Explain why the Provisional Government kept Russia in the First World War after February / March 1917.

• the Provisional Government was indeed provisional and considered it appropriate to defer major policy decisions until elections for a Constituent Assembly could be held

• Russia was in a state of economic chaos and heavily dependent on the war credits  offered by the allies for fighting. Loss of the war credits could lead to complete economic collapse

• leadership of the Provisional Government was essentially conservative in its values and  key members like Kerensky and Milyukov favoured a continuation of war out of a sense of honour and duty

• despite the unpopularity of war among many ordinary people, there was still a belief that Russia could win and gain territory in the process. Defeat was not considered a certainty by any means