Abstract
By October, political life in Russia was fast approaching a crisis. Tensions built up over eight months were about to be resolved. On 23 September the C.E.C. made 20 October the date for a new all-Russian congress of soviets (on 18 October the meeting was postponed until the 25th). All eyes were on the congress, which was bound to alter fundamentally the balance of power. What actually happened was even more dramatic, the ‘Great October Socialist Revolution’.
We inform the Exec. Comm. and the Military-Tech. commission that the landing has been carried out and firm contact with the Petrograd units has been established. We await a further offensive. We are now beginning a final operation in connection with the Winter Palace and the Staff.
A delegation is presenting an ultimatum. If it is refused we will open fire. P. I. Smirnon to the Kronstadt E.G., 6 p.m., 25 October 1917
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
P. E. Dybenko, ‘Baltflot v Oktiabr’skie dni (Vospominaniia)’, Pravda, no. 252 (3784) (3.xi.1927), 6; BMPP, 264f.
G. Rovio, ‘Kak tov. Lenin skryvalsia u gel’singforsskogo “politseimeistera”‘, Krasnaia letopis’, 1922, no. 4, 304— to; Khovrin, Baltiitsy, 162. For an interesting discussion of the effect on Lenin of his stay in Finland see: Norman E. Saul, ‘Lenin’s Decision to Seize Power: The Influence of Events in Finland’, Soviet Studies, xxiv, no. 4 (1973), 494–505.
V. P. Verkhos’, ‘K voprosu o chislennosti Krasnoi gvardii’, Voprosy istorii KPSS, 1971, no. to, 105n19;
D. N. Collins, ‘A Note on the Numerical Strength of the Russian Red Guard in October 1917’, Soviet Studies, xxiv, no. 2 (1972), 275;
Z. V. Stepanov, Rabochie Petrograda v period podgotovki i provedeniia Oktiabr’skogo vooruzhennogo vosstaniia: August-oktiabr’ 1917 g. (L, 1965 ), 25–8;
G. L. Sobolev, ‘Petrogradskii garnizon v 1917 g. (chislennost’, sostav, vooruzhenie, raspolozhenie)’, Istoricheskie zapiski, vol. 88 (1971), 76.
M. N. Pokrovskii, ‘Bol’sheviki i front v oktiabre — noiabre 1917 g.’, Oktiabr’skaia revoliutsiia: Sbornik statei 1917–1927 (M, 1929), 218; Sukhanov, vol. 7, 234f; PVRK, vol. I, 351.
Copyright information
© 1978 Evan Mawdsley
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mawdsley, E. (1978). The October Revolution. In: The Russian Revolution and the Baltic Fleet. Studies in Russian and East European History. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-03759-9_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-03759-9_7
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-03761-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-03759-9
eBook Packages: Palgrave History CollectionHistory (R0)