Uprising in Petrograd. Symbols of the new government

The February Revolution of 1917 received this name because the main events began to take place in February according to the then current Julian calendar. It should be borne in mind that the transition to the Gregorian calendar occurred in 1918. Therefore, these events became known as the February revolution, although, in fact, we were talking about the March uprising.

Researchers point out that there are certain complaints about the definition of “revolution”. This term was introduced into circulation by Soviet historiography following the government, which thus wanted to emphasize the popular nature of what was happening. However, objective scientists point out that this is, in fact, a revolution. Despite loud slogans and objectively brewing discontent in the country, the broad masses were not drawn into the main events of the February revolution. The working class that was then beginning to form became the basic driving force, but it was too small in number. The peasantry was largely left out.

The day before, a political crisis was brewing in the country. Since 1915, the emperor had formed a fairly strong opposition, which gradually increased in strength. Its main goal was the transition from autocracy to a constitutional monarchy similar to Great Britain, and not what the February and October revolutions of 1917 ultimately led to. Many historians note that such a course of events would have been smoother and would have made it possible to avoid numerous casualties and sharp social upheavals, which later resulted in a civil war.

Also, when discussing the nature of the February revolution, one cannot help but note that it was affected by the First World War, which drew too much strength from Russia. People lacked food, medicine, and basic necessities. A large number of peasants were busy at the front; there was no one to sow. Production was focused on military needs, and other industries suffered noticeably. The cities were literally flooded with crowds of people who needed food, work, and housing. At the same time, the impression was created that the emperor was simply watching what was happening and was not going to do anything, although in such conditions it was simply impossible not to react. As a result, the coup could also be called an outbreak of public discontent that had accumulated towards the imperial family over many years.

Since 1915, the role of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in the government of the country has sharply increased, who was not particularly popular among the people, especially due to her unhealthy attachment to Rasputin. And when the emperor assumed the responsibilities of commander-in-chief and moved away from everyone at Headquarters, problems began to accumulate like a snowball. We can say that this was a fundamentally wrong move, deadly for the entire Romanov dynasty.

The Russian Empire at that time was also very unlucky with its managers. Ministers were almost constantly changing, and most of them did not want to delve into the situation; some simply did not have leadership abilities. And few people understood the real threat looming over the country.

At the same time, certain social conflicts that had remained unresolved since the 1905 revolution intensified. Thus, when the revolution began, the beginning launched a huge mechanism resembling a pendulum. And he demolished the entire old system, but at the same time got out of control and destroyed a lot of things that were needed.

Grand Ducal Front

It is worth noting that the nobility is often accused of not doing anything. Actually this is not true. Already in 1916, even his close relatives found themselves in opposition to the emperor. In history, this phenomenon was called the “grand-ducal front.” In short, the main demands were the formation of a government responsible to the Duma and the removal of the Empress and Rasputin from actual control. The move, according to some historians, is correct, just a little late. When real action began, in fact, the revolution had already begun, the beginning of serious changes could not be stopped.

Other researchers believe that in 1917 the February revolution would have only occurred in connection with internal processes and accumulated contradictions. And the October war was already a successful attempt to plunge the country into civil war, into a state of complete instability. Thus, it has been established that Lenin and the Bolsheviks in general were supported quite well financially from abroad. However, it is worth returning to the February events.

Views of political forces

A table will help to demonstrate quite clearly the political mood that reigned at that time.

From the above it is clearly seen that the political forces that existed at that time united only in opposition to the emperor. Otherwise, they did not find understanding, and their goals were often opposite.

Driving forces of the February revolution

Speaking about what actually drove the revolution, it is worth noting several points at the same time. Firstly, political discontent. Secondly, the intelligentsia, who did not see the emperor as the leader of the nation, he was not suitable for this role. The “ministerial leapfrog” also had serious consequences, as a result of which there was no order within the country; officials were dissatisfied, who did not understand who to obey, in what order to work.

Analyzing the prerequisites and causes of the February revolution of 1917, it is worth noting: mass workers’ strikes were observed. However, a lot happened on the anniversary of “Bloody Sunday”, so not everyone wanted a real overthrow of the regime and a complete change in the country; it is likely that these were simply speeches timed to coincide with a specific date, as well as a means to attract attention.

Moreover, if you look for information on the topic “presentation of the February revolution of 1917,” you can find evidence that the most depressive mood reigned in Petrograd. Which was frankly strange, because even at the front the general mood turned out to be much more cheerful. As eyewitnesses of the events later recalled in their memoirs, it resembled mass hysteria.

Start

In 1917, the February Revolution began, in fact, with mass panic raised in Petrograd over a shortage of bread. At the same time, historians subsequently established that such a mood was created largely artificially, and grain supplies were deliberately blocked, since the conspirators were going to take advantage of the popular unrest and get rid of the king. Against this background, Nicholas II leaves Petrograd, leaving the situation to the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Protopopov, who did not see the whole picture. Then the situation developed incredibly rapidly, gradually getting more and more out of control.

First, Petrograd completely rebelled, followed by Kronstadt, then Moscow, and the unrest spread to other large cities. It was mainly the “lower classes” who rebelled, overwhelming them with their massive numbers: ordinary soldiers, sailors, workers. Members of one group drew the other into confrontation.

Meanwhile, Emperor Nicholas II could not make a final decision. He was slow to react to a situation that required more stringent measures, he wanted to listen to all the generals, and in the end he abdicated, but not in favor of his son, but in favor of his brother, who was categorically unable to cope with the situation in the country. As a result, on March 9, 1917, it became clear that the revolution had won, the Provisional Government was formed, and the State Duma as such ceased to exist.

What are the main results of the February revolution?

The main result of the events that took place was the end of the autocracy, the end of the dynasty, the renunciation of the emperor and his family members from the rights to the throne. Also on March 9, 1917, the country began to be governed by the Provisional Government. According to some historians, the significance of the February Revolution should not be underestimated: it was it that subsequently led to the civil war.

The revolution also showed ordinary workers, soldiers and sailors that they could seize control of the situation and take power into their own hands by force. Thanks to this, the foundation was laid for the October events, as well as the Red Terror.

Revolutionary sentiments arose, the intelligentsia began to welcome the new system, and began to call the monarchical system the “old regime.” New words began to come into fashion, for example, the address “comrade”. Kerensky gained enormous popularity, creating his own paramilitary political image, which was subsequently copied by a number of leaders among the Bolsheviks.

Pavel Milyukov
leader of the cadet party

Alexander Protopopov, who at that time held the post of Minister of Internal Affairs, as is clear from the memoirs of contemporaries, and from the transcripts of his interrogations in the investigative commission, was a man of mental abilities clearly insufficient for such a position. And according to some reports, he even suffered from a psychiatric illness.

Georges Maurice Paleologue quoted Foreign Minister Nikolai Pokrovsky in his diary: “I would attach only secondary importance to these riots if my dear colleague still had even a glimmer of reason. But what can you expect from a man who has lost all sense for many weeks now? reality and who confers every evening with the shadow of Rasputin? That night he again spent two hours summoning the ghost of the old man.

A mediocre, if not crazy, minister, Protopopov made significant efforts to provoke a procession of workers to the Duma on February 14 (27) and shoot this procession with machine guns. However, the leader of the Cadet Party, Pavel Miliukov, addressed the workers in the press with an open letter, in which he urged them not to fall for Protopopov’s provocations, and the march did not take place. But this was only a delay in the explosion.

Literally the day before the storm broke out, on February 22 (March 7), Emperor Nicholas II left Tsarskoye Selo for Headquarters in Mogilev, as Miliukov wrote, “preserving only telegraph and even less reliable railway communications between himself and the capital.”

The Petrograd garrison of more than 150,000 at that time consisted mostly of reservists and conscripts of the second wave, mostly peasants.

Finally, these days it has sharply warmed up by almost 20 degrees, as if nature itself was pushing people to take to the streets.

The city has conditions for a “perfect storm.”

On February 23 (March 8), International Women's Day, thousands of workers took to the streets of Petrograd. They shouted "Bread!" and "Down with hunger!" On this day, about 90 thousand workers from fifty enterprises took part in the strike. Without fuel, the factories stopped one after another. The next day there were almost 200 thousand workers on strike, and the next day, according to various sources, from 240 to 300 thousand, that is, up to 80% of the total number of workers in the city. Classes at the university also stopped, and students joined the protesters.

Residents of working-class areas, in particular the Vyborg side, flocked to the city center. At rallies, for example on Znamenskaya Square (which is now called Vosstaniya Square), red flags were raised and political slogans were shouted: “Down with autocracy!” and “Down with the war!”, and also sang revolutionary songs.

The Petrograd authorities tried to avoid the use of force, since they saw that the soldiers and Cossacks were not in the mood to disperse the crowds of protesters. “I strongly did not want to resort to shooting,” General Khabalov recalled during interrogation at the investigative commission.

The February Revolution occurred in the fateful year for Russia in 1917 and became the first of many coups d'etat, which step by step led to the establishment of Soviet power and the formation of a new state on the map.

Causes of the February Revolution of 1917

The protracted war created many difficulties and plunged the country into a severe crisis. Most of society opposed the monarchical system; a liberal opposition against Nicholas II even formed in the Duma. Numerous meetings and speeches under anti-monarchist and anti-war slogans began to take place in the country.

1. Crisis in the army

At that time, more than 15 million people were mobilized into the Russian army, of which 13 million were peasants. Hundreds of thousands of victims, killed and maimed, terrible front-line conditions, embezzlement and incompetence of the army's high command undermined discipline and led to mass desertion. By the end of 1916, more than one and a half million people were deserters from the army.

On the front line, there were often cases of “fraternization” between Russian soldiers and Austrian and German soldiers. The officers made many efforts to stop this trend, but among ordinary soldiers it became the norm to exchange various things and communicate in a friendly manner with the enemy.

Discontent and mass revolutionary sentiment gradually grew in the ranks of the military.

2. Threat of famine

A fifth of the country's industrial potential was lost due to the occupation, and food products were running out. In St. Petersburg, for example, in February 1917, there were only a week and a half of bread left. The supply of food and raw materials was so irregular that some military factories were closed. Providing the army with everything necessary was also at risk.

3. Crisis of power

At the top, everything was also complicated: during the war years, there were four prime ministers with a lot of strong personalities who could stop the crisis of power and lead the country, at that time there were no such people in the ruling elite.

The royal family always sought to be closer to the people, but the phenomenon of Rasputinism and the weakness of the government gradually deepened the gap between the tsar and his people.

In the political situation, everything pointed to the proximity of revolution. The only question that remained was where and how it would happen.

February Revolution: overthrow of the centuries-old monarchical system

Starting in January 1917, there were massive strikes throughout the Russian Empire, in which a total of more than 700 thousand workers took part. The trigger for the February events was the strike in St. Petersburg.

On February 23, 128 thousand were already on strike, the next day their number grew to 200 thousand, and the strike took on a political character, and already 300 thousand workers took part in it in St. Petersburg alone. This is how the February Revolution unfolded.

The troops and police opened fire on the striking workers, and the first blood was shed.

On February 26, the tsar sent troops to the capital under the command of General Ivanov, but they refused to suppress the uprising and actually sided with the rebels.

On February 27, the rebel workers seized more than 40 thousand rifles and 30 thousand revolvers. They took control of the capital and elected the Petrograd Council of Workers' Deputies, which was headed by Chkheidze.

On the same day, the Tsar sent an order to the Duma regarding an indefinite break in its work. The Duma obeyed the decree, but decided not to disperse, but to elect a Provisional Committee of ten people headed by Rodzianko.

Soon the tsar received telegrams about the victory of the revolution and calls from the commanders of all fronts to cede power in favor of the rebels.

On March 2, the establishment of the Provisional Government of Russia was officially announced, the head of which Nicholas II approved Prince Lvov. And on the same day, the king abdicated the throne for himself and for his son in favor of his brother, but he wrote the abdication in exactly the same way.

So the February Revolution stopped the existence of the monarchy for

After this, the Tsar, as a civilian, tried to obtain permission from the Provisional Government to travel with his family to Murmansk in order to emigrate from there to Great Britain. But the Petrograd Soviet resisted so decisively that Nicholas II and his family were decided to be arrested and taken to Tsarskoe Selo for imprisonment.

The former emperor would never be destined to leave his country.

February Revolution of 1917: results

The provisional government survived many crises and was able to last only 8 months. The attempt to build a bourgeois-democratic society was unsuccessful, since a more powerful and organized force claimed power in the country, which saw only the socialist revolution as its goal.

The February Revolution revealed this force - workers and soldiers, led by the Soviets, began to play a decisive role in the history of the country.

In February 1917, the second revolution took place in Russia after the events of 1905. Today we are talking briefly about the February Revolution of 1917: the causes of the popular uprising, the course of events and consequences.

Causes

The revolution of 1905 was defeated. However, its failure did not destroy the preconditions that led to the very possibility of its occurrence. It’s the same as if the disease receded, but did not go away, hiding in the depths of the body, only to strike again one day. And all because the forcefully suppressed uprising of 1905-1907 was a treatment for external symptoms, while the root causes - social and political contradictions in the country continued to exist.

Rice. 1. The military joined the rebel workers in February 1917

12 years later, at the very beginning of 1917, these contradictions intensified, which led to a new, more serious explosion. The exacerbation occurred due to the following reasons:

• Russian participation in the First World War : a long and exhausting war required constant expenses, which led to economic devastation and, as a natural consequence of it, worsening poverty and the deplorable situation of the already poor masses;
• A number of fateful mistakes that were made by Russian Emperor Nicholas II in governing the country : refusal to revise agrarian policy, adventurous policy in the Far East, defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, a penchant for mysticism, G. Rasputin’s admission to government affairs, military defeats in the First World War, unsuccessful appointments of ministers, military leaders, and more;
• Economic crisis: war requires large expenses and consumption, and therefore disruptions in the economy begin to occur (rising prices, inflation, the problem of food supply, the emergence of a card system, aggravation of transport problems);
• Crisis of power : frequent changes of governors, ignorance of the State Duma by the emperor and his entourage, an unpopular government that was responsible exclusively to the tsar, and much more.

Rice. 2. Destruction of the monument to Alexander III during the events of February 1917

All of the above points did not exist in isolation. They were closely interconnected and gave rise to new conflicts: general dissatisfaction with the autocracy, distrust of the reigning monarch, the growth of anti-war sentiment, social tension, and the strengthening of the role of leftist and opposition forces. The latter included such parties as the Mensheviks, Bolsheviks, Trudoviks, Socialist Revolutionaries, anarchists, as well as various national parties. Some called on the people for a decisive assault and overthrow of the autocracy, others led a confrontation with the tsarist government in the Duma.

Rice. 3. The moment of signing the manifesto on the abdication of the Tsar

Despite the different methods of struggle, the goals of the parties were the same: the overthrow of the autocracy, the introduction of a constitution, the establishment of a new system - a democratic republic, the establishment of political freedoms, the establishment of peace, the solution of pressing problems - national, land, labor. Since these tasks to transform the country were of a bourgeois-democratic nature, this uprising went down in history under the name the February bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1917.

Move

The tragic events of the second winter month of 1917 are summarized in the following table:

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What have we learned?

Today we examined the main causes of the February Revolution of 1917, which became the second in a row since 1905. In addition, the main dates of the events are named and their detailed description is given.

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If it did not resolve the economic, political and class contradictions in the country, it was a prerequisite for the February Revolution of 1917. Tsarist Russia's participation in the First World War showed the inability of its economy to carry out military tasks. Many factories stopped operating, the army experienced a shortage of equipment, weapons, and food. The country's transport system is absolutely not adapted to martial law, agriculture has lost ground. Economic difficulties increased Russia's external debt to enormous proportions.

Intending to extract maximum benefits from the war, the Russian bourgeoisie began to create unions and committees on issues of raw materials, fuel, food, etc.

True to the principle of proletarian internationalism, the Bolshevik party revealed the imperialist nature of the war, which was waged in the interests of the exploiting classes, its aggressive, predatory essence. The party sought to channel the discontent of the masses into the mainstream of the revolutionary struggle for the collapse of the autocracy.

In August 1915, the “Progressive Bloc” was formed, which planned to force Nicholas II to abdicate in favor of his brother Mikhail. Thus, the opposition bourgeoisie hoped to prevent revolution and at the same time preserve the monarchy. But such a scheme did not ensure bourgeois-democratic transformations in the country.

The reasons for the February Revolution of 1917 were anti-war sentiment, the plight of workers and peasants, political lack of rights, the decline in the authority of the autocratic government and its inability to carry out reforms.

The driving force in the struggle was the working class, led by the revolutionary Bolshevik Party. The allies of the workers were the peasants, demanding the redistribution of land. The Bolsheviks explained to the soldiers the goals and objectives of the struggle.

The main events of the February revolution happened quickly. Over the course of several days, a wave of strikes took place in Petrograd, Moscow and other cities with the slogans “Down with the tsarist government!”, “Down with the war!” On February 25 the political strike became general. Executions and arrests were unable to stop the revolutionary onslaught of the masses. Government troops were put on alert, the city of Petrograd was turned into a military camp.

February 26, 1917 marked the beginning of the February Revolution. On February 27, soldiers of the Pavlovsky, Preobrazhensky and Volynsky regiments went over to the side of the workers. This decided the outcome of the struggle: on February 28, the government was overthrown.

The outstanding significance of the February Revolution is that it was the first popular revolution in history of the era of imperialism, which ended in victory.

During the February Revolution of 1917, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the throne.

Dual power arose in Russia, which became a kind of result of the February revolution of 1917. On the one hand, the Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies is a body of people's power, on the other hand, the Provisional Government is an organ of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie headed by Prince G.E. Lvov. In organizational matters, the bourgeoisie was more prepared for power, but was unable to establish autocracy.

The provisional government pursued an anti-people, imperialist policy: the land issue was not resolved, factories remained in the hands of the bourgeoisie, agriculture and industry were in dire need, and there was not enough fuel for railway transport. The dictatorship of the bourgeoisie only deepened economic and political problems.

After the February revolution, Russia experienced an acute political crisis. Therefore, there was a growing need for the bourgeois-democratic revolution to develop into a socialist one, which was supposed to lead to the power of the proletariat.

One of the consequences of the February revolution is the October revolution under the slogan “All power to the Soviets!”