1. The October Revolution
The Bolsheviks seize power

2. Timeline
March - Petrograd Soviet issues Order No1 (instructed soldiers and sailors to obey only orders that did not conflict with the directives of the Soviet.)
April - Lenin returns issues April Theses
June - Failure of the June Offensive – Kerensky Offensive
- Meeting of first congress of Soviets – Bolsheviks represent 105 of 784 delegates
July - The July Days or July Putsch - Lenin flees
Aug - Kornilov Revolt
Sept - Bolsheviks win control of the Soviet
Oct - Trotsky became chairman of Soviet. Lenin returns from Finland
Oct Bolshevik revolution

3. Problems facing the Provisional Government
Land - Peasants demand land
Hunger - The workers in the cities were demanding food
The war - fight on or make peace
Revolutionaries - how to stop the spread of their influence
The Army - needed loyalty of the army

4. Response of the Government
The Government promised land reforms but gave no date
The Government could not guarantee food supplies as the Soviets controlled railways
The government promised political reform in an attempt to stop revolutionaries. They failed to take any positive action.
The troops in Petrograd were now under the control of the Soviet and refused to obey the government

5. Results Peasants angry with the Government started to seize land
Workers joined the Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks and other groups gathered support
The Government was losing control to the Petrograd Soviet

6. All power to the
Soviets
Peace
Land
Bread
Lenin returns
Lenin return from Switzerland with German assistance and issues his April theses
This called for
Overthrow of Government
End to war
Soviets to form new government
Land given to peasants
State to control factories and banks

7. Events
The failure of the June Offensive led to widespread mutinies
The Bolsheviks supported but did not lead
Results
Riots quelled
Bolsheviks accused of being German agents.
Bolshevik leaders arrested . Lenin escapes to Finland
Bolsheviks weakened but seen as main revolutionary group
The July Days

8. Events
Aug 1917 General Kornilov attempts a coup
Kerensky is forced to ask the Bolsheviks for help. Bolshevik leaders are released and the Red Guard is given weapons
Bolsheviks defeat Kornilov
Results
Bolsheviks seen as heroes.
Popularity increased
Became a well armed force
The Kornilov Revolt

9. Bolsheviks Take Power! Petrograd takeover!
Lenin plans this out (unlike the July Putsch)They also had an army
Kerensky realized the Bolsheviks were planning something big – so he shut down the bol. Newspapers (not much practical effect)
On the morning of the Russian Revoultion (Oct 24th) Kerensky installed Junkers (cadets from local academies) to guard government buildings – one position was the Tsar’s old residence – the Winter Palace
Nothing much else happened on the first day of the Revolution except Lenin made his way across town disguised as a drunk with a toothache. The Bol. Troops made their way to positions of importance (phone offices, banks, bridges, railroad stations, post offices) Junkers did nothing as most fled or were disarmed without incident

10. Bolshevik takeover – day 2
Oct 25th – the siege of the Winter Palace (the only building left to be taken)
9am Kerensky sped away in a car for the US embassy – other provisional gov. members remained
Meanwhile, Bolsheviks brought a cruiser ship, Aurora up the river in position near the Winter palace
By the afternoon the palace was surrounded
Little violence ensued – but the Bolsheviks spent the entire evening negotiating with Junkers and arresting the Prov. Gov members inside – the palace was taken by 2am on Oct 26th

11. The Second Congress of the Soviets
Lenin wanted to have the takeover over before the congress meeting on the 25th
This was not done in time and the meeting was forced late – Bolsheviks represented 650 members this time!
Meeting adjourned 5am on the 26th
Next day the congress met again and made the following decisions:
* agreed on Russia’s wish for WWI to end
* socialized all the land for redistribution to peasant communes
* new provisional government set up called the SPC (Soviet People’s Commissars) Lenin was the chairman and all members Bolsheviks

12. The Bolshevik Revolution Results
The Bolsheviks took control of the government in an almost bloodless coup between Oct 24 and
Land
Land taken from Church, Nobility etc and given to peasants. Land not taken over by the State (yet)
Peace
Lenin ends the war sends Trotsky to negotiate with Germany. Treaty of Brest-Litvosk
The first decrees
Factories
All factories put under control of workers committees
Press
All non -Bolshevik papers were banned
Establishes the CHEKA

13. Why were the Bolsheviks successful?
Role of Lenin
Organised party
Published Pravda
Avoided capture and organised the coup.
Popular slogans to raise moral and public awareness
Role of Trotsky
Joined Bolsheviks after July Days
Masterminded the events of the coup
Great military leader organised the Red Guard
Provisional Government
Kerensky knew of Trotsky's plan but had lost support of the army and so was helpless