Oct Rev

THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION

• Bolsheviks seize power in Russia.

RUSSIA IN 1917

• February-March: February Revolution, abdication of Tsar Nicholas II.

• April: Lenin returns from exile; demands all power to the Soviets.

• July: July Days protests against the Provisional Government.

• August: Kornilov Affair leads to loss of support for the Provisional Government.

• October: Bolshevik Revolution occurs, leading to their rise in power.

LEAD-UP TO THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION

• Lenin decided to seize power in September due to:

  • Bolshevik control of the Soviet.

  • Increased popularity of Bolsheviks.

  • Weakness of the Provisional Government due to the Kornilov affair.

  • Trotsky recommended waiting for the Second Congress of All-Russian Soviets on October 26th.

THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION

• Organized from Smolny Institute, led by Trotsky and Sverdlov.

• October 24: Kerensky attempts to limit Bolshevik influence; raises bridges in Petrograd.

• Night of 24th-25th: Red Guard and soldiers seize key locations in Petrograd with minimal resistance.

• Night of 25th-26th: Lenin returns; Bolsheviks storm the Winter Palace; Provisional Government arrested at 2 AM.

• Bolsheviks announce formation of government, with decrees on peace and land.

HISTORIOGRAPHY OF THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION

• Key questions include:

  • Was it a coup d'état or popular revolution?

  • How supported were the Bolsheviks?

  • What was the impact of Bolshevik actions vs. conditions?

• Historians offer various interpretations based on these questions.

MEANING OF REVOLUTION TERMS

• Definitions of popular revolution vs. coup d'état.

• Key historiographical schools of thought addressed in textbooks (pages 104-105).

RUSSIA AFTER THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION

• Key events include violence and lawlessness in urban areas.

• Bolsheviks faced challenges with limited control outside cities.

TIMELINE OF SOVIET RUSSIA

• 1917: Revolutions & Dual Power.

• 1917-1923: Civil War, Red Terror, War Communism.

• 1921-1924: Consolidation of power, NEP initiated, death of Lenin.

CHALLENGES FACED BY BOLSHEVIKS

• Establishing new government, addressing opposition, managing land ownership, industrial control, and peace with Germany.

MAINTAINING POWER

• Key organizations: Sovnarkom, Burzhui, CHEKA.

• Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and Constituent Assembly key events to review for understanding continuity of power after October.