1. Petrograd 1917 THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION

2. 10th October 1917 The Bolshevik Party was based at the Smolny Institute in Petrograd 10th October a special all-night meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party was held at a secret location. Lenin, newly arrived from Finland, argued powerfully that it was time for the Bolsheviks to seize power from the Provisional Government. This decision was supported 10 votes to 2. The two no votes ( Zinoviev and Kamenev) attempted to contact newspapers to betray the plans but were prevented by the other Bolsheviks.

3. Undermining the Provisional Government Kerensky made the decision to send some of the Petrograd Garrison to fight the Germans. The Bolsheviks protested and the Provisional Government changed its mind. This made the Bolsheviks popular with these soldiers. Bolshevik organisers continued to hold meetings in factories and in the open air, starting now to prepare people for the revolution and promoting Lenin's ideas. On 23rd October Trotsky managed to persuade the soldiers in the fortress of St Peter and St Paul to support the Bolsheviks. The guns of this fortress covered the city.

4. The Provisional Government acts 24th October Kerensky realised he had to act. He ordered the officer cadets (Junkers) into the city to seize the Bolshevik newspapers and arrest key Bolsheviks. He deployed the Women's Battalion to the Winter Palace which was the HQ of the Provisional Government. He ordered the battle cruiser Aurora (known to sympathise with the Bolsheviks.

5. Too little, too late The Bolsheviks easily re-opened the newspapers and released those who were arrested. The Aurora refused to put to sea and remained where her guns could threaten the Winter Palace. Lenin and Trotsky made finl plans to seize control of the Government.

6. 25 October the Bolshevik Revolution started 2am Red Guard units re- took the key areas held by the officer cadets. Normal life went on in Petrograd as the revolution unfolded. There was very little resistance. Kerensky managed to slip out of the city and made for the Front in the hope of getting loyal units to return to Petrograd. The rest of the Provisional Government stayed in the Winter Palace guarded by the last of the officer cadets and the Women's Battalion. In the early evening the Red Guard, soldiers from the Petrograd Garrison and sailors from Kronstradt controlled all of the city. They demanded the Provisional Government surrender. When they refused they assaulted the Palace. There little effective resistance. 6 Bolsheviks in total were killed. None of the defenders died.

7. Lenin finally takes power Whilst the attack on the Winter Palace was taking place there was a meeting of the Congress of Soviets. Most of the delegates swung their support behind Lenin and his Bolsheviks. Those who didn't left before they were expelled. Trotsky told them "You are miserable, isolated individuals. You are bankrupt. You have played out your role. Go where you belong: to the dustbin of history". On the next evening of 26 October, Lenin announced the Bolshevik plans for Russia.