Provisional Government’s Problems

Provisional Government was in a troubled position in the War, having no choice to fight on with a Cache 22 problem, financially. If it did not fight, it would not receive war credits and supplies which it relied on, but continuing the war and the Total War effort would eventually bankrupt Russia. This was unsustainable, and was a point of which made the Provisional Government unpopular.

Governmentally, the co-operation period between the Soviet and the PG came to a sharp end. The Soviet had announced the request for the end of war ‘without indemnities’. As we know this was not possible and the Foreign minister of the PG also said that ‘Russia would fight to the end’. April saw violent demonstrations against Milyukov, and this saw him resign along with the war minister. The pressures began to show within the inside. Kerensky, became the war minister, and SR’s/Mensheviks had places on the cabinet, hoping the shift would ease tensions between PG and Soviet, but instead these socialists became isolated from the soviet, and looked bad as compromising with the ‘bourgeoisie’

Some ministers had doubts about continuing war, but had no doubts about withdrawing. This would have mattered less, if the armies had been successful. Kerensky campaigned as a ‘struggle to save revolution’. He made trips to give speeches to troops, in which the war needed total dedication of the nation. Russia had gone beyond the point of fighting a successful war, and proof by a major assault in which the low morale combined with Bolshevik agitators, saw heavy losses. General Kornilov called to crush the Bolsheviks at home and halt offences. What followed next was the soviet creation at Kronstadt, and then the Revolutionaries saw a chance to overthrow the PG, known as the July Days

Summer's 'JULY DAYS' 1917, government seemed to no longer be in control of events, because of
- Spread of soviets
- Workers control of factories
- Peasant land seizure
- Ukraine creating its own minority government.

Kadet ministers resigned, after the PG offered Ukraine independence, arguing that only a Constituent assembly could decide such matters. Growing demonstrations over the war and the government’s problems coincided with this clash, which rose into a direct challenge. The challenge was confused and disorganised, with soviet members who did not wish to challenge found themselves physically attacked, and because of this disunity, the Provisional Government found it easy to crush the rising. It’s not clear who started the risings, and a month before at the first All-Russian Congress of Soviets, Lenin declared the Bolsheviks were ready to take power, as did the SR’s frequently urge taking the PG on. Trotsky however, blamed the Mensheviks and SR’s to hide Bolshevik failure, and had only come to the support of Kronstadt.

Consequences, displayed that opposition was disunited, the Bolsheviks were not the dominant party, and the Provisional Government still had the power to put down insurrection. Kerensky soon after became prime minister, and persisted to arrest Bolsheviks. Lenin fled to Finland. Kerensky issued Propaganda calling the Bolsheviks traitors.

The Provisional government had not only failed to grasp the war problems, but it did so with the land question too. Land Shortage was still a huge problem, and was the main cause for peasantry unrest. The Feb revolution led the peasants to believe they would soon benefit from land redistribution. When this didn't happen, like the 1905 revolution, they took the land of landlords and estates. This was a daily occurance. The government had no answer to this, and the Land commission did little to redistribute the estates (which it had gained) and the members of the government who had their own land were not really willing to let go of it, linking to the April Thesis of which this was just the old Bourgeois Duma. The bolsheviks, who started to gain support in the soviets, also had no Policy but Lenin saw the 'backward masses', 80% of the population to be a useful and truely revolutionary force. He stole the SR slogan 'Land to the Peasants' and this made them mainly Pro-bolshevik in the countryside. This also split the SR's who joined the bolsheviks, known as the SR's

The Kornilov Affair

Kerensky’s government, became involved in which undermined the government and its gains from the July days. General Commander-in-Chief Kornilov, was a right wing army officer who believed fully in defeating Germany, but must firstly destroy the ‘German supporters’, Lenin and the Bolsheviks. When Russia’s Petrograd found itself under german invasion threats, Kornilov declared that Russia would fall to anarchy, and that the Bolsh would take over. He informed Kerensky that he intended to bring his troops to save the Provisional Government. Kornilov intended to actually take over the PG and rule under military control, and Kerensky removed his support, and condemned Kornilov who replied that they must destroy the Bolshevik/Soviet controls.

Kerensky, called upon Petrograd’s loyal citizens to take up arms and defend the cities. The Bolsheviks were released from prison and given arms. As it so happened, Kornilov never made it to Petrograd due to Railway strike. The Bolsheviks found themselves with arms, and released from prison and being seen as ready to be the defenders of Petrograd. The Bolsheviks also saw the readiness of the people to defend Petrograd, a sign that they were not confident within the PG.

SUMMARY
THE WAR
'cache 22 situation, obliged to the war in order to maintain war credits.
Caused rift between Soviet/Provisional government - sending mixed messages out
Inflation, lack of food and resources
Kerensky rallies for the War
___________
Kadet ministers resigning over the UKRAINE seperation led to the JULY DAYS, as this coincided with War protests. July days was crushed as opposition was disunited and nearly saw the end of the Bolsheviks, and PG could still crush.
_________
Land question- Provisional government not willing to redistribute land, Bolsheviks stole their support in countryside using SR slogan
______
July days gains lost, due to Kornilov affair who wanted to destroy soviets/Bolsheviks- but also taking military rule over petrograd.
This meant releasing bolsh from prison/giving arms for them to support petrograd. Bolsh became 'saviours' and the willingness of the help proved people did not have faith.