Ten Days That Shook the World · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Ten Days That Shook the World by John Reed.
Chapter 1
Notes and Explanations
This chapter provides brief definitions and explanations of the various Russian political groups, committees, soviets, dumas, and unions to help the average reader navigate the complex organizational landscape of the period.
Chapter 2
Political Parties
This chapter provides a summary of the political parties and factions active in Petrograd and Russia during the revolutionary period, focusing on their programs, constituencies, and key representatives mentioned in the book. It covers Monarchists, Cadets, the Group of Public Men, Populist Socialists, Mensheviki, Mensheviki Internationalists, Bolsheviki, United Social Democrats Internationalists, Yedinstvo, Socialist Revolutionaries, Left Socialist Revolutionaries, and Maximalists.
Chapter 3
Parliamentary Procedure
This chapter describes the distinctive parliamentary procedures of Russian meetings and conventions during the revolutionary period, emphasizing the continental model with a presidium, faction-based voting, and a highly participatory crowd that often overrides formal order through emergency motions and vocal interruptions.
Chapter 4
Popular Organisations
This chapter provides a glossary of the various popular organisations that emerged in Russia during the revolutionary period, including Soviets, Trade Unions, Factory-Shop Committees, Dumas, Zemstvos, Cooperatives, Army Committees, and Fleet Committees. It explains their origins, functions, and how they interacted with the evolving political landscape leading up to and following the Bolshevik Revolution.
Chapter 5
Central Committees
This chapter describes the proliferation of All-Russian conventions in Petrograd during spring and summer 1917, which elected central committees to represent various interests. As the Provisional Government weakened, these committees assumed greater administrative powers. Key committees include the Union of Unions, Tsay-ee-kah, Tsentroflot, and Vikzhel.
Chapter 6
Other Organisations
This chapter catalogs the various paramilitary and civic organizations that emerged or were revived during the Russian Revolution of 1917, including the Red Guards, White Guards, Tekhintsi, Death Battalions, Union of Officers, Knights of St. George, and the Peasants' Union, highlighting their origins, composition, and political alignments.
Chapter 7
Chronology and Spelling
The author explains the use of the modern calendar instead of the former Russian calendar, which was thirteen days earlier, and describes the simplified transliteration of Russian names and words for English-speaking readers.
Chapter 8
Sources
John Reed describes the diverse sources he used to compile his account of the Russian Revolution, including his own notes, Russian and foreign newspapers, the French Information Bureau's bulletin, proclamations and decrees posted in Petrograd, and official government publications of decrees and secret treaties.
Chapter 9
Ten Days That Shook the World
John Reed provides a firsthand account of the Bolshevik seizure of power in Petrograd in November 1917, detailing the political maneuvering, the storming of the Winter Palace, and the establishment of Soviet authority.
Chapter 10
Background
The chapter sets the stage for the October Revolution by describing the growing polarization in Russian society by late September 1917. While the propertied classes and moderate socialists (Mensheviks and SRs) wanted to slow the revolution, workers, soldiers, and peasants demanded peace, land, and workers' control. The Provisional Government under Kerensky, supported by moderate socialists, attempted repressive measures, driving the masses toward the Bolsheviks. The chapter also notes the rise of the Left SRs, the consolidation of reactionary forces, and the economic sabotage by the bourgeoisie.
Chapter 11
II: The Coming Storm
The chapter depicts the tense political atmosphere in Petrograd following the Kornilov affair, the struggle for power between the Bolsheviks and moderate socialists, and the preparations for the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets. It highlights the growing polarization, the failure of coalition government, and the rising revolutionary fervor among workers, soldiers, and peasants.
Chapter 12
III: On the Eve
As the Bolsheviks prepare for insurrection, the Provisional Government weakens amid disputes over war, peace, and the Petrograd garrison. Lenin argues for a rising timed with the Congress of Soviets, while the Military Revolutionary Committee organizes forces. The government's plans to evacuate the garrison and its reliance on loyal troops fail to stem the revolutionary tide, as workers, soldiers, and peasants increasingly support the Soviets.
Chapter 13
IV: The Fall of the Provisional Government
The chapter describes the immediate aftermath of the Bolshevik insurrection in Petrograd, including the distribution of the proclamation announcing the fall of the Provisional Government, the tense standoff between a crowd of opposition figures and armed sailors on the Nevsky, and the opening of the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets at Smolny. It captures the chaos, the transfer of power to the Military Revolutionary Committee, and the reactions of various political factions as the Bolsheviks consolidate control.
Chapter 14
V: Plunging Ahead
The Bolsheviks consolidate power after the insurrection, facing opposition from the Municipal Duma, the Committee for Salvation, and various workers' unions. The Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets debates coalition government, land reform, and desertion, with Trotsky defending the Bolsheviks' isolated path. Lenin pushes for swift action, while the Congress passes the Land Decree and appeals against pogroms.
Chapter 15
The Committee for Salvation
On Friday, November 9th, the Committee for Salvation meets at the Duma, rallying diverse anti-Bolshevik groups. Skobeliev reports new adhesions, while debates rage over whether to include the Bolsheviks in a new government. Meanwhile, Kerensky issues orders from Gatchina, Kaledin declares power on the Don, and the Military Revolutionary Committee struggles to maintain control amid strikes, censorship, and spreading insurrection across Russia.
Chapter 16
VII: The Revolutionary Front
On November 10th, the Bolshevik government faces a multi-front crisis: Kerensky's counteroffensive approaches Petrograd, a general strike by civil servants paralyzes ministries and banks, and provincial forces declare against the Soviets. Despite this, Smolny remains active, issuing decrees on press control, housing, and a workers' militia, while the Military Revolutionary Committee consolidates support from regiments and trade unions. The chapter captures the tense standoff between the new regime and its opponents, with rumors of collapse countered by Bolshevik bulletins of allegiance.
Chapter 17
Counterrevolution
The chapter depicts the chaotic aftermath of the Bolshevik seizure of power, focusing on the struggle for legitimacy amid strikes, conspiracies, and armed conflict. It covers the Vikzhel's threat to strike, the outlawing of the Committee for Salvation, the outbreak of street fighting in Moscow, and the ongoing battle at Pulkovo. Inside Smolny, the Military Revolutionary Committee works tirelessly while the Council of People's Commissars issues decrees. Reed visits the hidden Committee for Salvation and later learns of the bank strike and the search for secret treaties.
Chapter 18
IX: Victory
The Bolsheviks consolidate power after the insurrection, with negotiations for a coalition government underway via the Vikzhel, while Kerensky's counteroffensive collapses at Gatchina. Civil war erupts across Russia, and the victorious proletarian army occupies Petrograd.
Chapter 19
Moscow
The chapter describes the aftermath of the Bolshevik victory in Petrograd and the fierce fighting in Moscow, including the bombardment of the Kremlin. It details the surrender of the White Guards, the creation of a Brotherhood Grave for fallen proletarians, and the journey of John Reed and his companions to Moscow, where they witness the city's mood and a Soviet meeting. The chapter also covers the resignation of Lunacharsky over the destruction of cultural treasures and the excommunication of the Soviets by Metropolitan Tikhon.
Chapter 20
XI: The Conquest of Power
This chapter details the Bolshevik consolidation of power after the insurrection, including the collapse of the government employees' strike, the nationalization of banks, the establishment of the Supreme Council of People's Economy, and the implementation of land and army reforms. It covers the negotiations for a coalition government with other socialist parties, the Bolshevik conditions for power-sharing, and the rejection of excluding Lenin and Trotsky. The chapter also describes the Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia, the rise of independent republics, and the systematic sabotage by former government employees and the intelligentsia, highlighting the challenges of building a new socialist state.
Chapter 21
XII: The Peasants’ Congress
The Peasants' Congress debates the Land decree and the Bolshevik-led Social Revolution. After intense negotiations, the Left Socialist Revolutionaries and Bolsheviks reach an agreement to unite the Peasants' Soviets with the Workers' and Soldiers' Soviets, culminating in a celebratory procession through Petrograd.
Chapter 22
Appendix to Chapter I
This appendix provides supplementary data and commentary on the political and economic conditions in Russia leading up to the October Revolution. It includes Lenin's critique of coalition governments, election results from Moscow showing the rise of the Bolsheviks, reactionary statements from the Cadet party and business leaders, and detailed tables comparing wages and the cost of living before and during the revolution, illustrating the severe economic disparity.
Chapter 23
Chapter 1
The chapter discusses the Kornilov revolt and Kerensky's role in the events leading up to it, suggesting that Kerensky may have been aware of Kornilov's plans and possibly even provoked the revolt prematurely. It also notes that at the time, the Bolsheviks were a powerless minority in the Soviets, with their leaders either jailed or in hiding.
Chapter 24
Wages and Cost of Living Before and During the Revolution
This chapter presents statistical tables compiled by various committees and ministries in October 1917, detailing the dramatic increases in wages, food prices, and other necessities from July 1914 to August 1917. While wages rose over 500 percent on average, the ruble's purchasing power fell to less than one-third, and food prices increased 556 percent, with other necessities skyrocketing over 1,100 percent. The chapter highlights that profits for factory owners, such as the Thornton Woollen Mills, rose 900 percent while wages increased only 300 percent, indicating that the economic burden fell on workers and the benefits went to speculators and merchants.
Chapter 25
The Socialist Ministers
This chapter examines the failed experiment of the Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks joining the Provisional Government in a coalition with bourgeois ministers, as described by Lenin. It highlights how the capitalists used the coalition tactic to co-opt and neutralize socialist leaders, turning them into figureheads and shields for bourgeois interests, ultimately defrauding the working class.
Chapter 26
September Municipal Elections in Moscow
The chapter presents election results from Moscow's Central and Ward Dumas, comparing June and September 1917 outcomes. The Socialist Revolutionaries plummeted from 58 to 14 seats, the Cadets rose from 17 to 30, Mensheviks fell from 12 to 4, and Bolsheviks surged from 11 to 47. Novaya Zhizn interprets this as a bankruptcy of the coalition policy with propertied classes and argues that avoiding civil war requires a united front of all revolutionary democracy.
Chapter 27
Growing Arrogance of the Reactionaries
This chapter documents the increasing boldness of reactionary forces in Russia during September and October 1917, as expressed through public statements and resolutions. The Cadet Shulgin publicly rejects the Republic and the Provisional Government, while General Dukhonin calls for a constitutional monarchy under Mikhail Alexandrovich. A conference of business men in Moscow demands the depoliticization of the army, the restoration of officer authority, and the suppression of revolutionary propaganda, signaling a coordinated pushback against the gains of the revolution.
Chapter 28
Appendix to Chapter II
This appendix presents key documents and speeches from the period leading up to the Bolshevik insurrection, including Lenin's 'Letter to the Comrades' arguing for immediate uprising, Miliukov's speech attacking the revolutionary democracy and internationalist foreign policy, and a proclamation from the Central Executive Committee warning against demonstrations and blaming the Bolsheviks for inciting civil war.
Chapter 29
Chapter 1
The chapter discusses the Kornilov revolt and Kerensky's role in the events leading up to it, suggesting that Kerensky may have been aware of Kornilov's plans and possibly even provoked the revolt prematurely. It also notes that at the time, the Bolsheviks were a powerless minority in the Soviets, with their leaders either jailed or in hiding.
Chapter 30
Democratic Conference
The chapter details the composition and negotiations behind the Democratic Conference, including Kerensky's initial proposal to include bourgeois elements and the Soviet's insistence on a specific representation table that was later adjusted multiple times.
Chapter 31
The Function of the Soviets Is Ended
This chapter presents an article from Izviestia, the official organ of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviets, arguing that the role of the Soviets is diminishing as more permanent democratic institutions like Municipal Dumas and Zemstvos take over. The article suggests that the Soviets were a temporary shelter for democracy, and now the people are moving to more stable legislative bodies, effectively signaling the end of the Soviets' significance.
Chapter 32
Trotsky’s Speech at the Council of the Russian Republic
Trotsky delivers a fiery speech at the Council of the Russian Republic, denouncing the Provisional Government as irresponsible and counterrevolutionary. He accuses Kerensky, the Cadets, and the Menshevik and Socialist Revolutionary leaders of betraying the revolution by creating a government that serves the propertied classes, provokes civil war, and threatens to abandon Petrograd to the Germans. He calls for immediate peace, all power to the Soviets, and land to the people, announcing the Bolsheviks' withdrawal from the Council.
Chapter 33
The Nakaz to Skobeliev
This chapter presents the full text of the 'Nakaz' (mandate) issued by the Central Executive Committee (Tsay-ee-kah) to Skobeliev as instructions for representing Russian revolutionary democracy at the Paris Conference. It outlines a comprehensive peace program based on 'no annexations, no indemnities, and self-determination of peoples,' covering territorial adjustments, freedom of the seas, indemnities, economic terms, guarantees of peace, and pathways to negotiations, including support for the Stockholm Socialist Conference.
Chapter 34
Peace at Russia's Expense
This chapter reveals secret peace maneuvers during World War I, including Austria's peace offer to France, the Berne Peace Conference of 1917, and an English agent's negotiations with a Bulgarian church dignitary, all indicating efforts to make peace at the expense of Russia.
Chapter 35
Russian Soldiers in France
The chapter details the rebellion of Russian soldiers stationed in France after the February Revolution, driven by Bolshevik propaganda and a desire to return to Russia. The Provisional Government's official report describes the escalation from refusal to drill to armed mutiny at the camp of Courtine, culminating in artillery bombardment and mass surrender. Secret documents reveal that the soldiers had been left without officers, mistreated, and that French artillery may have been used against them, with over two hundred mutineers executed after surrender.
Chapter 36
Terestchenko’s Speech (Resumé)
In this chapter, Foreign Minister Terestchenko delivers a speech defending the Provisional Government's foreign policy, arguing for continued alignment with the Allies, secrecy in diplomacy, and opposition to a separate peace with Germany. He rejects calls for publishing secret treaties, warns against German attempts to create buffer states, and insists on Russia's need for Baltic ports, linking foreign policy to internal unity and national interests.
Chapter 37
The British Fleet (etc.)
This chapter discusses the perception among Bolsheviks and Provisional Government ministers that the British Fleet deliberately abandoned the Baltic during the naval battle of the Gulf of Riga, reflecting a broader British attitude that Russia was finished. It also highlights the controversial reception of General Gurko, a reactionary and pro-German figure, by King George in London, which coincided with Russia's naval defeat.
Chapter 38
Appeals Against Insurrection
This chapter presents two appeals—one from the Central Executive Committee of the Soviets (Tsay-ee-kah) and one from the Petrograd Electoral Committee of the Mensheviki-oborontzi—urging workers and soldiers not to demonstrate or revolt. Both warn that any uprising would play into the hands of counterrevolutionaries and the Dark Forces, leading to pogroms, civil war, the collapse of the front, and the destruction of the Revolution and the Constituent Assembly. They specifically accuse the Bolshevik newspaper Rabotchi Put of inciting disorder and call on conscious revolutionaries to resist provocation.
Chapter 39
Lenin's "Letter to the Comrades"
Lenin argues forcefully for immediate insurrection, countering objections from Kameniev and Riazanov. He insists the Bolsheviks have majority support, the peasants' revolution is urgent, and waiting for the Constituent Assembly is dangerous. He warns that the bourgeoisie will sabotage the revolution, and calls for the dictatorship of the proletariat as the only alternative to Kornilov's dictatorship.
Chapter 40
Miliukov's Speech (Resumé)
In this chapter, Reed presents a summary of a speech by Paul Miliukov, a leading Cadet, who attacks the revolutionary democracy's foreign policy, the Soviet's nakaz, and the influence of socialist ideas, accusing them of being pro-German and undermining Russia's war effort. He defends the Allies, criticizes the Left for advocating class struggle and immediate peace, and contrasts the Soviet position with what he sees as Russia's national interests, including control of the Dardanelles.
Chapter 41
Interview with Kerensky
John Reed recounts an interview with Alexander Kerensky, who defends the Russian Revolution and the army's performance, blaming the old regime and Allied disillusionment for Russia's military struggles. The interview was censored by Kerensky's secretary before publication.
Chapter 42
Appendix to Chapter III
This appendix collects contemporary newspaper editorials, official appeals, and documents from the period immediately surrounding the Bolshevik seizure of power. It includes hostile reactions from the bourgeois and moderate socialist press, a defense of the Bolsheviks as open revolutionaries rather than conspirators, an appeal from the Central Army Committee against insurrection, a detailed account of the night of November 6th when Red Guards and soldiers occupied key institutions, and a lengthy resolution from the Factory-Shop Committees outlining the theory and practice of Workers' Control.
Chapter 43
Resolution of the Factory-Shop Committees
This chapter presents a detailed resolution on Workers' Control, outlining the necessity and structure of factory-shop committees as organs of proletarian self-government in industrial production. It argues that workers' control is essential for the proper functioning of industry, the demobilization of the war economy, and the integration of all economic sectors under a unified plan, with trade unions and factory committees serving as the primary instruments for managing production, distribution, and labor relations.
Chapter 44
The Bourgeois Press on the Bolsheviki
This chapter presents a series of excerpts from the bourgeois Russian press in late October and early November 1917, illustrating the hostile and alarmist attitudes of conservative and liberal newspapers toward the Bolsheviks. The articles call for the government to suppress Bolshevik agitation, characterize their activities as treasonous and anarchic, and question the government's inconsistent response to threats from both the right (Kornilov) and the left (Bolsheviks).
Chapter 45
3: Moderate Socialist Press on the Bolsheviki
This chapter presents excerpts from moderate socialist newspapers—the Socialist Revolutionary 'Dielo Naroda' and the Menshevik 'Dien'—condemning the Bolsheviks. They accuse the Bolsheviks of deceiving the masses with unfulfillable promises, inciting insurrection, and being the most dangerous enemies of the revolution, while calling on the government to defend itself against the threat of riots.
Chapter 46
4: “Yedinstvo”
Plekhanov's paper, Yedinstvo, suspended publication a few weeks after the Bolshevik seizure of power, not due to government suppression but because of insufficient subscribers.
Chapter 47
5: Were the Bolsheviki Conspirators?
This chapter examines the accusation that the Bolsheviks were conspirators, countering it with the argument that they acted openly and audaciously, fixing the date of their uprising in advance and agitating publicly in factories, barracks, and the countryside.
Chapter 48
Appeal Against Insurrection
The Central Army Committee issues a stern appeal against any violent insurrection, insisting on the execution of the organized will of the majority as expressed by the Provisional Government and the Council of the Republic. It warns that any attempt to depose the government by force would be considered counterrevolutionary and repressed by arms, and calls for subordinating private interests to the common good of increasing production and fair distribution. It further proposes forced labor detachments for those guilty of sabotage, desertion, or disorder.
Chapter 49
Events of the Night, November 6th
On the night of November 6th, Red Guards and revolutionary forces systematically occupied key institutions in Petrograd, including printing shops, the Telegraph Agency, the Post Office, the Military Hotel, the Telephone Exchange, and the State Bank, while surrounding the Winter Palace by morning. Resistance from the City Militia and yunkers was ineffective, and in one incident, a Colonel and his yunkers sought arrest for their own safety after a mob threatened them.
Chapter 50
Appendix to Chapter IV
This appendix details the events of November 7th and the immediate aftermath of the Bolshevik seizure of power, including Kerensky's flight from Petrograd and his failed attempts to rally support from Cossacks and front-line troops. It also addresses controversies surrounding the looting of the Winter Palace and the alleged rape of the Women's Battalion, providing evidence that the worst rumors were exaggerated. The chapter concludes with the dissolution of the Women's Battalion and the transformation of the Winter Palace into a People's Museum.
Chapter 51
Events of November 7th
On November 7th, Kerensky's attempts to organize resistance against the Bolshevik uprising fail as troops refuse to move. The Provisional Government issues decrees and appeals for support, but its authority crumbles. By evening, the Winter Palace is under siege, and the Staff Headquarters surrenders to Red Guards.
Chapter 52
Kerensky in Flight
Kerensky flees Petrograd on November 7th, traveling to Gatchina, Ostrov, Luga, and the Southwest Front in a desperate attempt to rally military support against the Bolshevik insurrection. He faces hostility from soldiers and Cossacks, narrowly avoids arrest, and ultimately fails to secure reliable troops, with only about five thousand Cossacks following him.
Chapter 53
3: Looting of the Winter Palace
John Reed addresses allegations of widespread looting at the Winter Palace, arguing that the most valuable art treasures had been moved to Moscow before the Bolshevik takeover. He notes that some items were stolen by the public, valued at about $50,000, and describes the Soviet government's efforts to recover the loot through proclamations and a special commission of artists and archaeologists. The chapter concludes with the Winter Palace being renamed the 'People's Museum' and placed under the control of an artistic-archaeological commission.
Chapter 54
4: Rape of the Women's Battalion
Following the storming of the Winter Palace, anti-Bolshevik press and the City Duma spread sensational stories about the Women's Battalion, claiming women were thrown from windows, violated, or driven to suicide. The Duma's investigation found most claims exaggerated: no women were thrown from windows, three were violated, and one committed suicide citing disappointment in her ideals. On November 21st, the Military Revolutionary Committee officially dissolved the Women's Battalion at the women's own request, and they returned to civilian life.
Chapter 55
Appendix to Chapter V
This appendix contains key documents from the early days of the Bolshevik seizure of power: proclamations from the Military Revolutionary Committee announcing the overthrow of Kerensky's government and ordering the arrest of Kornilov; a protest from the Petrograd Municipal Duma against Bolshevik encroachment; the full text of the Land Decree based on the Peasants' Nakaz, abolishing private land ownership; a note on deserters and land rights; and an explanation of the exclusively Bolshevik composition of the Council of People's Commissars.
Chapter 56
Appeals and Proclamations
The Military Revolutionary Committee issues decrees announcing the overthrow of Kerensky's government, calling for vigilance against counterrevolutionary officers, ordering the arrest of General Kornilov and his accomplices, freeing arrested Land Committee members, and declaring that all power now belongs to the Soviets.
Chapter 57
2: Protest of the Municipal Duma
The Petrograd City Duma, elected democratically, protests against the Bolsheviks' armed seizure of power and their demand for submission to Bolshevik commissars. The Duma declares it will not submit to encroachments on its rights and appeals to all Dumas and Zemstvos in Russia to defend the independence of popular self-government.
Chapter 58
Land Decree—Peasants’ Nakaz
This chapter presents the full text of the Peasants' Nakaz, which forms the basis of the Land Decree. It abolishes private ownership of land, confiscates all estates without compensation, and places land under the control of those who work it. The decree outlines a system of equalized land use, prohibits hired labor, and establishes a national Land Fund for periodic redistribution. It also addresses the management of forests, waters, and mineral resources, and provides for state-organized emigration of surplus populations.
Chapter 59
The Land and Deserters
This chapter discusses how the end of the war and the demobilization of the army automatically resolved the issue of deserters and their rights to land, as the problem ceased to exist with the cessation of hostilities.
Chapter 60
The Council of People’s Commissars
The chapter describes the initial composition of the Council of People's Commissars, which consisted entirely of Bolsheviks after the Left Socialist Revolutionaries declined the portfolios offered to them on November 8th.
Chapter 61
Appendix to Chapter VI
This appendix contains appeals and denunciations from the Socialist Revolutionary Party and the Bolshevik newspaper Pravda, reflecting the intense propaganda war during the Bolshevik uprising. The S.R. appeal condemns the Bolsheviks as senseless adventurers and calls for unity around the Committee for Salvation, while Pravda denounces Kerensky as a traitor and usurper.
Chapter 62
Appeals and Denunciations
This chapter presents two opposing appeals: the Socialist Revolutionary Party's denunciation of the Bolshevik uprising as a senseless adventure, calling for unity against counterrevolution, and the Bolshevik newspaper Pravda's fierce denunciation of Kerensky as a traitor and usurper, equating him with Kornilov.
Chapter 63
Appendix to Chapter VII
This appendix contains two key decrees issued by the new Bolshevik government: the Decree on the Press, which temporarily restricts counterrevolutionary newspapers, and the Decree on Workers' Militia, which authorizes the formation of armed workers' units. It also describes the strike fund used by businesses to pay striking government employees and bank clerks in an attempt to undermine Bolshevik authority.
Chapter 64
Two Decrees
The chapter presents two early decrees of the Soviet government: the Decree on the Press, which justifies temporary restrictions on bourgeois newspapers as a necessary measure against counterrevolution, and the Decree on Workers' Militia, which calls for the formation of armed workers' units under Soviet control, a key step in building the Red Guards.
Chapter 65
2: The Strike Fund
The strike fund for government employees and bank clerks opposing the Bolsheviks was financed by banks, businesses, and foreign corporations. Strikers received full wages, sometimes increased, but the strike collapsed when contributors realized the Bolsheviks were firmly in power and stopped paying benefits.
Chapter 66
Appendix to Chapter VIII
This appendix details Kerensky's failed military advance on Petrograd, the Bolsheviks' consolidation of power through decrees on housing, social insurance, and education, and the Military Revolutionary Committee's proclamations defending the revolution and calling for order.
Chapter 67
Kerensky's Advance
Kerensky and his Cossacks arrive at Gatchina on November 9th, where the garrison surrenders. The Gatchina Soviet is arrested but later released. Cossack advance-guards occupy nearby stations and reach Tsarskoye Selo, where the garrison splits into factions. Bolshevik soldiers fall back toward Petrograd. Delegations from the Duma, Committee for Salvation, and Vikzhel urge Kerensky to negotiate with the Bolsheviks to halt civil war, threatening a general strike. Cossack outposts reach Krasnoye Selo and Pulkovo, where they meet resistance. Deserters reveal Kerensky's false proclamations, and the Military Revolutionary Committee sends agitators to counter them.
Chapter 68
Proclamations of the Military Revolutionary Committee
The Military Revolutionary Committee issues a series of proclamations on behalf of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets, calling for the suppression of counterrevolutionary and antisemitic disturbances, abolishing capital punishment at the front, freeing political prisoners, and rallying support for the new Council of People's Commissars. It denounces Kerensky's counteroffensive, warns the Cossacks, and appeals to citizens of Petrograd to back the revolutionary government that has delivered peace and land.
Chapter 69
Acts of the Council of People’s Commissars
This chapter presents a series of early decrees issued by the new Bolshevik government, covering housing, social insurance, education, and legislative procedure. It highlights the government's immediate efforts to address social welfare, decentralize education, and establish a new legal order, while emphasizing the role of the Constituent Assembly and the Central Executive Committee.
Chapter 70
4: The Liquor Problem
The Military Revolutionary Committee issues an order prohibiting the production of alcohol and alcoholic drinks, requiring producers to report their stores, and establishing a Military Revolutionary Court to try violators.
Chapter 71
Order No. 2
The chapter presents Order No. 2 from the Finland Guard Reserve Regiment, which accuses the bourgeoisie of distributing liquor to soldiers to undermine the revolutionary army. It commands house committees to report wine stockpiles under threat of arrest, property confiscation, and dynamite destruction, emphasizing that lenient measures have failed.
Chapter 72
Appendix to Chapter IX
This appendix provides a series of documents and bulletins detailing the military and political events following the Bolshevik seizure of power, including the suppression of Kerensky's counteroffensive, the establishment of revolutionary tribunals, and the ongoing negotiations for a new government. It includes the Military Revolutionary Committee's bulletins on the battle at Tsarskoye Selo, Krasnov's truce proposal, the arrest and flight of Kerensky, and the Soviet government's appeal for support.
Chapter 73
Military Revolutionary Committee. Bulletin No. 2
This bulletin reports the military engagement between Kerensky's forces and the revolutionary troops on November 12th. It details the artillery duel, the retreat of the Cossacks, the capture of Tsarskoye Selo, and the arrival of the Lettish Riflemen. The revolutionary troops, including sailors, Red Guards, and soldiers, are described as having high morale and material superiority, leading to Kerensky's retreat.
Chapter 74
Events of the 13th in Petrograd
On October 13th, three regiments of the Petrograd garrison refuse to fight Kerensky and send delegates to the front to propose an armistice and the arrest of Kerensky, Krasnov, and Savinkov. At the Petrograd Soviet, Zinoviev argues for both peaceful overtures and military victory. The City Duma debates the formation of a new government, with most factions opposing Bolshevik inclusion, voting to continue Vikzhel negotiations but insisting on restoring the Provisional Government and excluding the Bolsheviks.
Chapter 75
3: Truce. Krasnov’s Answer to the Committee for Salvation
General Krasnov, acting as Supreme Commander for the Provisional Government, responds to the Committee for Salvation's armistice proposal by agreeing to negotiate but demanding the insurrectionists withdraw their regiments to Petrograd, declare the Ligovo-Pulkovo-Colpinno line neutral, and allow government cavalry to enter Tsarskoye Selo to restore order. He sets an eight o'clock morning deadline for a reply.
Chapter 76
Events at Tsarskoye Selo
As Kerensky's troops retreat from Tsarskoye Selo, priests organize a religious procession supporting the Provisional Government. Red Guards arrest and shoot Father Ivan Kutchurov for inciting against the Soviets. The electric lights are shut off, and the plant director, Lubovitch, is found dead. Red Guards also search the home of the ill Plekhanov, accusing him of betraying the revolution.
Chapter 77
5: Appeal of the Soviet Government
The Soviet government issues a triumphant appeal announcing the victory of the Workers' and Soldiers' Revolution, the flight of Kerensky, and the Army's support for the new government. It calls on counterrevolutionary troops, Cossacks, and workers to lay down their arms and join the victorious people.
Chapter 78
Appendix to Chapter X
The appendix provides supplementary documents and firsthand observations related to the October Revolution, including a report on damage to the Kremlin, Lunatcharsky's declaration on protecting cultural treasures, and a decree from the Military Revolutionary Committee imposing strict financial controls on banks and savings accounts.
Chapter 79
Damage to the Kremlin
John Reed verifies the damage to the Kremlin after the bombardment, noting the destruction of the Little Nicolai Palace, damage to several cathedrals and monasteries, and the survival of St. Basil's and the Imperial Palace.
Chapter 80
Lunatcharsky’s Declaration
Lunatcharsky, as Commissar of Public Education, appeals to the people to protect Russia's artistic and scientific treasures during the violent struggle for power, expressing both despair over the damage to Moscow and hope for a future socialist culture. He resigns but is persuaded to stay, urging support to preserve the nation's beauty for future generations.
Chapter 81
Questionnaire for the Bourgeoisie
John Reed describes the Bolsheviks' use of a questionnaire to gather evidence against the bourgeoisie, exposing their counterrevolutionary activities and property holdings. The chapter illustrates the revolutionary tribunal's efforts to document and prosecute class enemies through systematic interrogation.
Chapter 82
Revolutionary Financial Measure
The Military Revolutionary Committee in Moscow issues a decree regulating bank operations, limiting withdrawals to 150 rubles per depositor for the first week, with exceptions for military needs and worker salaries. Non-compliant employees face revolutionary tribunals.
Chapter 83
Appendix to Chapter XI
This appendix covers the early consolidation of Soviet power, including nationalization of banks, abolition of military ranks, suppression of wine pogroms and speculation, and the establishment of state control over advertising. It also includes the Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia, a garrison resolution supporting the Bolsheviks, and a letter from Purishkevitch to Kaledin detailing counterrevolutionary plans.
Chapter 84
Limitations of This Chapter
This chapter covers a two-month period during which the Soviet Government consolidated its political power at home, including negotiations with the Allies and Germans, the armistice, and the beginning of the Brest-Litovsk peace talks, though these major events are reserved for another volume. The focus is on the Soviet Government's efforts to overcome hostile domestic elements, interrupted by the Peace of Brest-Litovsk.
Chapter 85
Preamble—Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia
The chapter presents the Bolshevik declaration proclaiming the emancipation of peasants, soldiers, sailors, and workers from the old regime, and calls for a new policy of voluntary and honest union among the peoples of Russia to replace the tsarist and provisional government policies of oppression and distrust.
Chapter 86
Decrees
This chapter presents a series of revolutionary decrees issued by the Council of People's Commissars, nationalizing banks, abolishing military ranks and privileges, establishing elective command in the army, and eliminating all class distinctions and titles. It also includes a decree limiting the salaries of government officials, with the highest salary set at 500 rubles per month for a People's Commissar.
Chapter 87
The Fall of the Provisional Government
This chapter details the arrest and trial of Countess Panina before the first Supreme Revolutionary Tribunal, highlighting the early application of revolutionary justice. The tribunal sentenced her to return the money and then be set free, illustrating the new regime's approach to accountability.
Chapter 88
5: Ridicule of the New Regime
This chapter presents a satirical piece from the Menshevik newspaper Drug Naroda, mocking the Bolsheviks' early attempts at foreign policy. It caricatures Trotsky and Uritzky as bumbling figures chasing after former officials and trying in vain to get a response from the Allied ambassadors, highlighting the perceived absurdity and isolation of the new regime's peace initiatives.
Chapter 89
On the Question of an Agreement
A garrison conference of the Petrograd regiments hears representatives of all socialist parties on the possibility of a coalition government. After debate, the meeting overwhelmingly resolves that only the Bolsheviks and Left Socialist Revolutionaries support Soviet power and the decrees on Land, Peace, and Workers' Control, while other parties seek to undermine the November revolution's gains. The conference expresses full confidence in the Tsay-ee-kah and Council of People's Commissars and urges the Left Socialist Revolutionaries to join the government.
Chapter 90
Wine "Pogroms"
The chapter describes organized efforts by the Cadets to incite soldiers into wine riots through false telephone messages about free wine. The Council of People's Commissars responded by appointing a Commissar for the Fight Against Drunkenness, who suppressed the riots and destroyed vast quantities of liquor, including rare vintages from the Winter Palace cellars valued at over five million dollars. The Cronstadt sailors, praised by Trotsky as the 'flower and pride of the revolutionary forces,' carried out the destruction with iron self-discipline.
Chapter 91
8: Speculators
The chapter presents two official decrees from the Council of People's Commissars and the Military Revolutionary Committee targeting speculators, marauders, and those hoarding or sabotaging food supplies. The decrees declare such individuals enemies of the people, authorize immediate arrest and confinement in Cronstadt pending revolutionary tribunal, and call on all honest citizens and popular organizations to cooperate in the struggle against speculation.
Chapter 92
Purishkevitch's Letter to Kaledin
The chapter presents a letter from Purishkevitch to General Kaledin, detailing the desperate situation in Petrograd under Bolshevik control, the suppression of opposition, and plans for a counterrevolutionary uprising using officers and yunkers. It also notes Purishkevitch's subsequent trial and short prison sentence.
Chapter 93
Decree on the Monopoly of Advertisements
The chapter presents the Bolshevik decree nationalizing the advertising industry, declaring it a state monopoly, and requiring all advertising to be published only in Soviet-controlled organs. It outlines the transfer of private advertising businesses to the government, the formation of trade unions for advertising workers, and penalties for non-compliance, including imprisonment and confiscation of property.
Chapter 94
11: Obligatory Ordinance
The chapter presents the official decree issued by the Committee to Fight Against Pogroms, declaring Petrograd under a state of siege. It imposes a strict curfew, bans public assemblies, and authorizes the use of machine-gun fire to prevent looting and disorder, reflecting the Bolshevik government's efforts to maintain control amid revolutionary chaos.
Chapter 95
Two Proclamations
Lenin issues a proclamation to the people of Russia, declaring the victory of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolution in Petrograd and Moscow, urging workers, soldiers, and peasants to take local power into their own hands, establish strict control over production and distribution, and crush counterrevolutionary resistance, while promising nationalization of banks and financial syndicates and assuring that no worker will lose property without due law.
Chapter 96
Chapter 13: To All Workers of Petrograd!
The chapter presents a proclamation from the Petrograd Soviet, the Council of Trade Unions, and the Council of Factory-Shop Committees, declaring the victory of the revolution and calling on workers to end strikes and demonstrations, return to work, and support the new Soviet government through disciplined labor. It emphasizes the imminent issuance of decrees on workers' control and industrial regulation.
Chapter 97
Appeals and Counter-Appeals
This chapter presents a series of public appeals and counter-appeals between the Military Revolutionary Committee and various groups of government employees, bank workers, and supply officials. The employees defend themselves against accusations of sabotage, claiming they continue to work despite Bolshevik interference, while the Bolsheviks threaten legal action against those who abandoned their posts or received advance salaries.
Chapter 98
Elections to the Constituent Assembly in Petrograd
The chapter presents the detailed results of the elections to the Constituent Assembly in Petrograd, listing the votes received by nineteen different parties and groups, with the Bolsheviks receiving the highest number of votes.
Chapter 99
From the Council of People’s Commissars to the Toiling Cossacks
The Council of People's Commissars issues an appeal to the Cossacks, urging them to reject the lies of their generals and landowners, join the Soviets, support peace without annexations, and take control of their own affairs. It condemns the counterrevolutionary actions of Kaledin, Kornilov, Dutov, and Karaulov, and calls for the formation of Cossack Soviets and the transfer of land to the toiling Cossacks.
Chapter 100
From the Commission on Public Education Attached to the Central City Duma
The chapter presents a proclamation from the Commission on Public Education urging workers and workingwomen to organize against a teachers' strike, which sides with the bourgeoisie against the Workers' and Peasants' Government. It calls for forming parents' committees, passing resolutions, organizing protest meetings, and arranging children's entertainments independently, while demanding schools reopen as scheduled by the Duma.
Chapter 101
Diplomatic Correspondence of the Soviet Government
This chapter briefly notes that the diplomatic notes exchanged between Trotsky and the Allied and neutral powers, as well as the Allied military attachés' note to General Dukhonin, are too extensive to include. The author states these documents pertain to the foreign relations of the Soviet Government, a topic reserved for a subsequent volume.
Chapter 102
Appeals to the Front Against Dukhonin
The chapter details the Bolsheviks' efforts to rally soldiers against General Dukhonin, who refused to obey the Council of People's Commissars' orders for peace negotiations. It highlights the gathering of former ministers and counterrevolutionary figures at the Stavka, accusing them of prolonging the war and betraying the revolution. The appeal calls on soldiers to disregard Dukhonin's provocations and remain loyal to the Soviet government.
Chapter 103
From Krylenko
The chapter presents Order Number Two, which declares General Dukhonin an enemy of the people for opposing orders and risking civil war, and authorizes arrests of his supporters without regard to status or past, with General Manikhovsky charged with execution.
Chapter 104
Appendix to Chapter XII
This appendix contains an official instruction to peasants from the Council of People's Commissars, signed by Lenin, explaining the transfer of power to local Soviets and the abolition of landlord titles. It also describes the subsequent Peasants' Congress, which shifted from hostility to support for the Soviet government under the influence of Maria Spiridonova, leading to a split and the dissolution of the right-wing faction.
Chapter 105
Instruction to Peasants
This chapter presents an official decree from the new Bolshevik government, explaining that all power now resides in the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers', and Peasants' Deputies. It announces the cancellation of landlords' titles to land, the transfer of all estates to the Peasants' Soviets and Volost Land Committees, and the establishment of the Council of People's Commissars. The decree calls on peasants to take local power, promises workers' support with machinery, and requests peasant aid in grain transport.
Chapter 106
The Peasants' Congress
The chapter describes the evolution of the Extraordinary Congress of Peasants' Soviets over several weeks, starting with a majority hostile to the Soviet government, then shifting to support the moderates under Tchernov, and finally aligning with Maria Spiridonova's faction, leading to the Right Wing walking out and forming a separate, dwindling congress.
Chapter 107
Endnotes
This chapter contains endnotes referencing various sources, explanations, and clarifications related to the main text, including mentions of the Sisson Documents, John Reed's work, the Zimmerwald Conference, the Provisional Government's suppression of Bolshevik papers, and other historical notes.
Chapter 108
List of Illustrations
This chapter provides a list of facsimiles and illustrations included in the book, primarily featuring government passes, proclamations, certificates, and other documents in Cyrillic, along with a sketch and a questionnaire form.
