Turning Points of the Russian Revolution
Was Revolution Inevitable?
Tony Brenton
was revolution inevitable?
was revolution inevitable?
TURNING POINTS OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
EDITED BY TONY BRENTON
OXFORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS
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UNIVERSITY PRESS
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© Tony Brenton 2017
First published in Great Britain by Profile Books.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the Library of Congress
ISBN 978-0-19-065891-5
135798642 Printed by Sheridan Books, Inc., United States of America
Русский бунт, бессмысленный и беспощадный (Russian revolt, mindless and merciless) A. S. Pushkin
CONTENTS
A Note to the Reader ix
Chronology x
Acknowledgements xvii
Map xviii
Introduction Tony Brenton 1
1900-1920 Foreign intervention: The long view
Dominic Lieven 11
September 1911 The assassination of Stolypin
Simon Dixon 29
June 1914 Grigory Rasputin and the outbreak of the
First World War
Douglas Smith 48
March 1917 The last Tsar
Donald Crawford 66
April-July 1917 Enter Lenin
Sean McMeekin 91
August 1917 The Kornilov affair: A tragedy of errors
Richard Pipes 109
October 1917 The 'harmless drunk': Lenin and the
October insurrection
Orlando Figes 123
January 1918 The short life and early death of
Russian democracy: The Duma and the Constituent Assembly
Tony Brenton 142
July 1918 Rescuing the Tsar and his family
Edvard Radzinsky 163
August 1918 Fanny Kaplan's attempt to kill Lenin
Martin Sixsmith 178
November 1918 Sea change in the Civil War
Evan Mawdsley 200
March 1920 The fate of the Soviet countryside
Erik C. Landis 218
February 1922 The 'Bolshevik Reformation'
14 1917-1922
Catriona Kelly 244
The rise of Leninism: The death of political pluralism in the post-revolutionary Bolshevik party
Richard Sakwa 262
Afterword
284
Lenin and yesterday's utopia Tony Brenton
Notes
Dramatis Personae
Contributors
302 331
337
339
Index
A NOTE TO THE READER
Prior to February 1918 Russia still used the Julian calendar (so called Old Style, OS) which was thirteen days behind the Gregorian calendar (New Style, NS) to which it then switched, bringing it in line with the West. Throughout this book dates for events in Russia are given Old Style up to February 1918 and New Style thereafter. In case of ambiguity we make clear whether OS or NS.
CHRONOLOGY
9 Jan: Bloody Sunday.
Jan: Major wave of strikes and disturbances (continuing through year).
May: Battle of Tsushima, culminating Russian defeat in war with Japan.
5 Sept (NS): Treaty of Portsmouth ends Russo-Japanese war.
Oct: Witte offers draft political reforms to Tsar.
17 Oct: Tsar announces package of political reforms, including creation of Duma.
16 Apriclass="underline" Witte, having lost Tsar's confidence, resigns as Prime Minister.
Apriclass="underline" New Fundamental laws made public; Stolypin Minister of Interior.
Apriclass="underline" First Duma opens.
8 July: First Duma dissolved; Stolypin Prime Minister.
Aug-Nov: First round of Stolypin reforms.
20 Feb: Second Duma opens.
March: Stolypin announces further reforms.
2 June: Second Duma dissolved; new electoral law.
7 Nov: Third Duma opens, runs to 1912.
1 Sept: Stolypin shot; dies four days later.
15 Nov: Fourth Duma opens.
29 June: Assassination attempt on Rasputin.
1 Aug (NS): Germany declares war on Russia.
Late August: Major Russian defeats in Germany.
April-July: Germans invade Poland. A number of ministers, including Minister of war, replaced.
19 July: Duma reconvened for six weeks.
Aug: Unavailing demand from Ministers that Tsar let Duma form cabinet.
Aug: Tsar takes command of armed forces. Moves to HQat Mogilev. Period of 'Tsaritsa Government' begins.
3 Sept: Duma prorogued.
Jan-Nov: Empress/Rasputin oversee stream of rapid ministerial changes, including Minister of War, Interior Minister and Prime Minister (twice).
1 Nov: Duma reconvenes. Major attack by Kerensky on Rasputin and by Miliukov on top level 'stupidity or treason'.
17 Dec: Rasputin murdered.
27 Dec: Yet another new Prime Minister.
14 Feb: Duma reconvenes.
23-24 Feb: Demonstrations in Petrograd provoked by bread shortage.
Feb: Demonstrations turn violent. Tsar (in Mogilev) orders suppression by force.
Feb: Army fires on crowd, killing forty. Part of garrison mutinies in protest. Tsar dismisses as panic Rodzyanko's telegraphed demand for new government.
Feb: Most of Petrograd in hands of mutinous troops. Duma prorogued, but sets up 'Temporary Committee'. Government dissolving. Tsar orders General Ivanov to proceed to Petrograd and put mutiny down. Organising meeting for Petrograd Soviet.
Feb: Tsar sets out for Tsarskoe Selo. First meeting of Petrograd Soviet. Disturbances spread to Moscow.
March: Imperial train diverted to Pskov. Arrives in the evening. Tsar,
at urging of Alexeev, agrees to Duma based ministry and cancels Ivanov's mission. Meanwhile Duma and Soviet agree principles for establishment of Provisional Government. Formation of Moscow Soviet. 'Order No. 1' effectively strips military officers of most of their authority.
March: Provisional Government formed under Prince Lvov.
Rodzyanko cables Ruzsky in Pskov to say abdication necessary. In course of morning Alexeev and other commanders endorse that advice. Nicholas accepts this and sends telegrams declaring Alexis Tsar. But with arrival of representatives of Duma changes mind and nominates Grand Duke Michael instead.
March: Michael decides not to accept crown. End of Romanov
dynasty.
8 March: Nicholas returns to Tsarskoe Selo under arrest. Late March: Britain withdraws offer of asylum to imperial family. 3 Apriclass="underline" Lenin arrives in Petrograd, demands 'All power to the Soviets'.