Opposition to the Provisional Government, April to July
- Created by: Tori
- Created on: 03-06-20 16:07
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- Opposition to the Provison Government, April-July
- Lenin's return and the April Thesis
- Lenin's return to Russia in April 1917 was a turning point in attitudes towards the PG.
- In March, all of the major Marxist and socialist parties had accepted that Russia was not yet ready for a socialist revolution.
- Lenin rejected this idea, arguing that a socialist revolution in Russia was essential.
- In March, all of the major Marxist and socialist parties had accepted that Russia was not yet ready for a socialist revolution.
- As soon as Lenin arrived in Petrograd he set out his April Thesis.
- Contained ideas designed to appeal to the majority of Russians:
- -Peace
- Appealed mainly to soldiers, but also the workers and peasants that had suffered in the war too.
- -Land
- Appealed to Russian peasants who wanted the land reform and had become frustrated by the PG's refusal to redistrobute land until after the war.
- -Bread
- Promised an end to the hardship of the war (eg inlation and food shortages).
- Also promised 'all power to the Soviets'.
- As workers and peasants trusted the Soviets more than the PG, this slogan also became increasing popular.
- -Peace
- Contained ideas designed to appeal to the majority of Russians:
- Lenin's impact
- Initially, Lenin's return had little impact.
- Marxists such as Tsereteli who had been in Petrograd since mid-March believed that Lenin was simply out of touch with the situation in Russia.
- Some Mensheviks even claimed that he had gone mad.
- Nonetheless, Lenin's April Thesis attracted the support of some revolutionaries such as Trotsky who had previously opposed the Bolsheviks.
- Marxists such as Tsereteli who had been in Petrograd since mid-March believed that Lenin was simply out of touch with the situation in Russia.
- Initially, Lenin's return had little impact.
- Lenin's return to Russia in April 1917 was a turning point in attitudes towards the PG.
- The June offensive
- After the resignation of Milyukov, Kerensky was appointed Minister of War.
- He was determined to help bring an Allied victory and restore the authority of th PG.
- Thus, he launched the June offensive.
- He was determined to help bring an Allied victory and restore the authority of th PG.
- Kerensky toured the front line encouraging soldiers to support the new attack.
- However, the attack was a disaster.
- German reinforcement strengthened the Austro-Hungarian troops.
- Additionally, 48 Russian battalions refused to fight.
- Over 150,00 Russian soldiers lost their lives and even more deserted the front line.
- German reinforcement strengthened the Austro-Hungarian troops.
- However, the attack was a disaster.
- The consequences of the offensive
- The offensive weakened the PG.
- The military disaster made the PG look weak and ineffective.
- Additionally, there was criticism of the way in which a bougeois government had send workers and peasants to their deaths, while factory owners and landowners stayed safely out of the fighting.
- Also weakened the Mensheviks and SRs.
- They had joined the government in May promising to work to bring about peace.
- However, they immediately became involved planning the new offensive (betrayed their cause).
- This made the moderate socalists look like hypocrites.
- However, they immediately became involved planning the new offensive (betrayed their cause).
- They had joined the government in May promising to work to bring about peace.
- The offensive weakened the PG.
- After the resignation of Milyukov, Kerensky was appointed Minister of War.
- The July days
- Military defeat and disillusionment with the PG led to a new political crisis.
- On 3rd July, Kadet ministers resinged from the government.
- This provoked a military uprising.
- On 3rd July, Kadet ministers resinged from the government.
- Around 70,000 soldiers and armed workers surrounded the Tauride Palace in Petrograd.
- Taurid Palace housed both the PG and the Petrograd Soviet.
- The protestors, supported by the Bolsheviks, demanded that the Petrograd Soviet seize power.
- However, the leaders of the Soviet refused.
- Lenin also backed down once the PG sent troops to resist the uprising.
- Government forces tried to disperse the armed protestors, leading to 2 days of riots.
- However, the leaders of the Soviet refused.
- The impact of the July Days
- Leaders of the PG denounced the Bolsheviks as a threat to the stability of Russia.
- On 6th July, soldiers surrounded the Bolshevi Headquarters at Kshesinskaia Mansion and 500 Bolsheviks surrendered.
- The government started a propaganda campaign accusing Lenin of being a German spy.
- Lenin fled to Finland to escape arrest.
- At the time, it looked like the PG was secure and the Bolsheviks had failed.
- Lenin fled to Finland to escape arrest.
- Leaders of the PG denounced the Bolsheviks as a threat to the stability of Russia.
- Military defeat and disillusionment with the PG led to a new political crisis.
- Lenin's return and the April Thesis
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