Strikes in factories Political Assassinations Students walking out of universities The Revolution Begins Earlier it was stated that some historians believe that the … …majority of revolutions are spontaneous, popular outbreaks that occur with very little predetermined planning and leadership. This is an accurate description of the situation as it existed in The revolutionary forces that would later become a fully orbed movement was, at this stage, still in its embryonic form. People Power Throughout Russia there were… Nationalistic groups demanded independence Peasants murdered landlords Naval mutinies at the Kronstadt naval base and on the battleship Potemkin. Demands made

Organised Opposition The Tsar’s attempts to crush the rebellions by force were proving futile; by now it was too widespread and too well supported. Even more importantly opposition groups were becoming more organised.… Peter Milyukov Formed the Union of Unions Made up of middle class professionals. The Union of Unions Demanded an elected parliament. Soviets These were workers councils established by revolutionaries to run the towns and cities. St. Petersburg Soviet Was the most important of the Soviets. Leon Trotsky A key leader in the St Petersburg Soviet Controlled by the Mensheviks. The Structure of a Soviet They began as a strike committee but developed into an elected representative body of each towns workers. Factory Workers in a City 1delegate per 500 workers 1 delegate per 500 workers 1 delegate Per 500 workers 1 delegate per 500 workers Soviet DelegatesExecutive Committee (Runs day-to-day affairs) In September 1905 coordinated strikes throughout Russia resulted in the government having no control. The Soviets and strikers worked together against government. Witte Returning from signing the Treaty of Portsmouth found that …. ‘… almost all traffic on the streets had ceased, street lighting was no more,… water supplies were cut off, the telephone was out of action…..the government had lost its power to act… and the authority of its supreme bearer (the Tsar) was completely trampled down.’

The October Manifesto October 1905 Sergei Witte Chief Minister Believed the only way to stop the revolution was to give the liberals – but not the revolutionaries-what they wanted. He advised the Tsar ….. …to make some concessions! Reluctantly Nicholas agreed and signed the October Manifesto. In the October Manifesto the Tsar promised. …  A Duma (Parliament), elected by universal suffrage ( the right of all adults who could vote. Freedom of conscience, speech, meeting and association. To make political parties legal.. Freedom from arrest without charge and imprisonment without trial. All laws to be made and approved by the Duma. Limiting the power of the Okrana.      Signing the October Manifesto probably saved the Tsar from the revolution.

The Effects of the October Manifesto I wonder what effect the Manifesto will have? As Witte predicted these concessions caused uncertainty and division amongst groups opposed to the Tsar. Zemstvo (Right Wing Members) Opposition Reaction Industrialist and businessmen stopped being hostile to the Tsar. Formed the Octoberists, a political association. Kadets (Liberals) Worked through the Duma for a constituent assembly. Grew hostile to workers continuing demands. Workers Workers returned to work and strikes decreased. To Do Read the handout on Trotsky and make notes on the things that helped shape his revolutionary ideas.

The Revolution had failed; now it was the turn for a government led Counter Revolution. As a reaction against the imposition of martial law, throughout Russia, and the court-martialling of the Kronstadt mutineers, the St. Petersburg Soviet called for further strike action in November. St. Petersburg Soviet Trotsky described the Tsars manifesto as a…..short-lived gesture of paper liberty And described the new government as a....police whip wrapped in the parchment of a constitution. Further strike action was proving ineffective because….  It was not well supported outside St Petersburg.  Employers simply locked out striking workers which resulted in high unemployment.  While the government was now in a stronger position this did not stop armed uprising in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Armed Uprisings Revolutionaries like Lenin and Trotsky realised that there had in fact been no revolution. Trotsky became president of the St Petersburg Soviet after its first president, Khrustalev-Nosar was arrested. Trotsky called for an armed uprising. He and a number of the Soviet were arrested and exiled to Siberia. St Petersburg Moscow The government executed many of the revolutionaries. The Bolshevik led Soviet fought government troops for 10 days before the revolt was eventually put down. A Bolshevik Comment on Lenin When the cavalry charged during an uprising… Lenin was the first to flee. He jumped over a barrier. His bowler hat fell off revealing his bare skull perspiring and glittering under the sunlight. He fell, got up, and continued to run….