Chronology of the Russian Revolution

This Chronology is provided for those 1912 4 April: Massacre of miners at the new to the study of the Russian Revolution. Lena Goldfields. Wave of mass strikes. The It offers a fairly detailed time line of the movement revives. Bolsheviks start to pro- events of 1917 itself but features only major duce Pravda, daily workers’ paper. historical events before and after the Revo- lutionary year. Events occurring in Russia 1914 are dated according to the Julian calendar; events occurring abroad are dated according July 19-August 1: First World War be- to both the Julian and (Western) Gregorian gins. Lenin and Bolsheviks denounce the calendars, until January 31 1918 when Rus- war as imperialist. sia adopted the Gregorian calendar. July 22-August 4: German Social Democ- 1861: Emancipation of Serfs by Tsar racy supports the War. Alexander II. August 23-September 5: Lenin arrives in 1870: Birth of Lenin. Berne (Switzerland). October 12-November 4: Bolshevik 1881: Assassination of Tsar by the Peo- deputies in the Duma arrested and sent to ple’s Will terrorist organisation. Accession Siberia. of Tsar Alexander III. 1894: Alexander III dies. Nicholas II be- comes Tsar. 1915 1898: Foundation of Russian Social Demo- August 23-26 - September 5-8: Anti- cratic Labour Party (RSDLP). war Zimmerwald Conference. 1903: Second Congress of RSDLP. Split into Bolshevik and Menshevik factions. 1916 December 1915-June 1916: Lenin writes 1905 Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capital- January 22: Bloody Sunday massacre of ism. workers who march to the Winter Palace. April 11-17 - April 24-30: Anti-war Beginnning of 1905 Revolution. Wave of Kienthal Conference. mass strikes. December 16-17 - December 29-30: As- October 13: Formation of St.Petersburg sassination of Rasputin. Soviet (workers’ council) . Trotsky becomes December 1916-February 1917: Lenin its Chair. works in the Zurich library on the Marxist October 17: Tsar’s Manifesto – under the attitude towards the state. His notes, are heel of the Revolution Tsar promises to ex- gathered together under the title Marxism pand civil liberties and announces calling of on the State. first State Duma (parliament). December 3: Soviet suppressed. Trotsky 1917 and other leaders arrested. January 9: Street meetings and a printers’ December 5-7: General Strike followed by strike celebrate the anniversary of ‘Bloody armed uprising . Army remains loyal. Sunday.’ December 18: Uprising surrenders – about February 23: Celebration of International 1000 dead. Women’s Day begins the revolution. 1906: Revolution recedes. 21 July Duma is February 24: 200,000 workers on strike in dissolved by Tsar. Petrograd. 1907: Stolypin Coup – full scale reaction February 25: General strike in Petrograd. sets in. Shootings and arrests of revolutionists. 1908-11: Russian revolutionary movement February 26: Duma dissolved by the Tsar. in retreat and disarray. The deputies disperse but decide not to leave

2 town. Tens of thousands of workers in the May 5: A coalition government is organized streets. with Kerensky as minister of war. February 27: Mutiny of the guard regi- May 17: The Kronstadt Soviet declares it- ments. Formation of the Soviet of Work- self the sole governing power in Kronstadt. ers’ Deputies. Formation of the Provisional June 3: First All-Russian Congress of So- Committee of the Duma. viets. February 28: Arrest of the Tsar’s Minis- June 18: Russian offensive in Galicia be- ters. Capture of Schlüsselberg Prison. First gins. Mass meetings in Petrograd orga- issue of Izvestiia, ‘The News of the Soviet.’ nized by the Soviet turn into pro-Bolshevik March 1: Order No.1 is issued to the sol- demonstrations. diers. Formation of the Soldiers’ Section of July 3-4: Violent anti-government demon- the Soviet. First session of the Moscow So- strations in Petrograd. viet. July 5: Arrest of Bolshevik leaders ordered. March 2: The Tsar abdicates in favor of the July 7: Lenin goes into hiding. Grand Duke Mikhail. The provisional gov- July 8: Prince Lvov resigns; Kerensky ap- ernment is formed by the Provisional Com- pointed head of an interim government. mittee of the Duma, with the support of the July 16: General Kornilov appointed com- soviet and with Kerensky as minister of jus- mander in chief of the Russian Army. tice. July 23: Trotsky arrested by the provi- March 3: The Grand Duke Mikhail ab- sional government. dicates. The provisional government an- July 24: Kerensky forms a new coalition nounces the revolution to the world by ra- government. dio. August 20: Bolshevik success in Petrograd March 5: The first issue of Pravda, central municipal elections. organ of the Bolshevik Party. August-September: Lenin writes The March 6: The provisional government de- State and Revolution. clares an amnesty for political prisoners. August 27-30: Abortive counter- March 8: The Tsar arrested at Moghiliev. revolutionary putsch led by General Ko- March 23: Funeral of martyrs of the revo- rnilov. lution. September 1: The Petrograd Soviet car- March 29: All-Russian Conference of the ries a Bolshevik motion. Soviets. September 4: Trotsky freed on bail. March 28-April 4: All-Russian Confer- September 5: The Moscow Soviet carries ence of the Bolshevik Party. a Bolshevik motion. April 3: Lenin, Zinoviev, and the other Bol- September 9: The leaders of the Petrograd sheviks arrive from Switzerland. Soviet go over to Bolshevism. April 4: Lenin’s April Theses outlining his September 15: The Central Committee policy of proletarian revolution. discuss Lenin’s letters The Bolsheviks must April 15: Foreign Minister Miliukov sends assume power and Marxism and insurrec- a note to the allies promising war to victory tion. on the old terms. September 24: Kerensky forms a third and April 20: Armed demonstrations of protest last coalition government. Bolshevik victory against the note of Miliukov – the ‘April in the Moscow municipal elections. Days.’ End of September-October 1: Lenin April 24-29: The Seventh (April) All- writes Can the Bolsheviks Retain State Russian Conference of the Bolsheviks. Power? May 1: The Petrograd Soviet votes for a October 9: Formation of Military Revolu- coalition government. tionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet. May 2: Miliukov resigns. October 10: Central Committee of the May 4: Trotsky arrives from America sec- Bolshevik Party declares for an armed in- onding the policies of Lenin. surrection.

3 October 15: The soldiers’ section of the March 3: Signing of Peace of Brest- Petrograd Soviet votes to transfer all mili- Litovsk. tary authority from headquarters to a Mili- March 8: Bolsheviks adopt name ‘Commu- tary Revolutionary Committee. nists’. October 18: Zinoviev’s and Kamenev’s let- July 6: Rebellion of Left SRs. ter to Gorky’s paper opposing the insurrec- August 30: Attempted assassination of tion. Lenin by Left SR, Fanya Kaplan. Lenin October 19: Lenin demands the expulsion wounded in neck. of Zinoviev and Kamenev from the party. November 9: Revolution breaks out in October20: The Military Revolutionary Germany. Committee begins actual preparations for insurrection. 1919 October 22: A review of soviet forces in Petrograd under the guise of huge meetings. Civil War rages across Russia. Desperate October 23: The Peter and Paul fortress, economic situation – famine and disease. last important obstacle to the success of the March 2-7: First Congress of Communist insurrection, declares for the Petrograd So- International. viet. March 21: Hungarian Revolution. October 24: The provisional government August 1: Fall of Hungarian Soviet Gov- issues orders for the arrest of the Military ernment. Revolutionary Committee, suppression of October 11: White Army attacks Petro- Bolshevik papers. grad. October 25: October Revolution begins (2 October 22: Whites pushed back from Pet- a.m.). Troops of the Military Revolution- rograd. Tide starts to turn in Civil War. ary Committee close Council of the Republic 1920: Red Army winning Civil War. Civil (12 noon). Lenin comes out of hiding; ap- War more or less ends in December. pears at a session of the Petrograd Soviet (3 1921 February 28-March 17 Kronstadt p.m.); is introduced by Trotsky. Operations Rebellion. against the Winter Palace (seat of the provi- March 21: Adoption of New Economic Pol- sional government) begin (9 p.m.). Second icy. All-Russian Congress of Soviets opens (11 1922: Lenin seriously ill. Suffers stroke. p.m.) with Bolshevik majority. December: Lenin launches struggle October 26: Organisation of Revolution- against Stalin over bureaucracy and national ary government – Council of Peole’s Com- question. missars. Decrees on Proposal of immediate 1923 March 7: Lenin’s third stroke. Loses Peace and Nationalisation of Land. power of speech. Zinoviev, Kamenev and October 27-November 1: Kerensky’s at- Stalin assume leadership. tempt at counterrevolution defeated. Keren- October: German Revolution defeated. sky flees. Trotsky forms Left Opposition. November 2: Victory of Bolsheviks in 1924 January 21: Lenin dies. Moscow. 1925-26: Trotsky’s Left Opposition join November 13: Decree establishing work- with Zinoviev and Kamenev in United ers’ control of all industrial enterprises. Opposition against Stalin. Debate party December 9: Beginning of peace negotia- democracy, industrialisation and socialism tions in Brest-Litovsk. in one country. December 14: Nationalisation of banks. 1927: Stalin victorious. Opposition ex- pelled from CP. 1918 1928-29: Trotsky deported to Alma Ata on January 5-6: Opening and dissolution of Chinese border and then to Turkey. Stalin Constituent Assembly. launches Five Year Plan and forced Collec- February 20: Formation of Red Army. tivisation of Agriculture. Bukharin expelled. Civil War starts to develop. Stalin now absolute dictator of Russia.

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