AQA: Tsarist Russia 1855-1917: October/November Revolution 1917

AQA: Tsarist Russia 1855-1917: October/November Revolution 1917

1. Provisional Government

   • Dissatisfaction
     • Continuation in WW1
       • Why?
         • Support allies
         • Continue funding from allies
         • Wanted to establish authority and prestige
       • Problems caused
         • Food shortages
         • Casualties
         • Demoralistaion
     • Major issues not addressed
       • Peasants took fleeing Landlord's land
         • Land reforms needed
       • Starvation/ Lack of food supplies
       • Problems caused by WW1
       • Setting up a Constituent assembly
     • Not legitimate
       • Self appointed
     • Evident during July Days
   • Weaknesses
     • No real support
       • Kornilov Coup
         • Kerensky armed Bolsheviks (enemy)

2. Bolsheviks

   • Succsesses
     • Leadership
       • Lenin
         • Peace! Land! Bread!
           • 3 main problems Russia faced
             • Lenin finally addressing them
       • Trotsky
         • Organising tactics whilst Lenin in exile
         • Continued use of Soviets
     • Encouraged peasant activity to stir up trouble
       • Put pressure on PG
     • Gained support from workers and soldiers
     • Took advantage of PGs weaknesses
       • Openly did not support any of their decisions

3. Kerensky

   • Member of both PG and PS
   • Mistakes
     • Kornilov Coup
       • Freed and armed Bolsheviks
       • Showed lack of authority
       • Appointed Kornilov as Commander in Chief
     • Military failures
     • Weak leadership
     • Underestimated support for Lenin
     • He fled before seizure of Winter Palace

4. Lenin

   • Intellectual
     • April Theses
       • Appeal to a range of people
       • Slogans
         • All power to the Soviets!
         • Peace! Land! Bread!
       • Clear plan of action
   • Timing of Revolution
   • Use of Soviets
     • Kept the Bolsheviks there whilst other groups lost interest
     • Not the biggest following, but a big influence