Russian Revolution

The Russian Revolution

Perhaps the most significant event of the 20th century.

Quick Chronology to 1917

• 1855 Start of reign of Russian Tsar Alexander II
• 1861 Emancipation of the serfs
• 1866-74 [The White Terror]?
• 1881 Alexander II assassinated. Alexander III
• 1883 First Russian marxist group formed
• 1894 Start of reign of [Nicholas II]?
• 1898 First Congress of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP)
• 1900 Foundation of [Socialist Revolutionary Party]? (SR)
• 1903 Second Congress of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. Split
• 1904-5 [Russo-Japanese War]?
• 1905 Revolution.

Jan - Bloody Sunday in St Petersburg.

June - Potemkin?

Oct - general strike, St Petersburg Soviet formed

imperial agreement on elections to the State Duma? - October Manifesto

• 1906 First State Duma. Prime Minister - [Petr Stolypin]?. Agrarian reforms begin
• 1907 Second State Duma, Feb - June
• 1907 Third State Duma, until 1912
• 1911 Stolypin assassinated
• 1912 Fourth State Duma, until 1917. Bolshevik? - Menshevik? split final
• 1914 Germany declares war on Russia
• 1915 Serious defeats, Nicholas II declares himself CinC?. [Progressive Bloc]? formed
• 1916 Gregory Rasputin killed

More detailed quick chronology of 1917

Jan

Strikes and unrest in Petrograd

Feb

The February Revolution

26th 50 demonstrators killed in Znamenskaia Square

27th Troops refuse to fire on demonstrators, desertions. Prison, court and

Okhrana? buidings set on fire. Garrison joins revolutionaries.

Petrograd Soviet formed.

March

1st Order No.1 of the Petrograd Soviet

2nd Nicholas II abdicates. Provisional Goverment formed, Prince Lvov PM

April

3rd Return of Lenin to Russia. April Theses

20th Miliukov's note published. Provisional Government falls

May

5th New Provisional Government formed. Kerensky minister of war and navy

June

3rd First All-Russian Congress of Soviets in Petrograd. Closed on 24th

16th Kerensky orders offensive against Austro-Hungarian forces. Initial success

July

2nd Russian offensive ends. Trotsky? joins Bolsheviks

4th Anti-government demonstrations in Petrograd

6th German and Austro-Hungarian counter-attack. Russians retreat in panic, sacking

the town of Tarnopol. Arrest of Bolshevik leaders ordered

7th Lvov resigns. Kerensky is new PM

22nd Trotsky and Lunacharskii arrested

Aug.

26th Second coalition government ends

27th General Lavr Kornilov failed coup. Kornilov arrested and imprisoned

Sept.

1st Russia declared a republic

4th Trotsky and others freed. Trotsky becomes head of Petrograd Soviet

25th Third coalition government formed

Oct.

10th Bolshevik Central Committee meeting approves armed uprising

11th Congress of Soviets of the Northern Region, until 13th

20th First meeting of the Military Revolutionary Committee of Petrograd

25th MRC directs armed workers and soldiers to capture key buidings in Petrograd.

Winter Palace attacked at 9.40pm. Kerensky flees Petrograd

26th Second Congress of Soviets. Mensheviks and right SR delegates walk-out in

protest at coup. Decrees on peace and land reform. Soviet government declared -

the Council of People's Commissars; Bolshevik dominated with Lenin as chairman

/Talk