Duma and Soviet agree on formation of Provisional Government
Order No. 1
abdication of Nicholas II
Michael refuses the crown
early actions of Provisional Government
Soviet undermines the government
land, Constituent Assembly, and war aims
revolution spreads nationwide
ex-tsar returns to Tsarskoe Selo
extraordinary rapidity of Russia’s breakdown
PART TWO The Bolsheviks Conquer Russia
9 Lenin and the Origins of Bolshevism
Lenin’s early years
Lenin and Social Democracy
his personality
his disenchantment with Social Democracy
emergence of Bolshevism
final split with the Mensheviks
Lenin’s agrarian and nationality programs
financial affairs of the Bolshevik party
the Malinovskii episode
Zimmerwald, Kiental, and connections with enemy agents
10 The Bolshevik Bid for Power
The Bolshevik Party in early 1917
Lenin returns to Russia with German help
Lenin’s revolutionary tactics
the April 1917 Bolshevik demonstration
socialists enter Provisional Government
Bolshevik assets in the struggle for power and German subsidies
the aborted Bolshevik street action in June
Kerensky’s summer offensive
the Bolsheviks ready another assault
preparation for putsch
the events of July 3–5
the putsch suppressed: Lenin flees, Kerensky dictator
11 The October Coup
Kornilov appointed Commander in Chief
Kerensky asks Kornilov’s help in suppressing anticipated Bolshevik coup
the break between Kerensky and Kornilov
rise in Bolshevik fortunes
Lenin in hiding
Bolsheviks plan their own Congress of Soviets
Bolsheviks take over Soviet’s Military-Revolutionary Committee
the critical decision of October 10
Milrevkom initiates coup d’état
Kerensky reacts
Bolsheviks declare Provisional Government overthrown
the Second Congress of Soviets ratifies passage of power and passes laws on peace and land
Bolshevik coup in Moscow
few aware of what had transpired
12 Building the One-Party State
Lenin’s strategy after power seizure
Lenin and Trotsky rid themselves of accountability to the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet
strike of white collar employees
the Council of People’s Commissars
accord with Left SRs and the breakup of the Peasant Congress
elections to the Constituent Assembly
decision to be rid of it
the dissolution of the Assembly
effects and implications
movement of Worker Plenipotentiaries
13 Brest-Litovsk
Bolsheviks and traditional diplomacy
German and Bolshevik approaches to talks
divisions in the Bolshevik command
initial negotiations
Trotsky at Brest
bitter divisions among Bolsheviks and the German ultimatum
Germans decide to be firm
they advance into Soviet Russia
Allied efforts to win over Bolsheviks
Moscow requests Allied help
Russians capitulate to German terms
Soviet government moves to Moscow
terms of Brest-Litovsk Treaty
first Allied landings in Russia
American reaction to Bolshevik policies
principles of Bolshevik foreign policy
14 The Revolution Internationalized
Small Western interest in Russian Revolution
foundations of Red Army laid
further talks with Allies
German embassy arrives in Moscow
Soviet embassy in Berlin and its subversive activities
the Czechoslovak rebellion
Bolsheviks adopt military conscription
Czech advances
the Kaiser decides to continue pro-Bolshevik policy
the Left SRs plot uprising
they kill Mirbach
suppression of their rebellion
Savinkovs clandestine organization
the Iaroslavl rising
Riezler fails in attempt to reorient German policy
further Allied activities on Russian soil
Bolsheviks request German intervention
Supplementary Treaty with Germany
Russians decide the Germans have lost the war
the problem of foreign “intervention”
15 “War Communism”
Its origins and objectives
“Left Communists”plan implementation
attempts to abolish money
creation of Supreme Economic Council
decline of industrial productivity
decline of agricultural productivity
efforts to abolish the market and the growth of a shadow economy
anti-labor legislation
trade union policy
effects of War Communism
16 War on the Village
Bolsheviks view peasants as class enemy
what peasants gained in 1917–18 and at what cost
food requisition policies and hunger in the cities
campaign against the village begins, May 1918
food supply detachments meet with resistance: massive peasant revolt
“Committees of the Poor”
assessment of the campaign
17 Murder of the Imperial Family
Russian regicide unique
the ex-tsar and family in the first months of Bolshevik rule
Ekaterinburg Bolsheviks want ex-tsar in their custody
Nicholas and Alexandra transported to Ekaterinburg
the “House of Special Designation”
murder of Michael as trial baloon
Cheka fabricates rescue operation
decision to kill ex-tsar taken in Moscow: Cheka takes over guard duties
the murder
disposal of the remains