Ten Days That Shook the World · Chapter
Interview with Kerensky explained
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.
What happens
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.
Themes in this chapter
Struggle for Legitimacy and Power
Kerensky's interview is an attempt to assert the legitimacy of the Provisional Government and the Revolution to foreign audiences, while censorship reveals the fragility of that legitimacy.
Characters to notice
- John Reed
Narrates the interview with Kerensky and notes the subsequent censorship by Kerensky's secretary.
- Alexander Kerensky
Gives an interview defending the Revolution and criticizing the Allies, later censored by his secretary.
Key passages
“Mr. Kerensky, in England and France people are disappointed with the Revolution—”
The Associated Press journalist suggests that Western allies are losing faith in the Russian Revolution.
Opens the interview with a critical tone from the foreign press.
“The Russian Revolution hasn’t failed and the revolutionary Army hasn’t failed. It is not the Revolution which caused disorganisation in the army—that disorganisation was accomplished years ago, by the old regime.”
Kerensky insists the Revolution is not to blame for the army's problems; the old regime caused the disorganization.
Kerensky deflects criticism of the Revolution onto the Tsarist past.
“Because the masses of the people are economically exhausted—and because they are disillusioned with the Allies!”
Kerensky attributes Russian reluctance to fight to economic exhaustion and disappointment with Allied support.
Kerensky shifts blame to Allied inaction and domestic hardship.