July+Days

Over a period of four days in July of 1917, in the bustling Russian city of Petrograd, a revolution, too immature to succeed, attempted to overthrow the Provisional Government. In accordance with the Gregorian calendar, the events transpired from July 16th to July 20th. Anarchists, soldiers and industrial workers were provided with leadership from the Bolsheviks. The revolution was poorly planned, lacked organization and resulted in the imprisonment of key Bolshevik leaders. While the revolution failed, it would be a trial for the swift and immaculately planned October Revolution only three months later.
 * Overview**

**February Revolution** Succeeding the Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire controlled an immense landmass,

(at one point stretching from eastern Europe to North America), from 1791 to 1917. The collapse of the Empire was caused by a brutal and unequal war, the Tsar’s personal mistakes, an outdated economic system and general citizen unrest. These factors culminated in the second week of March in 1917, when striking citizens demanded their voices be heard. Tsar Nicholas II abdicated his title, unwittingly ending monarchy through this action, as he left the throne to an unwilling brother, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich. He, unlike his brother, cared for the opinions of the people and for that reason he deferred to the will of his people. The Russian population rejected his possible rise to power and supported a newly formed, Provisional Government. The events in March kick started a change the Russian public had been anticipating, though did not live up to their expectations.

Leading the Provisional Government was Alexander Kerensky, an ex-member of the Duma. The failure he faced while in his position on the committee of the state Duma would once again be repeated in his role of prime minister. The newly powerful government made a series of crucial errors, which would eventually lead to its demise in the October Revolution. Its gravest mistake was continuing Russia’s involvement in World War I, Germany was making strong advances into Russian territory. Desertion was becoming common and to prevent this, the Provisional Government insisted that all deserters should be executed, an order which would only lead to more frustration among the Russian people. The new government was aware of its me http://skafunkrastapunk.tumblr.com/post/9652024795 ager power, as it unofficial held only partial power. The Petrograd Soviets had complete control over the military and, subsequently, the nation. The Provisional Government had very little power and would fight for what authority they did have. In July, four months after Lenin returned to the motherland with his April Thesis, the Bolshevik’s first attempt to take power occurred. On the 15th of July, a meeting of anarchists had decided to recruit the local workers and soldiers to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the government’s inaction. The next day, the outpour of soldiers and citizens began. On the 17th, the Bolsheviks, who had taken no public stance as of yet, decided to provide leadership to the 500,000 demonstrators. The soldiers who were not taking part in the protest were ordered to disperse the crowds, with force if necessary. By July 20th, there were over 700 casualties and the crowds returned to work.
 * Provisional Government **
 * [[image:http://soviethistory.org/images/Large/1917/julyb.jpg width="414" height="275" align="left" caption="Workers Flee from Violence in Petrograd"]]Four Fateful Days**

Despite their lack of initial involvement, it was the leaders of the Bolshevik party who were blamed publically. Lenin was again able to escape, this time to Finland. However, Trotsky would not be so lucky. He and many other key players of the party were imprisoned. They would be let out by their captor, prime minister Alexander Kerensky, only two months later as once again the Provisional Government’s power waivers (Kornilov Affair). While the anarchists, striking workers and treasonous soldiers did not achieve their goal in those four days of July 1917, with proper planning and the complete support of the Soviets, they would be able to achieve complete control later that autumn.
 * Consequences**

Information Credit: http://www.johndclare.net/Russ4.htm http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/308007/July-Days http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_Days http://www.socialistalternative.org/literature/rus-rev/ch4.html http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?page=subject&SubjectID=1917july&Year=1917 http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/provisional_government.htm

Image Credit: http://soviethistory.org/images/Large/1917/julyb.jpg http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/fileadmin/historyLearningSite/kerensky.jpg http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/15600000/Anarchist-Russian-sailors-in-Helsinki-1917-russian-revolution-1917-15612568-538-367.jpg