Lenin in exile in Finland after the July days, certain that a second revolution is
coming that will overthrow the PG
But he knew that he and the Bolsheviks must act quickly, as they were not
the favourite to take over from the PG
By October 10th Lenin had secretly returned and was planning a revolution
Which was an open secret
Yet Kerensky did nothing about it
Trotsky in Petrograd after becoming the Chairman of the Petrograd Soviet , which now had a Bolshevik majority, and running the Military Revolutionary Committee
PG unable to control the violence in the cities
Kerensky head of PG
Was sent a telegram from the generals saying 'there is nothing to do but give up'
German troops nearly in Petrograd
Between October 24th and 26th Bolsheviks seized Petrograd following a plan worked out by Trotsky
Lenin knew it was vital to act fast so confirmed that the Constituent Assembly would still take place in November
Until then the Council of People's Commissars would rule by decree (everyone on it was Bolshevik)
The Congress of Soviets then elected the Central Executive Committee -also Bolshevik controlled