Leaflets of the Russian Revolution by Barbara C. Allen

Author:Barbara C. Allen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Perseus Books, LLC
Published: 2018-11-28T16:00:00+00:00

Leaflets 13 &and 14

Responses to the July Days Uprising

In the days of July 3–7, 1917, a protest movement of workers and soldiers in Petrograd was repelled by military and police attacks, with hundreds of casualties. The July Uprising or July Days came about due to the failure of the Russian military offensive in June, a worsening of the crisis in Petrograd’s food and fuel supply, and a crisis of confidence in the government after two Liberal (Kadet) ministers resigned over their opposition to Ukrainian autonomy.

In the wake of the offensive’s collapse, mass unrest arose in the Russian army, which could no longer fight effectively. The uprising began among soldiers in the Petrograd garrison who feared transfer to the front, but also involved workers already on strike over low wages. Workers and soldiers demanded “all power to the soviets” and raised other radical slogans.

Members of the Bolshevik Military Organization, anarchists, and Left Social Revolutionaries encouraged the soldiers’ revolt. The Central Committee of the Bolsheviks originally opposed the uprising, but quickly changed its position to one of support after tens of thousands of demonstrators surrounded the Tauride Palace, where the Soviet met.

The defeat of the July movement temporarily checked the revolution’s impetus, as the Provisional Government drove the Bolshevik movement semi-underground and arrested Leon Trotsky and many other revolutionary leaders.78

The first document below represents the position toward the uprising of the moderate socialists, who then held a majority in the soviets. The second document provides the Bolshevik point of view.

Leaflet #13

“Protests Strike Blows against Our Brothers at the Front”

July 3–4, 1917

To all workers and soldiers of the city of Petrograd.

Soldier and worker comrades!

Despite the clearly expressed will of all socialist parties without exception, unknown people are calling upon you to go out armed onto the street. This is how they propose that you should protest against the disbanding of regiments which dishonored themselves at the front by criminally abandoning their duty to the revolution.

As the authorized representatives of all Russia’s revolutionary democratic forces, we declare to you: army and front organizations demanded the disbandment of regiments at the front, which was carried out by the order of War Minister Comrade A. F. Kerensky, whom we chose. The protests in defense of the disbanded regiments strike blows against our brothers who are spilling their blood at the front.

We remind the soldier comrades that not one military unit has the right to go out armed without the permission of the commander-

in-chief, who is acting in full agreement with us.

We declare that all those who violate this decision during this so critical time for Russia are traitors and enemies of the revolution.

We will implement this decision by all the means at our disposal.

Bureau of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee

of the Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies

Bureau of the All-Russian Executive Committee

of Soviets of Peasants’ Deputies

July 3–4, 1917

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