The Bolsheviks seized power in Petrograd in October 1917. (a) Describe the main events of the Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917. [4] (b) Why had th...

(a) The Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917 [4 marks]

On the night of 24-25 October 1917, Bolshevik Red Guards and soldiers sympathetic to the Soviet occupied key strategic positions in Petrograd, including bridges, telegraph offices, railway stations, and the central telephone exchange. The cruiser Aurora, anchored on the River Neva, fired a blank shot at the Winter Palace to signal the assault. The Winter Palace, seat of the Provisional Government, was stormed and its ministers arrested. Alexander Kerensky, the head of the Provisional Government, fled the city. Lenin then announced to the Congress of Soviets that power had passed to the soviets.

(b) Why the Provisional Government became unpopular [6 marks]

The Provisional Government lost support for several interconnected reasons:

• It continued Russia's involvement in the deeply unpopular First World War, including launching the failed Kerensky Offensive in June 1917, which cost further lives for no territorial gain.
• It postponed land reform, frustrating the millions of peasants who demanded immediate redistribution of landlords' estates.
• Rising inflation and worsening food shortages in the cities eroded urban workers' support.
• The Kornilov Affair of August 1917 severely weakened Kerensky. When General Kornilov attempted a military coup, Kerensky was forced to arm the Bolshevik Red Guards to help defend Petrograd, restoring their credibility and military capacity.
• The government lacked democratic legitimacy because it had never been elected; it was an interim body that repeatedly delayed elections to a Constituent Assembly.
• It failed to deliver on the key demands of soldiers, workers, and peasants: peace, bread, and land.

(c) How far was Lenin responsible for the success of the Bolshevik Revolution? [10 marks]

Lenin's leadership was a crucial factor in the Bolshevik success. His April Theses, published on his return to Russia in April 1917, gave the party a clear and radical programme: 'Peace, Bread, Land' and 'All Power to the Soviets.' These slogans distinguished the Bolsheviks from every other political party by offering exactly what the population wanted. Lenin insisted on immediate armed insurrection in October 1917, overriding the caution of colleagues such as Zinoviev and Kamenev, who preferred to wait for the Constituent Assembly. His ability to read the mood of workers and soldiers and act decisively at the right moment was critical.

However, other factors also contributed significantly. Trotsky, as chairman of the Petrograd Soviet's Military Revolutionary Committee, organised the practical details of the seizure of power. The Provisional Government's own failures created the conditions for revolution by alienating soldiers, workers, and peasants. By September 1917, the Bolsheviks had won majority support in both the Petrograd and Moscow Soviets, giving them a democratic platform. The Kornilov Affair allowed the Bolsheviks to rearm and present themselves as defenders of the revolution against military dictatorship.

In evaluation, Lenin was essential because without his leadership, vision, and insistence on action, the Bolsheviks would likely have missed the revolutionary moment. However, he operated within circumstances shaped by the war, economic crisis, and the Provisional Government's failures. Lenin was the indispensable individual, but the revolution required both his leadership and favourable conditions.