The Provisional GVMT March to October 1917
Key Questions – Why couldn’t the PG survive? Why did Lenin and the Bolsheviks take over? How significant was Lenin?
* Problems facing PG
High Expectations
‘Provisional’ and not elected – elections not carried out
Dual Power – role of Petrograd Soviet and Order No 1
Necessity of continuing War – All parties in favour apart from Bolsheviks though
Economic Problems caused by war
Failure of June Offensive, Mass desertions
Unrest in countryside – demand for land reform
* Mistakes of PG, especially Kerensky
Failure to solve above problems
June Offensive – leads to July Days
Kornilov Coup – Kerensky arms Bolsheviks
Kerensky brings in repressive measures to oppress Bolsheviks – unpopular
Kerensky escapes
* Role of Lenin and Bolsheviks
April Theses – Peace, Bread, Land, All Power to Soviets, only party promising an end to war
Armed by Kerensky, set up military HQ and Red Guard
Propaganda and increased support in cities
Lenin persuades Bolshevik Central Committee (Zinoviev and Kamenev) time is right for revolution
Coup planned and executed – take over key installations, storm winter Palace
How realistic was Eisenstein’s film?
* Many Historians feel that Bolsheviks met little opposition because people believed that Soviets would take power and a left wing coalition would be formed.