The Russian Revolution of1917centers around two primary events: the February Revolution and the October Revolution. TheFebruary Revolution, which removed TsarNicholas IIfrom power, developed spontaneously out of a series of increasingly violent demonstrations and riots on the streets ofPetrograd(present-day St. Petersburg), during a time when the tsar was away from the capital visiting troops on the World War I front.

Though the February Revolution was a popular uprising, it did not necessarily express the wishes of the majority of the Russian population, as the event was primarily limited to the city of Petrograd. However, most of those who took power after the February Revolution, in theprovisional government(the temporary government that replaced the tsar) and in thePetrograd Soviet(an influential local council representing workers and soldiers in Petrograd),generally favored rule that was at least partially democratic.

THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION

TheOctober Revolution(also called theBolshevik Revolution) overturned the interim provisional government and established theSoviet Union. The October Revolution was a much more deliberate event, orchestrated by a small group of people. TheBolsheviks, who led this coup, prepared their coup in only six months. They were generally viewed as an extremist group and had very little popular support when they began serious efforts in April1917. By October, the Bolsheviks’ popular base was much larger; though still a minority within the country as a whole, they had built up a majority of support within Petrograd and other urban centers.

After October, the Bolsheviks realized that they could not maintain power in an election-based system without sharing power with other parties and compromising their principles. As a result, they formally abandoned the democratic process in January1918and declared themselves the representatives of adictatorship of the proletariat.In response, theRussian Civil Warbroke out in the summer of that year and would last well into1920.

A NOTE ON THE RUSSIAN CALENDAR

Until February1918, Russia used theJulian calendar, while the Western world used theGregorian calendarin use today. This convention was dictated by the Russian Orthodox Church, which continues to follow the Julian calendar to this day. During the twentieth century, the Julian calendar fell thirteen days behind the Gregorian calendar. Generally, historians writing about pre-revolutionary Russia today cite dates according to the calendar of the time; this book follows the same method. Dates prior to February1,1918use the Julian calendar; dates after that point follow the Gregorian calendar