The Russian Revolution 1917

Russia in WWI• Tsarist Russia lacked capacity to fight a modern long

war, her strategy was built on short, limited operations.

• Infrastructure and production of weapons was far behind her major enemy, Germany.

• The tsarist government lacked solid political support, the refusal to introduce real reforms would strike back in the war, something illustrated by the rising number of strikes between 1912 – 14.

• Russia had by the end of 1914 mobilised 6,5 million men, but the number of rifles was only 4,6 millions. Production capacity was 27000 rifles a month.

• The major Russian ports were easily cut off early in the war• Russian railwaynet still undeveloped compered to the west,

military transport were prioritized, which led to supply problems in the cities.

Length of railways for 100km2Russia 1,1kmGermany 10,6kmFrance 8,8kmAustria-H. 6,4km

Source: Pipes

From hope to disaster• After some initial Russian successess, the first major defeat

came in the battle of Tannenberg, end of August 1914.• Russia also advanced into Austria-Hungary and occupied

major areas, something that led to overconfidence.• The Austro-German counteroffensive of 1915 marked the

beginning of the Russian defeat.

The February Revolution 1917

• The tsarist government partly financed the war by printing more money. As a concequence of the increased output of money, Russia faced a growing inflation after 1915.

• Food shortages was also a problem that grew worse, especially during the cold winters. Peasants expected the prices to rise more, and then kept part of the harvests in barns or didn´t use full capacity of the areable land. Bakeries in the cities frequently had to close, as deliverances of flour were unpredictable.

• The cities continued to grow during the war, but housing and food could not be sufficiently provided.

• Nikolai had appointed himself to supreme commander (August 1915) without qualified knowledge of modern warfare. In 1916 Russia launched her last successful offensive against Austria-Hungary, but after German aid the offensive failed.

• Rasputin got increased political influence as the tsar was occupied at the front, this discredited the royal family even more. Rasputin was finally murdered in December 1916.

• A sudden rise in temperature in February 1917 brought people , especially women, out on the streets of Petrograd to demonstrate against the food shortages.

• Industrial workers on strike and sailors from the navy joined the demonstrations and a major unrest started to grow.

• Tsar Nikolai hesitated, but failed to take any decisions in time. Forced to abdicate the first days of March.

• A Provisional Government was set up, formed by liberal parties in the Duma.

• The unrest continued, a free press developed and socialist propaganda flourished.

• In Petrograd,Moscow and provincial cities Soviets, elected committees of workers and soldiers were set up.

• The government promised free elections and reforms, but made the fatal mistake to continue the war.

Vladimir Lenin

• Born 1870 in Simbirsk as Vladimir Iljitj Uljanov• 1887: Lenin´s brother arrested and executed because of involvement in a

terrorist group, that planned to murder the Tsar. • Lenin studied law in Kazan and was dragged into an underground political

organization. After a rather harmless student-meeting, Lenin was kicked out of the university. That occasion created bitterness and hatred towards the regime an Lenin decided to overthrow the system.

• 1893: Lenin arrested in S:t Petersburg, accused of revolutionairy activities, exciled to Siberia.

• 1900: Lenin settles in Munich and becomes editor of the Russian socialist paper Iskra, published in some Westeuropean cities.

• 1902: The pamphlet ”What is to be done” is published for the first time. Here he presents his theory about the revolution and the party as a revolutionairy Avantgarde.

• 1903: The Russian Social Democratic Party splits into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks• 1905: Lenin returns to Russia temporarily, but soon leaves again.He leves several

years in Switzerland.Read more about Lenin and read his own words on www.marxists.org

The return of Lenin• Lenin returned to Petrograd with German help and

with German economic support, April 3 1917, the Bolsheviks organized a massive welcome at the railway station. Lenin proclaimed that the socialist revolution should be fulfilled within a couple a weeks, not years. On April 4, he presents the April Thesis.

Lenin in Stockholm

Lenin´s April Theses• End the war• No support to the Provisional Government• All power to the Soviets• Dissolve the army in favour of a people´s militia• Confiscate the property of the landowners and

nationalize all land• Introduce one national bank controlled by the

Soviet

A chaotic summer• The economic assistance from Germany is used by the Bolsheviks to

deliver massproduced propaganda, main organ is the newspaper Pravda.

• Alexander Kerensky (prime minister in June 1917) launches the disastrous June offensive, which leads to the collapse of morale and discipline in the army. The Russian economy witness a collapse.

• Lenin escapes an attempt to arrest him (accused of attempts to overthrow the government) and hides in Finland. Writes State and the Revolution.

• General Kornilov attempts to remove the threat of the Bolsheviks and sends troops to Petrograd, Kerensky arrests him, since he fear a coup.

Lenin in Finland 1917.

The October/November Revolution• Lenin decisive to take power before the planned elections in

November and before a threatening German occupation.• The Bolsheviks managed to organize an all Russian Congress of

Soviets where they managed to win majority, and so the coup was carried out in the name of the Soviets.

• Kerensky´s government did almost nothing to prevent the coup. Very few loyal forces were called to the capital.

• The Bolshevik Red Guards (organized by Trotsky) could easily take control over key positions in the capital, they met no resistance.

• The man and woman on the street hardly bothered in the beginning, this only seemed to be a new faction taking power in the name of the revolution.

• In Soviet history the Bolshevik´s organised coup came to be called ”The Great Proletarian October Revolution”.