What do you see? Who do you think this man is? What do you think is happening? Lenin and the October Revolution

Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (aka Vladimir Lenin) was a Bolshevik who had been exiled in 1898 for forming Russia’s first Marxist party A Bolshevik (Russian for One of the Majority) was the party of the Revolution—they wanted to overthrow the gov’t and seize power In 1903, they split into 2 groups: Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks (minority) Lenin only wanted career revolutionaries in the Bolshevik party Mensheviks welcomed all thus growing in numbers When the February Revolution of 1917 broke out (Peace, land and bread) Lenin was living in Switzerland The Central Powers (Germany)wanted Russia out of the war, so they paid for Lenin to have safe passage back to Russia

Bolsheviks wanted out of war, he arrived in Russia on April 3rd and immediately denounced the Provisional gov’t (PG) He called for Peace, Land and Bread for all The PG planned a national election to choose a new gov’t in November; Lenin knew he had until them to seize power, pull Russia out of the war and est a Marxist state In July, Lenin was forced into hiding because of an aborted Bolshevik revolt, Leon Trotsky, a former Menshevik took control of the militia or Red Guard In August, a General in the Russian army tried to capture Petrograd, and the PG had to ask the Red Guard for help. Trotsky’s troops won October 25, 1917: Lenin returned in early Oct, Red Guard captured Petrograd without a fight

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