Chapter Two - The February / March Revolution of 1917

What were the key events of Wednesday 22nd February 1917?

- 20,000 workers were locked out of the Putilov Steel Works after pay talks collapsed. Workers in other factories went on strike in support.

What were the key events of Friday 24th February 1917?

- 200,000 workers were on strike and there were spontaneous demonstrations. There was no obvious organization of the crowds from any of the radical political parties.

What were the defining features of the Provisional Government?

- Headed by Prince Lvov, an aristocrat and zemstvo leader. - Made up of former supporters of a constitutional monarchy. - Planned as a temporary ('provisional') government until a Constitutional Assembly could be elected. - Supported by the old tsarist civil service, army officers and the police.

What were the defining features of the Petrograd Soviet?

- Its executive committee was made of the socialist intellectuals (mainly Mensheviks and SRs) - Members of the executive committee were elected, unlike the Provisional Government. - Generally considered by workers, soldiers, and peasants to be more democratic, less elitist organization than the Provisional Government.

What were the key events of Tuesday 28th February 1917?

- Nicholas started to make his way back to Petrograd. - He sent a telegram offering to share power with the Duma.

What happened when the Tsar tried to travel to Petrograd from his military headquarters? When did this take place?

At the end of February, Nicolas was forced to stop at Pskov, 200 miles south of his destination, after his train was diverted.

What did local socialist groups do during and following the revolution?

During and following the revolution, local socialist groups helped to set up soviets (councils).

Who took the place of the Tsar as leader?

Political authority passed to two bodies: the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet.

What local socialist group was the most important? Why?

The Petorgrad Soviet, which represented workers and soldiers. It had 3000 members by 10th March.

What did the Soviet's Order No.1 say that soldiers and workers should behave towards the Provisional Government?

Workers and soldiers should obey the Provisional Government, but only where the Soviet agreed with the Provisional Government decisions.

What were the key events of Saturday 25th February 1917?

- 250,000 people (over half the capital's workforce) were on strike. - Shalfeev, in charge of the mounted police, was dragged from his horse and shot. - Civillians were shot by soldiers on the Nevskii Prospekt, but some Cossacks refused to attack the strikers.

What were the key events of Sunday 26th February 1917?

- Rodzianko, the Duma President, sent the Tsar a telegram warning him of the serious situation in Petrograd - Nicholas ignored the warning and ordered the Duma to dissolve the next day.

What were the key events of Tuesday 14th February 1917?

- There were strikes in Petrograd - News that bread would be rationed from 1st March brought long queues and riots. The police struggled to keep order.

What were the key events of Monday 27th February 1917 involving the Volynskii regiment?

A unity began in the Volynskii regiment. Soldiers joined the protesters, arming them with rifles.

What did Order No. 1 aim to do?

Aimed to improve the rights and respect given to soldiers, for example by giving them full citizens' rights when off duty.

Who was the only member of both the Socialist Revolutionary Party and the State Duma?

Alexadr Kerensky

What did Order No. 1 state?

All military units were to elect a deputy to the Petrograd Soviet and agree to be under the control of the Petrograd Soviet. The Military Commission of the Duma was only to be obeyed if its order agreed with Petrograd Soviet's orders.

How many of the Bolshevik leaders were at the revolution? Give an example.

Almost none. Lenin was in exile in Switzerland and Stalin was in Siberia.

Why were the Provisional Government ambiguous about holding elections?

Although the Provisional Government was committed to holding elections fora Constituent Assembly, any elections in 1917 would clearly be won by the SRs, which the liberals of the Provisional Government to avoid.

What did Alexadr Kerensky do for the relationship of the Socialist Revolutionary Party and the State Duma?

He helped negotiate 'Dual authority,' through which Russia was governed by an uneasy alliance of the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet.

What were the key events of Monday 27th February 1917 involving the revolutionaries?

In the evening, revolutionaries set up the Petrograd Soviet, which also intended to take over the government. it began to organize food supplies for the city.

Why was there not a new Tsar to take Nicholas' place?

Nicholas named his brother Mikhail as the new tsar because his son's hemophilia made him unstable, but Mikhail refused the position.

What were the key events of Monday 27th February 1917 involving Nicholas?

Nicholas ordered Khabalov, Commander of the Petrograd Military District, to restore order by military force. Around 40 demonstrators were killed.

When did Nicolas agree to abdicate? What happened to him as a result?

Nicolas agreed to abdicate on 2nd March, Nicholas and his family were placed under house arrest, along with most of his Council of Ministers.

Did the Soviets bloc the Provisional Government?

No, but there were many areas of conflict.

What charter the Petorgrad Soviet produce? When?

On 1st March the Petrograd Soviet produced a charted of solider's right called 'Order No. 1'.

What happened to Nicholas once he was forced to stop? When did this take place?

On the 1st of March, Nicholas' Chief of General Staff tried to convince the Tsar to abdicate.

Is there ambiguity about the involvement of the Bolshevik leader? Why (not)?

Spontaneous and leaderless; it is not clear to what extent any of the small groups of local Bolshevik activists played a part in instigating or influencing the course of it.

What were the key events of Monday 27th February 1917 involving the Duma?

The Duma held a meeting, despite the Tsar's orders, and set up a Provisional Committee to take over the government. They were supported by the army's High Command.

Where did the Provisional Government meet?

The Provisional Government met in the right wing of the Tauride Palace a the Petrograd Soviet in the left wing.

How the Provisional Government and Soviet's differ in on their policies for the war?

The Provisional Government wanted an all-out effort to win the war, while the Soviet wanted to end Russia's involvement in the war as quickly as possible as long as this did not mean giving up territory to the Germans

How the Provisional Government and Soviet's differ in on their policies for the army?

The Provisional Government wanted to improve discipline in the army to stop more desertions, and also wanted to restore order in the countryside. But the Soviet encouraged soldiers, workers and peasants to defy authority and assert their rights