In March 1917 Lenin returned from exile in Switzerland, via Germany, which Russia was a war with. Germany gave Lenin safe passage to Russia because it knew he would cause trouble for the Provisional Government, which of course he did. On his return Lenin denounced the Soviet support for the Provisional Government,
On April 18th Miliukov, the Foreign Minister promised the Allies that Russia would continue to fight in the was against Germany, a stupid decision as the Russian people, who had initially loved going to war, now hated it as it was causing major problems. Russia was failing miserably and many many soldiers were dying. On May 2nd Miliukov was forced to resign because of demonstrations by the Russian people. Two days later the great orator Trotsky arrived from the USA where he had been in exile.
Trotsky and Lenin made a deadly partnership which spelled out Revolution.
By July Russia was still failing badly in the war. Food was at a premium and too expensive for most of the population. The country was starving. Soldiers and sailors took to the streets of Petrograd and were soon joined by the working classes from the factories. The groups together caused anti-Provisional Government riots on the 16th and 17th July but the Government brought in loyal troops and suppressed the rioters.
Lenin was held responsible as the starter of the riots but he had actually had little to do with them. This gave the Provisional Government ammunition against him and they managed to produce false evidence proving Lenin was working for the Germans, which turned the people against the Communists and he was forced to flee to Finland. Trotsky was arrested on 23rd July, after which Kerensky became Prime Minister. Many others were not able to escape. Even in July the Communists still seemed a long way from taking power.
Between 27th August and 1st September General Kornilov, commander of the Russian Army attempted to set up a military dictatorship to deal harshly with the Communists because he felt the Provisional Government was not firm enough. He ordered Kerensky to arrest all Socialists and Communists but Kerensky refused, not because he supported them but because he didn’t want to lose face. Kornilov gathered his troops together and marched on Petrograd. It looked as though Civil War was going to break out. But the Provisional Government gave the communists weapons in order to protect Petrograd from Kornilov. This force was called the Red Guard . The Red Guard numbered a huge 20000 as well as a number of deserters from the army and faced with such a force Kornilov’s attempt failed.
As Kornilov had been beaten off, Kerensky came out well in the eyes of the people but the people who came out on top were the Communists, the Red Guard. They were given the credit for saving Petrograd.. The workers who made up the Red Guard where Communist sympathisers. The Communist Bolsheviks achieved a majority in the Petrograd Soviet due to their success. Kerensky had lost a lot of support and was losing his power, while Lenin, even in exile, was gaining support.
Four days after the Bolsheviks achieved their majority, Trotsky was released from prison and was again free to speak his mind and spread his Communist manifesto. He became Chairman of the Petrograd Soviet. .On 3rd September, Trotsky organised a Revolutionary Committee. By 20th October the Revolutionary Committee had begun preparations for the revolution.
The Revolution was made possible because the Petrograd Soviet had supporters in the Railway Service and thus could stop the trains, which were the only source of long range transport. They also had supporters in the banks and could thus stop money flowing. As well as containing the workers, the soldiers and the sailors, the Committee all to strike at the same time with the Communists controlling all the major train stations and key points around Petrograd. A Bolshevik controlled cruiser sailed up the River Neva and fired a shell into the Winter Palace to signal the start of the revolution and Petrograd quickly came under Bolshevik rule. After a few days of fighting, Moscow also fell to the Bolsheviks.
