October 1917 Revolution

How effective was the Provisional Government?
1. Here is a list of some decisions that faced the Provisional Government when it took over in March 1917:
-- What to do about the war: Continued to fight with Germany. Soldiers began to desert. Army falling apart against German counter-attack.
-- What to do about land: Told the peasents to wait. Peasents start taking control of the countryside. Soldiers rush home to claim land.
-- What to do about food: No support from peasents, therefore no food.
For each one, say how the government dealt with it, and what the result of the action was.

2. Look for evidence in the reading of how the actions of its opponents harmed the Provisional Government:
-- Members of the soviets
-- Bolsheviks: July Days rebellion
-- General Kornilov: Tried to destroy the government

3. Based on your answers to questions 1 & 2, how effective do you think the Provisional Government was? Your answer should be at least two paragraphs. Make sure you provide key details and analysis.

The Provisional government was not effective. It failed at the three main problems facing it: the war, land, and food for the people. The provisional government wanted to continue the war with Germany. However many soldiers were desterting. Kerensky tried to raise morale by having an offensive, but it was a disaster. The Germans then counterattacked, and there was even more deserting. The deserters returned to their farm to claim land.
The Provisional government also failed at dividing land among the peasents. Rather than wait for the Provisional Government to do it for them, many peasents began claiming land themselves. This demonstrates the PG's powerlessness.
The PG also failed to supply people with food. Because they PG tried to stop the peasents from getting land, it had angered them. The PG could not get food into the cities, which also angered the workers.

Read the .pdf file Lenin & Trotsky, then:

The Appeal of Lenin and Trotsky
1. Using Sources 42 - 44, and the Profile of Lenin, add extra details to the profile of Lenin:
-- Why Lenin appealed to people: He did not look like an intellectual. He looked like a normal person. Brilliant speeches.
-- His personal qualities: "Iron will," ambitious, used people as tools to accomplish his goals.
-- His strengths as a leader: graduated from St. Petersburg University. Led Bolsheviks to power in 1917. Organized Bolsheviks. Often worked behind the scenes.


2. Using Sources 45 - 47, and the Profile of Trotsky, add extra details to the profile of Trotsky:
-- Why Trotsky appealed to people: Spoke to the people using examples that they could understand. Great orator, very intelligent. Some people thought of him as the leader of the revolution.
-- His personal qualities: brilliant, great writer and orator
-- His strengths as a leader: played a key role in the Bolshevik revolution 1917, 1918 as Commissar of War, led Bolsheviks to victory in the Civil War.

3. Finally, write a short report on the contribution of each individual to the Bolsheviks' success in 1917.
Lenin convinced other Bolshevik leaders that they should revolutionize. Trotsky led the Red Guards and took control of Petrograd.