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How Did the Bolsheviks Seize Power?

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Why were the Bolsheviks able to seize power in 1917 and how did they consolidate their rule?

The Bolsheviks mainly gained their power by using force and violence. During 1971 the Bolsheviks were quickly gaining popularity among the Russian people, they took control by attacking the unpopular, weak Provisional Government’s meeting place in the Winter Palace and then declared a new workers government, this was just one of the factors that led to the Bolsheviks success.

A rise in popularity definitely led to the success of the Bolsheviks. One of the reasons why the Bolsheviks popularity was increasing was because they promised the people of Russia the things that they wanted most of all, which was to provide food for all families, end the war to reduce Russian deaths and bring in land reform in the countryside. This was all very well advertised with the slogan ‘Peace! Bread! Land!’ created by Lenin. It appealed to all people, the soldiers who were tired of war, to the hungry workers in the town and to the poverty-stricken peasants. The Germans financed the Bolsheviks because they knew that Lenin wanted to take Russia out of the war, this gave them the money to mount their publicity campaigns.

In September 1917, the army commander in chief, general Kornilov, attempted to move troops back from the front to Petrograd in order to destroy the soviets and arrest leading Bolsheviks. Kerensky was afraid that Kornilov might be planning to take power for himself so he decided to arm the Bolsheviks. Trotsky was the temporary leader of the Bolsheviks as Lenin was still in hiding after the July Days. He made sure the Kornilov plot filed by sending out Bolshevik agents to encourage Kornilov troops to desert him, They were so successful that the Commander-in chief found himself with no army before he even reached Petrograd. The Bolsheviks got all the credit for stopping Kornilov. In 1917, the Bolsheviks had very little numbers, but they made up for this with their determination and professional approach. They were a very well organised group who valued their unity unlike the other parties and held discipline very highly. They were a very smart group and made use of propaganda that would win over thousands to their side. Towards the end of 1917, the Bolsheviks were the only group that had reasonable disciplined armed forces to back up their demands which was very threatening towards the other parties. These armed forces were called the Red Guard of armed workers who were organised and trained by Trotsky. The final reason for the success of the Bolsheviks was when the leaders decided to take power from the provisional government by using their armed forces. After the Kornilov plot failed, red guards and the revolutionary sailors were sent to surround and arrest the member’s f the Provisional government at the winter place in Petrograd. There was very little resistance and much of Russia was then soon under the Bolshevik’s control. The only place that had some difficulties controlling was Moscow, but after a week of conflict the Bolsheviks leaded by Lenin had taken power and were in control. |

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