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Questions and Answers
What was one key decision the Provisional Government had to make?
What was one key decision the Provisional Government had to make?
Who was the leader of the Bolsheviks?
Who was the leader of the Bolsheviks?
Lenin
The Bolsheviks supported the Provisional Government.
The Bolsheviks supported the Provisional Government.
False
What were Lenin's famous slogans?
What were Lenin's famous slogans?
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What happened during the July Days of 1917?
What happened during the July Days of 1917?
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What did Kerensky do in response to the Bolshevik protests?
What did Kerensky do in response to the Bolshevik protests?
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By the end of September 1917, the Bolsheviks controlled the ______ soviet.
By the end of September 1917, the Bolsheviks controlled the ______ soviet.
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What was the outcome of the Bolshevik Revolution in November 1917?
What was the outcome of the Bolshevik Revolution in November 1917?
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Study Notes
The Provisional Government
- The Provisional Government faced crucial challenges, including addressing land distribution for peasants, deciding on war or peace, and tackling food shortages in cities.
- Their initial plans involved continuing the war, delaying land distribution until elections, and organizing free elections.
- The Petrograd Soviet, supported by workers, held significant control over resources and was more radical than the Provisional Government.
- The Petrograd Soviet advocated for a new constituent assembly and included socialist revolutionaries.
Lenin and the Rise of the Bolsheviks
- Lenin, leader of the Bolsheviks, sought a more radical revolution following the March 1917 revolution.
- Returning to Russia with German support, he proposed the April Theses, advocating for Russia's withdrawal from the war, land distribution, and state-controlled banks.
- Using slogans like "Peace, land, and bread" and "All power to the soviets," Lenin gained support with a radical message compared to the Provisional government.
- The Bolsheviks, particularly appealing to the army and workers, gained substantial influence within the soviets and Russian politics by October.
Fall of the Provisional Government
- The war effort faltered, leading to soldier desertions and a German counter-offensive that overwhelmed Russian forces.
- Peasant uprisings and Bolshevik protests escalated in July 1917.
- After Kerensky revealed evidence of Lenin's German support, the Bolsheviks lost some support.
- Kerensky's attempts to suppress opposition through military action backfired, leading to further strikes and worsening unrest.
- General Kornilov's attempted coup failed due to his army's refusal to attack the Bolshevik-backed Red Army.
- Kerensky's declining popularity contrasted with the Bolsheviks' rising support, fueled by their promises and the removal of Kornilov's threat.
- By September 1917, the Bolsheviks controlled the Petrograd Soviet, with Trotsky as its chairman.
The Bolshevik Revolution
- By October 1917, Lenin believed the time was ripe for a Bolshevik takeover.
- In November, the Red Army, led by Trotsky, secured control of key locations such as post offices, bridges, and banks without opposition.
- They stormed the Winter Palace and arrested the Provisional Government ministers, effectively ending the government.
- The announcement of the Provisional Government's overthrow marked the beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution.
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Description
This quiz covers the challenges faced by the Provisional Government and Lenin's rise to power with the Bolsheviks. It includes topics like land distribution, war decisions, and the role of the Petrograd Soviet. Test your understanding of this critical period in Russian history and the revolutionary ideas that shaped it.
