How far do the sources suggest that Kornilov main aim in august 1917 was to crush the Bolsheviks?

Book 8 page 30 A

Source 1 tells us that Kornilov states that he believes that the provisional government, under large pressure from the Bolsheviks is cooperating with the German high command to take Russia out of the war early. He believes that Russia is dying and becoming disheartened at the expected landing of enemy troops on Russian soil. He states that all he wants is for a Constitutional assembly to determine the fate of Russia. However when you compare this to source 3 which was written by a member of the provisional government, he states that Kerensky feared that Kornilov wanted only to become a Russian dictator. Source 3 is more of a report on Kerensky and Kornilov and has little to do with the Bolsheviks and more to do with the Kornilov coup. Source 3 however does show us that many people disapproved of Kerensky’s methods of ruling by saying that suppression was more desirable for Kerensky.

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Source 2 is written by Lenin who goes on to say that Kornilov and his attempted coup was him trying to cover up his treason and blame it on the Bolsheviks, this way he will have being able to get rid of the Bolsheviks and take power at the same time. Source 2 goes on to defend the July days incident in which the Bolsheviks attempted a coup, and simply says it is yet to be proven that it was not just a simply demonstration. If you compare source 2 to source 1 you will see the conflicting impressions of both the Bolsheviks and Kornilov. Source 1 talk about the Bolsheviks as on the German payroll and attempting to undermine the government, while source 2 talks about the Bolsheviks and how they are treated unfairly by Kornilov and the provisional government. On the other hand source 2 talks about Kornilov as a liar and worth of treason against Russia it also goes on to state that he attempted to blame his coup on the Bolsheviks. On the other hand source 1 goes on to state that Kornilov is a defender of Russia and only looks to help Russia get a constitution and hold elections for a fair government. Source 1 talks about Kornilov this way because it is Kornilov himself writing the source, source 2 talks bad about Kornilov because he is trying to pass his own treason onto the Bolsheviks.

Source 3 mainly talks about the weaknesses of the provisional government and Kerensky and how Kornilov and Kerensky both were looking for complete control over Russia, but while Kerensky attempted this is secret Kornilov was more publicly expressive and this would eventually lead to his attempted coup in august 1917. The source goes on to tell us that when Kornilov marched on Petrograd with the intention of a coup Kerensky panicked and shouted for someone to help him. If you compare this source with the other two you will realise that this spends more time criticising Kornilov and Kerensky then the Bolsheviks.

In conclusion I think that source 1 mainly criticises the Bolsheviks because it was written by Kornilov himself who wanted to blame his coup on the Bolsheviks. Source 2 is written by Lenin and so defends the Bolsheviks and describes the July days as a peaceful demonstration. Source 3 mainly talks about Kornilov and Kerensky’s attempts at power because this was written by a Duma member it shows that Kerensky didn’t have a lot of support in the government.

David Farrell