Lenin was a ruthless leader. After his return to Russia, he gave the Bolsheviks a new direction. Lenin changed the Bolsheviks from a small and irrelevant party in cooperation with others to a well-organised party significantly powerful. Lenin ensured, that the Bolsheviks were strongly associated with the workers. Bolsheviks were committed to carrying out a revolution on behalf of the workers. Through propaganda, he got the support of the working people and turned the Bolsheviks into the people’s party. Lenin elaborated on the issue of land for the workers and furthered his support. April thesis was the basis of the party policy, and contained slogans such as “all power to the soviets” and “peace, bread, land”. These got the Bolsheviks more support for the revolution. Lenin was able to appeal to the peasants promising land reform, an end to the war and an improvement to Russian food supply.
Lenin ordered the October uprising, and it was successful for the Bolsheviks. However, there were other factors behind the coup and the storming of the winter palace. Trotsky supervised the whole action and made sure, that it ran smoothly. The success also had Trotsky’s contribution to it. Another factor was the relatively bloodless takeover of the winter palace, which made it easier for the Bolsheviks, and displayed that there wasn’t much support within the people guarding the palace for the government.
One of the most important other factors for Bolsheviks success was Lenin’s recruit Trotsky. He brought to the Bolsheviks discipline, and tight organisation. Although Lenin ordered and decided on the Bolsheviks policy, it was Trotsky who organisation of the action. Trotsky managed to get the support of military revolutionary council during the October coup. Trotsky’s Red Guards, the private army for Bolsheviks were very well trained, disciplined and organised and inspired by him. They were a useful factor to Bolsheviks success and played a vital part in the seizure and maintenance of power.
The workers did not follow the Bolshevik advice, and revolted on their own. Bolsheviks, to show them support joined the revolution. There was a setback, as the provisional government was ready to put down a minor revolution. Bolsheviks were nearly destroyed, with Lenin fleeing the country and Trotsky being imprisoned. Bolsheviks realised they were not ready for the seizure yet. But some good came out of the event. The Bolsheviks proved their loyalty to the workers, and they decided to assist them with the revolution. The working population was a big factor in the Bolsheviks rise to power.
Two other important factors aided the Bolsheviks in their rise of power. The red army was very disciplined and organised in the revolution, under Trotsky’s leadership, who managed to defeat the white army, who were opposed to the Bolsheviks. The red army was fats, and the workers aided them. They had knowledge of the areas and they created lots of setbacks for the White army, by getting the workers to refuse to operate the white armies trains. The other factor was the failure of the white army. They were not as disciplined as the Reds, and were not as motivated and enthusiastic as the Red army. The whites were meant to be fighting together, but it was not the case. There were different groups under the White army, who did not work together. There were also foreign armies aiding them, for whom the area was new, each had their own purposes and also Lenin used this in his propaganda by saying that the provisional government was helping the country be invade by foreign forces. This excited the Reds more.
There were many factors that put the Bolsheviks to power in Russia. Lenin was on of the most important factors, as he leaded the Bolsheviks in power. But there were also other factors at work that were equally important.
