Kornilov Affair

The main counterrevolutionary episode of the Russian Revolution of Feburary 1917.
General Kornilov, was seen as the Napoleon of the Russian Revolution
After the summer offensive(The last offensive by Russia in WW1) failed, Kornilov used harsh measures to restore discipline in the Army.
The conservatives, liberals and some socialists pressured Kerensky to appoint Kornilov supreme commander in Chief, which he was on July 31st.
Kerensky did not trust Kornilov but hoped for him to appease the right and counterbalance the left.
Kornilov saw this as an opportunity to crush the radical socialists and restore order and authority in Petrograd.
Kornilov sent his troops marching towards the government to seize control. Kerensky denounced Kornilov and called in the soviets to help defend Petrograd.
The masses feared that, with Kornilov, mean't the return of old order. Soldiers feared that old discipline would be restored and they be sent to the front.
Most of the defence was organised by the bolshevikes (Red Guard).

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Consequences of Kerensky's appointment of Kornilov

Kerensky's reputation was utterly ruined and destroyed.
Menshevikes and Socialist Revolutionary leaders were discredited by their association with Kerensky. Their inability to change change their people condemned them in the eyes of the masses.
The masses distrusted the Liberals and Kadets, the agents of industrialists and large landowners.
Soldiers murdered 100's of officiers and officiers had felt that Kerensky had betrayed Kornilov as he negotiate his troops to flee.
Bolshevik support grew significantly as they were seen as the true saviours of the revolution. 9th september, Bolshevik gained overall controll of th Petrograd soviet/ Moscow soviet.
On 25th September, Trotsky was elected president.

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The Soviet view ( 1917-91):
The October Rev. was a popular uprising which was led and carried out by the working class, supported by the poorer peasants.
The working class created the soviets which acted as the power bases through which the Revolution was accomplished.
The predominnant western view after 1945:
The October Revolution was a coup d'etat where a 'tiny minority' seized power and then imposed thier evil ideology on an unwilling population.
Lenin controlled a well organised and disciplined revolutionary party.
Leonard Schapiro and Robert Conquest see the October Rev. as a disaster ( Liberal View)
The Revisionists:
Suspected that the hostile accounts of the Oct Rev. were part of the cold war policies of the post war period
They concentrated on Lenin and the Bolshevik party in the Revolution.
They wanted to view history from a peasants point of view as well as from a bourgeosie.

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Stephen Smith: View that the lower ranks of Bolshevik Party played a much more active role in pushing forward the revolution.
Sheila Fitzpatrick: Suggested that it was the workers, soldiers and peasants who created the circumstances in which the bolsheviks could operate.
Recent Views:
Robert Service and Chris Read argued that Lenin was a key a figure saying that without his drive and persistence these probably would not have been October Revolution.
The way in which the Bolsheviks seize power demonstrated the similarities to that of the coup.
Peasants, workers, soldiers and sailors played an immensly important part in the october Revolution.

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Promised 'Peace, land and Bread'
Oct 26, Lenin asked Germany for peace.
Rules were created to allow the Bolsheviks to have centralized power.
Bolsheviks used their power against their enemies in a ruthless manner.
Bolshevik decrees:
12 Nov: 8 hours work day, 48 hrs per week, Over time pay
1 Dec: All non-Bolshevik paper banned
20 Dec: Cheka Set up to maintain order.
27 Dec: Factories put under worker committees and Banks put under Bolshevik control.
Bolshevik Dictatorship:
Lenin promised elections for constituent assemblies.
Socialist Rev. were in majority
Lenin sent in Red guard to close assembly, so the Socialist Rev. would not be elected.
He used congress of Soviets to pass laws.

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Lenin put Trotsky in charge of negotiations
Lenin asked Trotsky to draw out peace negotiations believing Germany would have a socialist revolution.
Germany advance in Feburary 1918 forced lenin to sign.
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed March 3, 1918.( Russia lost Ukraine, Polish and Baltic territories and Finland).
Russia lost:
Population=34%
Farming land=32%
Industry=54%
Railroads=26%
Coalmines=89%
300,000,000 gold roubles for war reparations.
Oppostion to Lenin's actions of 'peace making':
Was show 3x by Socialist Rev.
Attempted to crush enemies with Cheka
Russian resistance united in 'white' armies
Most of Russia supported Socialist Rev.
Czech-legion (Czech and slovak volunteer fighting force) takes over trans-siberian railroad.

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