Lenin had been in exile since 1903 and when he heard about the revolution in Russia he was keen to return to Petrograd The Germans were keen to end the war and helped Lenin to return to Russia.

He returned to Petrograd by passenger train and arrived at the Finland Station on the 16 th of April. As soon as he arrived he addressed the waiting crowds of supporters. In his speech he made five demands:

The April Thesis 1.Russia should immediately pull out of the war. 2.No cooperation by socialists with Provincial Government. There should be a second revolution to give power to the workers. 3.Land shared out to the peasants. 4.Workers should take control of the factories. 5.The Soviet should take over power.

Support for the April Thesis The leading Bolsheviks in Petrograd, Stalin and Kamenev, tried to cooperate with the Provisional Government. A workers revolution at this time seemed like madness. The Bolsheviks had been a workers Party and saw little point in trying to attract the peasants.

Support for the April Thesis By the end of the month the Bolsheviks were campaigning for support using slogans like: By June events seemed to be proving Lenin right. The leaked Muliukov Note and the failure of the June Offensive. This increased the support for the Bolsheviks among the soldiers. “Peace, Land and Bread”

The July Days In July there were huge demonstrations when soldiers and workers took to the streets. They chanted new slogans: This was meant to be the start of the workers revolution. “All power to the Soviets” “Down with the Provincial Government”

The July Days The uprising was crushed by the troops loyal to Alexander Kerensky. They closed down the Bolshevik papers and arrested the Bolshevik leaders. Lenin had to flee in disguise to Finland. The dream of a workers revolution was dead.