Profiles+(Topic+2,+October+Revolution)


 * __ The Bolsheviks __**


 * __ Background & How the Bolsheviks became a political party: __**

The Bolsheviks were born of the Social Democratic Labour Party (SDLP), which was founded in 1898. In 1911 the Bolsheviks made plans to capture control of the Social Democratic Labour Party at the conference to be held in Prague in January, 1912. This move was unsuccessful and the party split and after that date the Bolsheviks maintained a completely separate existence from the Mensheviks. The Bolsheviks now took the name the Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party. The Mensheviks believed that the party should have a mass membership and were prepared for slow change. On the other hand, the Bolsheviks believed that a small elitist party should organize the revolution.

Vladimir Lenin led the Bolsheviks and Julius Martov and Leon Trotsky led the Mensheviks. After seizing power in the October Revolution if 1917, the Bolsheviks were renamed the Communist Party. The Bolsheviks gained momentum all through 1917 until finally seizing power in the October Revolution for which Leon Trotsky urged the overthrow of the Provisional Government, which was led by Alexander Kerensky.
 * __ Key Leaders: __**


 * __ 24th October 1917: __**

Leon Trotsky now urged the overthrow of the Provisional Government. Lenin agreed and on the evening of 24th October 1917, orders were given for the Bolsheviks began to occupy the railway stations, the telephone exchange and the State Bank. The following day the Red Guards surrounded the Winter Palace. Inside was most of the country's Cabinet, although Kerensky had managed to escape from the city.


 * __ 9pm __** :

The Winter Palace was defended by Cossacks and some junior army officers and the Woman's Battalion. The Aurora and the Peter and Paul Fortress began to open fire on the palace. Little damage was done but the action persuaded most of those defending the building to surrender. The Red Guards, led by Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko, now entered the Winter Palace and arrested the Cabinet ministers.


 * __ 26th October 1917 __**__ : __

The All-Russian Congress of Soviets met and handed over power to the Soviet Council of People's Commissars. Vladimir Lenin was elected chairman and other appointments included Leon Trotsky (Foreign Affairs) Alexei Rykov (Internal Affairs), Anatoli Lunacharsky (Education), Alexandra Kollontai (Social Welfare), Felix Dzerzhinsky (Internal Affairs), Joseph Stalin (Nationalities), Peter Stuchka (Justice) and Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko (War).


 * __ March 1918: __**

Vladimir Lenin proposed that the party should change its name from the Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party to the Communist Party. He argued that the new name would indicate the am of the Bolsheviks would be to achieve Communism as outlined by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels in their book, //The Communist Manifesto//.