How Did The Bolsheviks Occur During The Russian Revolution

November 9th, 1917 During the Russian Revolution in 1917, a successful party called the Bolsheviks came to power. The Bolsheviks were born out of Russia’s social democratic party led by Vladimir Lenin. The Bolshevik party obtained power by total drive of character and the support of the disappointed soldiers, sailors, peasants and factory workers who were organized into Soviets. They grabbed the support of these various social classes by making promises such as: giving land and power to the peasants and they would improve working conditions and lifestyles of those who worked in the industrial cities. The Bolsheviks would rise to the occasion and succeed because of their leader Lenin. Lenin believed that a leader of the working class had to
be one of power with the capabilities of doing things that someone without power could not do. He did this by developing a set of ideas that would appeal the working class and catch the interest in the Bolshevik party. Lenin’s ideas made sure to appeal both the rural and urban areas as well as the two biggest social groups in Russia. Novemember 1917, the beginning of the Strom of the Winter Palace in Russia. The Bolshevik party was ready, a blank shot fired signaled workers and soldiers to storm of the winter palace, the current residence of the democratic, but largely inefficient Provisional Government. Most of the ministers were arrested and thus began 73 long years of Communist rule. In the fist article that I read and analyzed, “Russia’s Critical Hour”, The Times of London (London), 11/09/1917, p. 7., it seems as if the English people have lost all hope in Russia. In the beginning of the news article it talks about how if you have been keeping up with the news about Russia lately, that this will be no surprise to you. “When constituted authority is palpably incapable of backing words by deeds, when anarchy is allowed to increase daily, when arms are recklessly given to the mob, then the end cannot be far off.” The English people believe that the revolution was always coming; it was the fact when it was coming. It was clear that the Russian government was losing control daily and that Revolution was not far from here. They present the Revolution as a lost cause. Government officials in Russia are doing what they can to detain such acts but nothing will help. Allies of Russia can do nothing but sit back and hope for the best possible outcome. The English think of it as True Russia’s end and that “ We can only await the event, confident that in the end the honor of Russia, her proved military valor, her instinct for decent and orderly life, will their proper influence.” I think that the revolution was significantly important to the English people, because one of the main European powers was undergoing a revolution that would lead to the communist party. In the other text, “Marvin Perry, Western Civilization: ideas, politics, and society (Boston, MA: Houghton and Mifflin, 2005), p. 723-727”, it is quite similar to the news article in the London Times. In Perry’s version it also talks about how the home front of Russia began to fall apart and how the soldiers and civilians had lost trust in their autocratic government. In the text it says” Strikes, Riots in the food lines, and street demonstrations in Petrograd flared into sudden unpremeditated Revolution.” I would say that the Presentation of the Revolution in the Perry Text differed from the London Times because the London Times attitude toward the Revolution was that they were incapable of doing anything and this is Russia’s end versus the way Perry describes it as just another rule in Russian History. In the Second news Article, Petrograd correspondent “Growth of Maximalist Influence”, The Times of London (London), 11/09/1917,p.5, it talks about the events that led to the formation of the Bolsheviks and their protests.
It focuses more on the detail that Kerensky and Korniloff did to prevent the uprising of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution. Food crisis continue in Russia and the provisional government begins to lose power. I think one of the things that portrayed Russia really well in this article is when they state “ Evidently in response to pressure from this quarter M. Kerensky told an American Journalist that Russia was worn out.” This quote from the news article pretty much summed up in the situation Russia was in. There were numerous protest and riots, as well as the soldiers and working people turning against the government. I think that the context the newspaper presented the revolution was one in chronological fashion. They set it up so that the English People understood what had caused the Russian Revolution and not that it just happened all of a sudden. I think that the Russian Revolution was important to the editors because it gave them a way of explaining the uprising in Russia and facts to show how it happened. This article didn’t differ too much from the Perry text because it explained the significance and order of events as well. One thing that differs between the two texts is that in the news article it doesn’t really talk about Lenin’s
opportunity and how they stormed the winter palace. In the third news article, “Anarchy in Petrograd”, The Times of London (London), 11/09/1917,p.6, It goes into further detail and specifics of the Storming of the Winter Palace.
The winter Palace was located in Petrograd, and was where Alexander Kerensky and the Provisional government were as well. All militant personnel pledged themselves to the Bolsheviks at this time due to the fact that they believed that Kerensky and the government were going to surrender it to the Germans. This resulted in the storming of the winter palace. In the article it says,” The maximalists under Lenin have deposed the Kerensky government and have assumed office,” It tells us that Russian government was now under new control, the Bolsheviks. The news article goes on telling us that that any military officers who do not join the movement will be arrested and moved from the front of Petrograd. I think that the newspaper presented the revolution as just another world crisis because the way the article continues and goes on to talk about other things happening in other countries as a result of the revolution. I think the news about the revolution is important because it is informative about the world outside of Great Britain. The article differed from the Perry text because in the article is focuses mainly on the revolution in Petrograd versus the Perry text that talks about the other areas that are affected by the Bolshevik
party. In the fourth news article, “Coup D’état In Petrograd”, ”, The Times of London (London), 11/09/1917,p.7, it deals with some really interesting news that differs from the other articles as well as the Perry text. In this news installment it gives us news about prior days to the storming of the winter palace. Also, the article gives insight of what other political parties in Russia were doing prior as well. It showed the English People that Kerensky had fled, the Soviet had split, the ministers were without a plan, and how the Russian Embassy had no news on the day of the event. I think that this article was important because unlike the other articles it discussed what Lenin wanted. “ Lenin announces that it has deposed the provisional government of Kerensky and that it has assumed power until the creation of the governments soviets whose function will be to offer an immediate democratic peace and promote honest convocation”, This part from the news article is important because it states the demands and ideologies that Lenin sent the government. The article goes on to tell the English people how the Maximalists ordered the arrest of Kerensky, and that it would be dealt with as high treason. Leon Trotsky went on to become the President and declared that the provisional government no longer exists. Lenin went on to announce the three solutions for the people that followed the movement, “ First, the immediate termination of the war, for which purpose the new government must propose an armistice to the belligerents. Second, the handing over of the land to the peasants. Third, the settlement of the economic crisis.” Overall all the news articles helped the English people understand what was going on at the time. All of the articles gave a different insight and standpoint on what happened, who was doing so, and why this was happening. It strengthened the knowledge of the English people about the Bolshevik party and communism. The London Times articles presented the context of the Russian Revolution in different ways as well as showing the significance and importance of the revolution to the news paper’s editors. Showing how the Perry text differs from the book, shows what was mainly focused on during this event by the news company and how different editors picked out topics that they thought were important to inform and support their article.