The Bolshevik Revolution Study Notes

The Bolshevik Revolution

Causation of the Bolshevik Revolution

  • Essential Question: How did Lenin take control of Russia?
  • Ethno-Religious Breakdown of Russian Empire circa 1900:
    • Diversity in the Russian Empire including Russians, Armenians, Belarusians, Poles, and various Muslim groups.
  • Political Landscape:
    • Various political factions: Socialist Revolutionaries, Bolsheviks, Left-wing Socialist Revolutionaries, Constitutional Democrats, Mensheviks.

The Provisional Government

  • Formation:
    • Established after Czar Nicholas II abdicated on March 2, 1917.
    • Comprised mainly of former Duma deputies, aimed to transition from tsarism to democracy.
  • World War I Involvement:
    • Chose to remain in WWI, supported by loans and investments from the Allies, particularly Britain and France.
    • Fear of losing Allied support if Russia withdrew and of German demands for peace settlements.
    • US entered the war on April 6, 1917, potentially aiding in the war effort.

Challenges Faced by the Provisional Government

  • Military Struggles:
    • Continuous Russian military defeats leading to deteriorating conditions (food shortages, fuel shortages).
  • Loss of Support:
    • Growing discontent in major cities like Petrograd and Moscow as soldiers and the populace lost faith in the Provisional Government.

Bolshevik Seizure of Power

  • Plans for Overthrow:
    • Lenin and the Bolsheviks strategized to seize control from the Provisional Government.
  • October Revolution (October 25, 1917):
    • Bolshevik Red Guards stormed the Winter Palace, deposing the Provisional Government within hours and arresting its leaders.

Post-Revolution Actions

  • Constituent Assembly Elections:
    • Elections announced on October 27, 1917, set for November 12, 1917.
    • Bolsheviks secured 175 of 715 seats but did not achieve a majority; Socialist-Revolutionaries won 370 seats, indicating significant rural support.
  • Dissolution of the Constituent Assembly:
    • Assembly convened on January 18, 1918, but was shut down forcefully by Lenin's Red Guards on January 19, 1918.

Lenin's Government Policies

  • Bolshevik Ideology:
    • Adopted the slogan "Peace, Land, and Bread"; aimed to address war, land reforms, and food scarcity.
  • Consolidation of Power:
    • Declared himself dictator of the proletariat, established the Cheka to suppress opposition, banned other political parties, curtailed press freedoms, and outlawed labor strikes.
  • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk:
    • Signed on March 3, 1918, ending Russia's involvement in WWI; resulted in significant territorial losses (1 million square miles, 1/3 population, vast resources).
    • Allies would defeat Central Powers later in November 1918.

Civil War

  • Emergence of Opposition:
    • Anger over policies led to a civil war (1918-1922) between the Bolsheviks (Red Army) and various anti-Bolshevik factions (White Armies).
    • Key grievances included closure of the Constituent Assembly, the establishment of a one-party state, and the harsh terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.