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Growth in support for the Bolsheviks

LENIN
1. Living in exile during feb.rev
2. 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
3. Upon L return, people cheered as he came off the train in the Petrograd
  1. Also greeted by Mensh. chairman who said they didnt need his help
    1. L pushed him aside + made a welcome speech stating that revolution was far from complete
4. APRIL THESIS
  1. 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
  2. 'Pravda' published thesis on 7th April
  3. L attitude alienated prominent socialists, members of the PS = even some of his own party
    1. many saw him as too radical to be taken seriously
    2. H/ever slogans like 'Peace, bread + land' appealed to soldiers, ind. workers + peasants
      1. PHILLIPS: argues that L realised Russias 3 major problems needed answered immediatley + wasnt willing to wait for the supposed process of history to occur
  4. PHILLIPS: Theses was less Marxist + more anti-pg propaganda
  5. L called for a revolution + end to war
    1. FIGES: many saw this as too far removed from the Marxist ideal
  6. TROTSKY: saw it as holding up the Bolsh. ideology.
5. PIPES: Lenin controlled a well organised + disciplined rev. party who directed the masses
6. SERVICE + READ: Lenin was a key figure, saying that w/o his drive + persistence there probably wouldnt have been an oct.rev
EARLY ATTEMPTED COUPS
1. 1st attempt- in late April due to a disagreement w PG about how to get Russia out of the war
  1. Bolsh. tried to agitate demonstrating military personnel by demanding an end to the PG h/ever crowds dissipated w/out the coup
2. Several other coups were attempted during spring + summer as they wanted to entice the masses into bringing another rev.
3. FITZPATRICK: it was the people -worker, soldiers + peasants- who created the circumstances in which the Bolsheviks could operate
4. SERVICE + READ: hallmarks of a coup are present in the way that the Bolsh. seized power
WAR
1. SEE 'Problems with the PG' + 'October Rev.'
2. Struggle between Soviet wanting early peace + Minister of war wanting to fight on (Lead to his resignation)
3. Mensh. + SRs lost lots of support after the June offensive
LAND + TRADE
1. The land issue combined w food shortages fueled unrest in cities + at the front
2. Growing radicalism due to breakdown in trade + frsutration at national policies (inflation, war etc) - lead to july days
MAYBE NO GROWTH ??
1. Oct.rev. was more against the PG than for Bolsh.
  1. for many Oct.Rev was a coup as Lenin + his evil 'minority' took over
2. Workers didnt think Bolsh. would run Russia alone + when they did this led to consternation
  1. They seemed Bolsh. in mood but they only supported them if certain conditions were met
3. Constituent assembly elections reveal the ltd support for the Bolsh. they gained 24% of the votes whilst the SRs gained 53%
4. 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

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Growth in support for the Bolsheviks

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	Created by Naomi Stewart over 5 years ago