17
Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917. Provisional Government Simulation: Russia in 1917 (Saint Petersburg Encyclopedia)

Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

  • Upload
    mercer

  • View
    19

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

Provisional Government Simulation: Russia in 1917. (Saint Petersburg Encyclopedia) ‏. Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Citation preview

Page 1: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917.

Provisional Government Simulation: Russia in 1917

(Saint Petersburg Encyclopedia)

Page 2: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

Tsar Nicholas II reviewing his troops at the front. Despite Rodzianko's telegram urging democratic reforms in the face of large-scale strikes, the tsar replies by telling the police (aided by the army) to use “decisive armed force” against the crowds (“Russian Revolution,” 20).

(FirstWorldWar.com)

Page 3: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

Once again the military's attitude was pivotal to revolution. In this case the Volynsky regiment (regretting their part in putting down a strike the previous day at Znamenskaya Square, where 50 were killed), shot their commander and left their barracks to march and persuade other troops to join the mutiny. By the end of the day, 66,000 uniformed soldiers had joined the strikers and 170,000 firearms were looted from arsenals. These kind of soldiers' uprisings were exactly why the Petrograd Soviet later issued Order No. 1, granting amnesty to revolting and deserting soldiers (“Russian Revolution,” 20).

(Saint Petersburg Encyclopedia)

Page 4: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

(Saint Petersburg Encyclopedia)

The revolution was bloody. Prisons were blown up (see the Litovski prison in the picture below), police stations looted, and 8000 common criminals set free—who promptly set to looting, stealing, and raping the inhabitants of Petrograd. There were somewhere between 1500 and 7500 casualties in these few days (“Russian Revolution,” 20-21).

Page 5: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

On March 2, 1917, Nicholas II abdicates and becomes simply “Nicholas Romanoff.”

(Library of Congress)

(“Imperial Russia”)

Page 6: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

Who was to rule Russia? Immediately, two separate bodies sprang up to assume the job—they even shared the same meeting place. The Duma had created a Provisional Government, which met in the right wing of the Tauride Palace; and the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies (defunct since shortly after the 1905 revolution) used the left wing. This was an uneasy alliance known as “dual authority” (“Russian Revolution,” 21).

(Saint Petersburg Encyclopedia)

Page 7: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

The Provisional Government made many typically liberal reforms: Freedom of press Freedom of speech Freedom of assembly Universal suffrage Repealed legal restrictions based on religion, class, and race Outlawed capital punishment Reformed judicial system Tried to control police (“Russian Revolution,” 22).

(University of Toronto)

Page 8: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

The Petrograd Soviet was original led by middle level Social Democrats (mostly Mensheviks) and Social Revolutionaries because most major socialists, and almost all leading Bolsehivks, were in exile. As they began to return after the tsar's abdication, the membership of this body would change. It was a large and unwieldy group, but it had the strong support of both workers and soldiers/sailors. The vice-chairman of the Soviet, Alexander Kerensky, was also a prominent member of the Provisional Government, and he would later convince other important leaders, primarily Mensheviks, to join the government as well. At first, these two bodies co-existed mostly peacefully, if somewhat uncomfortably (“Russian Revolution,” 22).

(University of Toronto)

Page 9: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

Lenin arrived in April 1917 and promptly started denouncing both the Provisional Government and the leadership of the Petrograd Soviet (though he didn't oppose this last group in principle and wanted, in fact, to give it more power—power that would be taken away from the government). He wanted “peace, bread, and land”—and an immediate revolution led by the Bolsheviks. He was not received with tremendous enthusiasm and some thought he was a German agent.

Marxism-Leninism:1. Needs to be a revolution NOW2. Needs to be led by a small “vanguard” of professional revolutionaries, trained against the secret police and conscious of more long-term goals3. Discipline will have to be enforced

Page 10: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

The war must end now. Land must be

redistributed to the peasants.

Banks and industries should be nationalized.

People should withdraw support from Provisional Government—all power to the Soviets!

(Raschig)

Page 11: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

Prepare for the Simulation

Meet in groups based upon your party affiliation / occupation

Discuss your aims and arguments

Be prepared to argue against what other people want

Page 12: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

Simulation Topics

Should Russia continue to fight in the war? Should land be redistributed to the peasants? What kind of government should rule Russia? Who should be in charge of this government?

Page 13: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

The Provisional Government continued the war. Alexander Kerensky was named Minister of War and he appointed General Kornilov to become Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Kerensky launched a major offensive in June, which failed at the cost of 200,000 casualties. Soldiers of the First Machine Gun Regiment sent appeals to their families and friends for an insurrection against the Provisional Government to stop the war. This was known as the July Days. The Bolsheviks were blamed for the insurrection, even though they didn't start it. Certainly, they were sympathetic to it and allowed it to run its course for five days before calling for a restoration of peace on the streets. As a result of their supposed complicity, the Provisional Government cracks down on all strikers and Bolsheviks, and once again Lenin goes into exile, this time to Finland. Kerensky becomes Prime Minister (“Russian Revolution,” 39-41).

(Wikimedia Commons)

Page 14: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

(Wikimedia Commons)

Lenin disguised in a wig and cap for exile intoFinland in August 1917.Lenin in Petrograd.

(Monkeysmashesheaven.com)

Page 15: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

The Bolsheviks recovered, though, largely because they were popular among the workers and needed by the Provisional Government. When General Kornilov staged an attempted coup d'état, Prime Minister Kerensky called upon the Bolsheviks to protect the government, since they were the only ones who could rally enough support to do so. He even allowed them to arm themselves, creating a group of 10,000 known as the Red Guards. Kornilov wouldn't fire upon the workers and gave himself up. Now the Bolsheviks, 200,000 strong and a majority in the Petrograd Soviet, were well-placed to make another strong move: revolution (Morris and Murphy 199).

(Mitskevich)

(First World War.com)

Page 16: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

Discussion Questions Why did the Provisional Government fail? Was the Bolshevik Revolution truly a revolution? (Consider the

definition of “revolution” in your answer.) Were the Bolsheviks a better government than the Provisional

Government? Did Lenin deliver on his promises? Should Lenin's government have signed the Treaty of Brest-

Litovsk? Was war communism a success or a failure? How was the NEP

different? How did the Bolsheviks win the civil war? Who was worse for the Russian people—the Reds or the Whites?

Page 17: Protestors at Znamenskaya Square, Petrograd, in February 1917

Bibliography“February Revolution of 1917.” St. Petersburg Encyclopedia. 12 October 2008 <http://www.encspb.ru/en/article.php?kod=2804022822>.

“Coat of Arms of Russian Empire.” Wikipedia. 1 October 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empire>.

“ggbain 25191.” Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 12 October 2008 <http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/ggbain/25100/25191v.jpg>.

“In Memory of the Great Lenin.” Monkey Smashes Heaven. 12 October 2008 <http://monkeysmashesheaven.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/beijing-review-in-memory-of-the-great-lenin-down-with-modern-revisionism-by-%E2%80%9Crenmin-ribao%E2%80%9D-commentator/>.

“July Days.” Wikipedia. 12 October 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_Days>.

Mitskevich, S. I., ed. Proletarskaia Revoliutsiia v obrazakh i kartinakh (Moscow: Izdanie Muzei Revoliutsii SSSR, 1926). 12 October 2008 <http://euphrates.wpunj.edu/courses/hist429-60/RevPhoto.html>.

Morris, Terry, and Derrick Murphy. Europe 1870-1991. 2nd ed. London: Harper Collins, 2004.

Raschig, Megan. “Lenin’s April Theses.” 1 October 2009 <http://www.markville.ss.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/history/west/spring2004posters.html>.

“The Russian Revolution.” Choices for the 21st Century Education Program. Sarah Graseck, editor. Providence, R.I.: Brown University, February 2005.

“Soldiers Volynsky Regiment Rebellion.” Visualrian Photos. 12 October 2008 <http://visualrian.com/images/item/29523?print=true>.

“Table of Modules.” University of Toronto. 12 October 2008 <https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/citd/RussianHeritage/TOC.html>.

Vintage Photographs.” First World War. 12 October 2008 <http://www.firstworldwar.com/photos/index.htm>.

“Vladimir Lenin.” Wikipedia. 12 October 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Lenin#Return_to_Russia>.