Timeline of the Russian Revolutions: 1917 - Part 2
March
• March 8: The Provisional Government issues a program of goals and democratic principles, including civil rights and self-government through town dumas. It's hugely optimistic and immediately compromised by the demands of war. The Tsar and his family are arrested.
• March 12: A Bolshevik called Joseph Stalin, one of many released political prisoners, arrives back in Petrograd where he supports both the PS and PG.
• March 14: The Petrograd Soviet issues an 'Appeal to all the peoples of the world' arguing against war and requesting only a defence of Russia.
• March 28: The Provisional Government releases a Decleration of War Aims, including a rejection of the territorial claims made by the Tsar in 1915.
April
• April 3: Lenin returns to Russia, where he soon dominates the Bolshevik party.
• April 4: Lenin gives a speech known as the April Thesis, which asks for power to all the soviets and promises peace, bread, land, worker control and an end to the war.
• April 18: The PG Foreign Minister Milyukov secretly confirms Russia's war aims to the Allies, including the retention of the 1915 territorial claims.
• April 23-4: Milyukov's confirmation leaks, leading to mass public demonstrations; soldiers and workers demand peace and several ministers, including Milyukov, resign. The Duma invites the PS to form a joint government. The PS agrees, creating a blurred, semi-socialist provisional government.
May
• May 4: Trotsky returns to Russia from exile.
June
• June 3-24: First All-Russian Congress of Soviets (1st Congress of the soviets of the workers' and soldiers' deputies) in Petrograd reveals deep splits and a rhetoric of class war. The moderate Menshevik and SR moderate parties dominate, while the Bolsheviks are sidelined.
• June 18-July 1: The Kerensky Offensive on the Eastern Front, plotted by the PG Defence Minister Fedor Kerensky, who believes a victory will restore morale. Initial successes are lost after German counter attacks; over 400,000 Russian casualties. There are new demonstrations against the war and soldiers increasingly turn to the pro-peace Bolsheviks.
July
• July 2: Trotsky (no longer a Menshevik) and his party merge with the Bolsheviks.
• July 3-4: The July Days, an armed insurrection/demonstration by soldiers and workers in Petrograd against both the PG and the PS for their failures; low ranking Bolsheviks assist and only chaos and indecision prevents a coup. The PG uses troops to break the protest and arrest high-ranking Bolsheviks; in reality, these only followed, not led, the revolt.
• July 7: PG agents arrest Trotsky and seize Bolshevik offices; Lenin escapes to Finland.
• July 8: The First Coalition of the Provisional Government collapses, partly due to Chernov's agrarian policies and the question of Ukrainian autonomy. Kerensky succeeds as Prime Minister, forming the Second Coalition of the PG and PS, which drifts away from democracy, the soviet and the original PG.
• July 19: Brusilov is replaced as C-in-C of the Western Front by General Kornilov.
August
• August 25-30: The Kornilov affair. Believing Russia to be at the mercy of the Soviet, right wing hero Kornilov marches to Petrograd to restore 'strong' government and crush the socialists. He has the support of many but not, as he believes, Kerensky, who turns against the coup and denounces the General.
• August 29-30: The PS forms a committee to act against the 'counter-revolution'; Bolsheviks are given equal power. Over 40,000 workers and soldiers form 'Red Guards' and disarm the approaching army; this new militia remains active.
September
• September 1: Kerensky responds to events by declaring Russia a republic and creating a 5 man Directory as government; he controls the new body, but it's weak.
• September 1-30: The Kornilov Affair has renewed the radicalism of the people and broken many remaining bonds between soldiers and their officers, workers and the upper classes; strikes reach their high point, including a 3 day, 700,000 strong railway workers protest.
• September 4: Trotsky and other Bolshevik leaders released from prison.
• September 14-25: The Democratic Conference, a meeting of socialist and government parties invited by Kerensky and intended to end the growing crisis; the Bolsheviks walk out. Finishes with a vote for a third coalition government and a Council of the Republic (in which the Bolsheviks take part).
• September 25: With the other socialist parties largely seen as failures, the Bolsheviks - having gained a majority in the ruling committees of the Petrograd and Moscow Soviets - elect Trotsky chairman of the PS.
Next page > 1917 Part 3 > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
• March 8: The Provisional Government issues a program of goals and democratic principles, including civil rights and self-government through town dumas. It's hugely optimistic and immediately compromised by the demands of war. The Tsar and his family are arrested.
• March 12: A Bolshevik called Joseph Stalin, one of many released political prisoners, arrives back in Petrograd where he supports both the PS and PG.
• March 14: The Petrograd Soviet issues an 'Appeal to all the peoples of the world' arguing against war and requesting only a defence of Russia.
• March 28: The Provisional Government releases a Decleration of War Aims, including a rejection of the territorial claims made by the Tsar in 1915.
April
• April 3: Lenin returns to Russia, where he soon dominates the Bolshevik party.
• April 4: Lenin gives a speech known as the April Thesis, which asks for power to all the soviets and promises peace, bread, land, worker control and an end to the war.
• April 18: The PG Foreign Minister Milyukov secretly confirms Russia's war aims to the Allies, including the retention of the 1915 territorial claims.
• April 23-4: Milyukov's confirmation leaks, leading to mass public demonstrations; soldiers and workers demand peace and several ministers, including Milyukov, resign. The Duma invites the PS to form a joint government. The PS agrees, creating a blurred, semi-socialist provisional government.
May
• May 4: Trotsky returns to Russia from exile.
June
• June 3-24: First All-Russian Congress of Soviets (1st Congress of the soviets of the workers' and soldiers' deputies) in Petrograd reveals deep splits and a rhetoric of class war. The moderate Menshevik and SR moderate parties dominate, while the Bolsheviks are sidelined.
• June 18-July 1: The Kerensky Offensive on the Eastern Front, plotted by the PG Defence Minister Fedor Kerensky, who believes a victory will restore morale. Initial successes are lost after German counter attacks; over 400,000 Russian casualties. There are new demonstrations against the war and soldiers increasingly turn to the pro-peace Bolsheviks.
July
• July 2: Trotsky (no longer a Menshevik) and his party merge with the Bolsheviks.
• July 3-4: The July Days, an armed insurrection/demonstration by soldiers and workers in Petrograd against both the PG and the PS for their failures; low ranking Bolsheviks assist and only chaos and indecision prevents a coup. The PG uses troops to break the protest and arrest high-ranking Bolsheviks; in reality, these only followed, not led, the revolt.
• July 7: PG agents arrest Trotsky and seize Bolshevik offices; Lenin escapes to Finland.
• July 8: The First Coalition of the Provisional Government collapses, partly due to Chernov's agrarian policies and the question of Ukrainian autonomy. Kerensky succeeds as Prime Minister, forming the Second Coalition of the PG and PS, which drifts away from democracy, the soviet and the original PG.
• July 19: Brusilov is replaced as C-in-C of the Western Front by General Kornilov.
August
• August 25-30: The Kornilov affair. Believing Russia to be at the mercy of the Soviet, right wing hero Kornilov marches to Petrograd to restore 'strong' government and crush the socialists. He has the support of many but not, as he believes, Kerensky, who turns against the coup and denounces the General.
• August 29-30: The PS forms a committee to act against the 'counter-revolution'; Bolsheviks are given equal power. Over 40,000 workers and soldiers form 'Red Guards' and disarm the approaching army; this new militia remains active.
September
• September 1: Kerensky responds to events by declaring Russia a republic and creating a 5 man Directory as government; he controls the new body, but it's weak.
• September 1-30: The Kornilov Affair has renewed the radicalism of the people and broken many remaining bonds between soldiers and their officers, workers and the upper classes; strikes reach their high point, including a 3 day, 700,000 strong railway workers protest.
• September 4: Trotsky and other Bolshevik leaders released from prison.
• September 14-25: The Democratic Conference, a meeting of socialist and government parties invited by Kerensky and intended to end the growing crisis; the Bolsheviks walk out. Finishes with a vote for a third coalition government and a Council of the Republic (in which the Bolsheviks take part).
• September 25: With the other socialist parties largely seen as failures, the Bolsheviks - having gained a majority in the ruling committees of the Petrograd and Moscow Soviets - elect Trotsky chairman of the PS.
Next page > 1917 Part 3 > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
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