrograd. Advised abdication.
The Tsar tamely abdicated and renounced the throne on behalf of Alexei. Decree of Abdication signed on the 2nd March - nominated Nicholas’ brother Grand Duke Michael - refused on pretext that it hadn’t been offered by a constituent assembly.
3 March - new government announced the revolution to the outside world, following day the Tsar announced his abdication.

Who were the members of the Provisional Government?

12 members; liberals, moderate socialists, Kadets.
Influential elites.
Prince Lvov.

How and when was the Provisional Government formed?

February 1917.
July 1917 - Lvov became chairman. Later led by Kerensky.
Grand Duke Mikhail relinquished authority to a hastily convened ‘Provisional Government’.

What powers did the Provisional Government have?

Planned to rule until elections could be held.

Who were the members of the Petrograd Soviet?

Radical socialist intellectuals, Mensheviks, SRs, small number of bolsheviks.

How and when was the Petrograd Soviet formed?

Workers, soldiers and peasants saw PG as tainted by previous associations with Tsardom.
February 1917.
First chaiman was Nikolai Chkheidze.

What powers did the Petrograd Soviet have?

Military.
Issued Order No. 1 - all soldiers and sailors to set up committees to control weapons and equipment.
Willing to share power.
Support of workers - industry/economy.
Strikes.

What were the strengths of the Dual Authority?

Shared power.
Represented middle and working classes.
Kerensky in power for both.

What were the weaknesses of the Dual Authority?

Illegitimate, not elected.
Many points of disagreement e.g. army and peasants.
Conjunction made it virtually impossible for anything to get done.

What did the Provisional Government do about the war?

Distanced moderate socialist leaders from their support base and associated them with the war.
Continued the war.
Launched an offence against Germany.

Effectiveness of PG’s response to war:

Huge strain on economy.
Army discipline broke down.

What did the Provisional Government do about Land and peasantry?

Scheme introduced - peasants could be given the right to use land from private estates.

Effectiveness of PG’s response to land and peasantry:

Land seizures.
Violent attacks on landowners.
Armed robbery.

What did the Provisional Government do about national minorities?

Wanted to wait until Constituent Assembly was decided.
Gave concession to the Ukrainians who demanded self-government.

Effectiveness of PG’s response to national minorities:

Liberals we’re outraged.
3 Kadets ministers resigned on 2nd July.

What did the Provisional Government do about the economic situation?

Food shortages - they did nothing.

Effectiveness of PG’s response to the economic situation:

Industrialists pressured PG to not intervene. - halted the decline in living standards.

What did the Provisional Government do about social reform?

Couldn’t handle the labour militancy and was unable to mediate between employers and workers.

Effectiveness of PG’s response to social reform:

Workers took over factories entirely - didn’t know how to run them - they closed.
People were angry.

How can Lenin’s April Theses be summed up?

Peace, land, bread; all power to the soviets.

How did the April Theses affect support for the Bolsheviks?

Bolsheviks still unknown.
Majority of Soviet were Mensheviks - against his ideas.
However there was some support from the working class in Petrograd.

What caused the June/July Offensive?

Two main causes:
To reassure allies that Russia was still in the war.
Bring soldiers to heel behind patriotic ideas and strict discipline.

July Offensive:

On the 29th June, PG launched a massive offensive in Galicia to try and gain a victory to boost national morale.
The attack was a huge failure with massive casulties and increasing desertions in the army.
Anti-war sentiment grew within soldiers - Bolsheviks were agitating lower ranked soldiers.
Bolsheviks boycotted Kerensky’s Moscow State Conferencd and encouraged workers to go on strike.

Why did the July Offensive increase support for the Bolsheviks?

Increased anti-war sentiment, Bolsheviks encouraged.
Encouraged strikers.
Incompetence of the PG.

What caused the July Days?

July Offensive.
Increased grain prices.
Shortages of fuel and raw materials led to closure of factories and loss of jobs.

What happened during the July Days?

Demonstrations by 20,000 Kronstadt sailors.
Shots fired at demonstrators led to chaos and rioting.
Chanted Bolshevik slogans, attacked property, looted ships, seized railway stations and other key buildings.
PG brought reinforcements to crush demonstrators.

How did the rebellion escalate on 3 July?

A solid mass of soldiers and workers marched through the city in armed ranks.
The bulk of the crowd moved towards the Tauride Palace - Soviet leaders were debating whether to form socialist government or another coalition with the Kadets - chants of ‘All power to the Soviets!’.
Crowd dispersed at night, further demonstrations planned for the next day - Central committee of Bolshevik party agreed to support.

What were the effects of the July Days?

Bolsheviks blamed for the bloodshed.
Offices for Pravda closed, warrants issued for the arrest of Bolshevik leaders.
8 July - Kerensky replaced Lvov as PM.
Lenin fled to Finland.
Trotsky and Kamenev were imprisoned.
Lvov resigned.

Why did the July Days lessen support for the Bolsheviks?

Lenin fled to Finland.
Loss of leadership.
Supporters broke up.

What caused the Kornilov Revolt?

Failure of July Offensive - Kerensky appointed Kornilov as commander-in-chief of the army in effort to restore discipline.

Course of the Kornilov Revolt:

Kornilov ordered 6 regiments of troops to March in Petrograd.
Kerensky ordered Kornilov to call a halt - failed - Kerensky released imprisoned Bolsheviks - main beneficiaries. Organised Petrograd Red Guards.
Lenin encouraged the pressure, ‘Committees to save the Revolution’ set up.

What were the effects of the Kornilov Revolt?

Bolsheviks elected in increased numbers.
26 September - Trotsky elected as chairman of the exec committee of the PS.
Kerensky lost support from Left wing members of the Soviet.
Middle classes discredited - Kornilov support.

What happened on 9 September 1917?

Bolsheviks gained the majority on the Petrograd city council.

What happened in late September 1917?

Kerensky formed a coalition government. Fearful of German attack, he removed troops from Petrograd and sent them to the front.

How did the October Municipal Elections show support for the Bolsheviks?

Food shortages worsening, strikes increasing, workers no longer prepared to wait for the PG’s promised reforms.
Dispute this OG and moderate supporters of SRs and Mensheviks in Soviet continued their policies and appeared out of touch.
Only party seemingly supporting the cause of workers was the Bolsheviks - increasing support and control of PS.
Bols had majority of votes to Soviets.

What issues did Kerensky face at the end of August 1917?

Liberals in PG moving to the right - wanted no land reform, defence of property, military discipline restored, law and order re-established.
Army disintegrating - began after collapse of July Offensive.
Control breaking down in countryside.
Increasing support for Bolsheviks.
Increasing lawlessness in the cities.
Economic situation in the cities deteriorating - shortages of food/raw materials.
Soviet declining in influence - out of touch.