Oct Revolution

Effects of the 1917 February Revolution Ended the power of the Tsar ended autocratic monarchy Russia became a republic Brought power to liberals : upper class & upper class shared power; parliamentary government Allowed freedom of speech & press freed political prisoners Challenged by Soviets

Petrograd Soviet Provisional Govt had to work together with Soviets

Soviets Committees made up of workers, soldiers, Social Revolutionaries, Mensheviks & Bolsheviks. They had control over the cities.

What did people expect from the Provisional government ?

Peasants

•Land •free from power of landlord

Wanted war to end war caused too many problems Workers in cities

•Better working conditions •better living conditions •end food shortage

Why Provisional Govt failed No land reforms

Continued war

WHY?

WHY?

•Govt needed support of upper class •not ready to make reforms Loses too much hoped to regain losses

Discontentment against Govt •no change in living conditions •Food still in shortage •more desertion in army

Bolsheviks seized opportunity •Extended influence into Soviets •protested against Prov. Govt •Bread, Peace, Land •spread Communist ideals

July Days 1917

Vladimir Lenin

•Born 1870, trained in law •Lenin sent to exile by Tsar Nicholas in 1897 •In Switzerland in February 1917 •sent back secretly to Russia by Germans

Leningrad 1966. Finland railway station and engine number 293. With this engine V.I. Lenin returned illegally to St Petersburg from Finland in October 7th 1917. This was start of the October Socialist revolution.

Monument to Lenin at the Finland railway station.

Leningrad 1966. Monument to V.I. Lenin and the Hut where he used to hide before the revolution.

Aurora fired the shot to signal the start of the Revolution

Red Guards stormed the Winter Palace home of the Provisional Government

Pictures taken in 1966

Red Army in Winter Palace Oct 1917

Lenin’s leadership •Able to win support of people & instigate people against the Provisional Govt promised end to war & redistribute land promised power to the working class •gave hope for a better Russia •planned revolution against Provisional Govt •attack on Winter Palace

Causes of the October Revolution 1917 Weak Provisional Government Failure of the Provisional Govt to win support •no land reforms •did not end war Provisional Govt did not have complete control depended on Soviets in cities

Role of Bolsheviks Lenin’s leadership •wanted a revolution •use slogan to win support •made used of Soviets •planned revolution & carried out revolution

Immediate effects of October 1917 Bolshevik Revolution Brought down the Provisional Govt. Bolsheviks gained control of cities

Allowed elections for parliamentary govt majority votes for Social Revolutionaries

Lenin closed Duma - end of parliamentary govt Communist dictatorship in Russia

Compare February & October Revolution February Revolution

October Revolution

Unplanned breakdown in control by Tsar

Planned by Bolsheviks

Ended rule of Tsar Russia became a republic middle class & rich in power

Ended power of upper class & rich working class in power

Brought in parliamentary rule (The Duma)

Brought in Communist

dictatorship

Number of seats in the Duma Socialist Revolutionaries Bolsheviks Left wing Socialist Revolutionaris

370 175 40

Constitutional Democrats Mensheviks Noradniks Others (representing nationalities)

17 16 2 87

Total number of seats

707