Lenin arrives at Petrograd station from exile in Switzland
He delivers his April Theses
The Germans want him to cause a revolution as this may take Russia out of the war
The 'April Theses' Peace, Bread and Land
The war with Germany had to end
Power had to be passed from the middle class to the working class
All land to the peasants
The police and army should be abolished
Workers banks and factories should be nationalised
The Bolsheviks should take control of the soviets in order to achieve their aims
CONSEQUENCES
Bolsheviks grew in popularity, February 24,000 April 100,000
Allowed the Bolsheviks to start to take over Petrograd Soviet
Presented workers and soldiers with an alternative to the Provisional Government e.g war or peace
Lenin offered decisive leadership and inspiration
Red Guard started to devlop
Newspapers were formed to spread the Bolshevik message around Russia
July Days
The Bolsheviks organised mini revolutions throughout Petrograd, consequently this caused uprisings against the Provisional Government
The revolution was very surprising for the Bolshevik leaders as they did not expect it to happen so quickly. However they had to do it as people were reacting to the war, the bread rationings and to the Provisional Government
On the 4th of July a peaceful demonstration was planned but confusion lead to a clash with 400 people injured, the PG nor the Soviet could control this
Workers and army members decided to revolt and go onto the Bolsheviks side
Lenin was a wanted man after the failure of the July Days therefore Leon Trotsky took over the Bolsheviks and prepared the Red Guard to take over again
CONSEQUENCES
The Bolshevik following had lost confidence in what the Bolsheviks can actually achieve
The Bolshevik leader had been arrested
More followers joined as it had given a glimpse of what can be achieved
PG had not been able to control the Bolsheviks so people regarded them like the Tsar
The Bolshevik newspaper the 'Pravada' was shout down, so the Bolsheviks word could not easily be spread
The Kornilov Revout
In August General Kornilov, a supporter of the Tsar, turned his army against the PG
Kornilov did not agree with the Petrograd Soviet's wish to end the war and wanted a military dictatorship
PG knew they could not defeat him on their own so asked for the Bolsheviks help
The Bolsheviks got weapons, which was just what they wanted
Kornilov failed and was put into jail
CONSEQUENCES
Weaked the PG and army morale was low
Any Bolsheviks realesed from prison- seen as heroes
These now had weapons- REVOLUTION
"ripe for plucking"
Bolshevik staus increased lots, more supporters as they saw things can be done
Proved the Bolshevik aim of helping people
October Revolution
10th October, secret meeting held Lenin tried to convince the other members it was the right time to have a revolution considering them were armed It was 10 to 2 in favour of a revolution
Early hours of late October early November 1917, the revolution began,
Took control of Telegraph, power station bridges, post office, train stations, state bank
Petrograd was in the hands of the Bolsheviks except for Winter Palace where the PG leaders remained
When the 'Aurora' a gun ship fired its canons, the PG realised it would have to be given up
CONSEQUENCES
Lenin forms the Council of People Comissioners
Rules by Decree
Sovnarkom
Russia pulled out of WW! which involved the signing of the Treaty of Brest Litovskand handidng over large areas if Tsarist Empire to the Germans (March 1918)
Civil War between the Bolsheviks and those who wanted restore the monarchy