Growth in support for the Bolsheviks

Growth in support for the Bolsheviks

1. LENIN

   • Living in exile during feb.rev
   • HISTORIANS;disagree about specifics but all agree that Germans helped Lenin back to Russiain the hopes that he would distabilise the country + help them win the war
   • Upon L return, people cheered as he came off the train in the Petrograd
     • Also greeted by Mensh. chairman who said they didnt need his help
       • L pushed him aside + made a welcome speech stating that revolution was far from complete
   • APRIL THESIS
     • Called for; worldwide socialist rev, immediate end to the war, end to co-operation w PG, the soviet to take power, land to be given to the peasants
     • 'Pravda' published thesis on 7th April
     • L attitude alienated prominent socialists, members of the PS = even some of his own party
       • many saw him as too radical to be taken seriously
       • H/ever slogans like 'Peace, bread + land' appealed to soldiers, ind. workers + peasants
         • PHILLIPS: argues that L realised Russias 3 major problems needed answered immediatley + wasnt willing to wait for the supposed process of history to occur
     • PHILLIPS: Theses was less Marxist + more anti-pg propaganda
     • L called for a revolution + end to war
       • FIGES: many saw this as too far removed from the Marxist ideal
     • TROTSKY: saw it as holding up the Bolsh. ideology.
   • PIPES: Lenin controlled a well organised + disciplined rev. party who directed the masses
   • SERVICE + READ: Lenin was a key figure, saying that w/o his drive + persistence there probably wouldnt have been an oct.rev

2. EARLY ATTEMPTED COUPS

   • 1st attempt- in late April due to a disagreement w PG about how to get Russia out of the war
     • Bolsh. tried to agitate demonstrating military personnel by demanding an end to the PG h/ever crowds dissipated w/out the coup
   • Several other coups were attempted during spring + summer as they wanted to entice the masses into bringing another rev.
   • FITZPATRICK: it was the people -worker, soldiers + peasants- who created the circumstances in which the Bolsheviks could operate
   • SERVICE + READ: hallmarks of a coup are present in the way that the Bolsh. seized power

3. WAR

   • SEE 'Problems with the PG' + 'October Rev.'
   • Struggle between Soviet wanting early peace + Minister of war wanting to fight on (Lead to his resignation)
   • Mensh. + SRs lost lots of support after the June offensive

4. LAND + TRADE

   • The land issue combined w food shortages fueled unrest in cities + at the front
   • Growing radicalism due to breakdown in trade + frsutration at national policies (inflation, war etc) - lead to july days

5. MAYBE NO GROWTH ??

   • Oct.rev. was more against the PG than for Bolsh.
     • for many Oct.Rev was a coup as Lenin + his evil 'minority' took over
   • Workers didnt think Bolsh. would run Russia alone + when they did this led to consternation
     • They seemed Bolsh. in mood but they only supported them if certain conditions were met
   • Constituent assembly elections reveal the ltd support for the Bolsh. they gained 24% of the votes whilst the SRs gained 53%
   • WILLIAMS: "Workers + soldiers might support the oct.rev + vote for the Bolsh. but this did not necessarily imply support for one party to rule or indeed for Bolshevik policies