The Bolshevik Consolidation of Power 1918-21 Essay

The Bolshevik Consolidation of Power 1918-21 The Bolsheviks under Lenin, when they came into power in October 1917, faced immense problems in trying to consolidate their hold over the ex-tsarist empire. Firstly, how were the Bolsheviks, in view of their military resources, to extend their hold over the nation at large? The second, was how could they achieve a speedy end to the war and effect a rapid withdrawal of the German army, which was currently occupying the western part of Russia. Thirdly, how quickly would they be able to stage an economic recovery? Beset by internal and external enemies, the Bolsheviks were engaged in a desperate struggle for survival. Pre-1917, they had been spent in†¦show more content†¦His objective was not to win mass support, but to create a party capable of seizing power when political circumstances permitted. After the successful October coup in 1917, he was even more determined not to jeopardise the Bolsheviks newly-won power by allowing elections to dictate the pace of revolutionary change. The November election, therefore presented him with a problem; the Bolshevik party had won barely a quarter of the seats. Results of the Constituent Assembly: November 1917 Votes Seats SRs 17,490,000 370 Bolsheviks 9,844,000 175 National minority groups 8,257,000 99 Left SRs (pro-Bolshevik) 2,861,000 40 Kadets (Constitutional Democrats) 1,986,000 17 Mensheviks 1,248,000 16 41,686,000 717 Lenins response to this was simple and unscrupulous. In January 1918, after only one days session, the Constituent Assembly was dissolved at gun-point by the Red Guards. Without this course of action, the prospects of the Bolsheviks survival seemed slim. There was strong opposition to them both inside and outside the country. Lenin justified his action with the following speech: To hand over power to the Constituent Assembly would again be compromising with the malignant bourgeoisie. The RussianShow MoreRelatedTrotskys Role in the Soviet Union1012 Words   |  4 PagesRussia during the period 1918 to 1928 as he can be attributed with the Bolshevik acquisition and consolidation of power. However, to achieve a more balanced interpretation it is imperative all contributing factors to his role are acknowledged. Trotsky’s role has not been greatly exaggerated as his strategic leadership skills enabled him to play a fundamental role in the organisation and implementation of the November 1917 Bolshevik seizure of power and the Civil War in 1918-21; however, the importanceRead MoreWas the Cold War Inevitable Essay2937 Words   |  12 Pagesargued that it happened due to the actions that Soviets took and the consequential responses made by the United States as a result of their inflexible, single-sided interpretations of Soviet action. Yet, even with the backdrop of the early Bolshevik conflict in 1918 as well as the great ideological gulf between the Soviet Union and United states, the cold war could have been avoided in its initial stages under President Roosevelt. However, what really determined it was the series of events that occurredRead MoreSecret Intelligence Service and Espionage4647 Words   |  19 Pagesregarded as the founder of modern military espionage. During the American Revolution, Nathan  Hale  and Benedict  Arnold  achieved fame as spies, and there was considerable use of spies on both sides during the U.S. Civil War. By World War I, all the great powers except the United States had elaborate civilian espionage systems and all national military establishments had intelligence units. To protect the country against foreign agents, the U.S. Congress passed the Espionage Statute of 1917.  Mata Hari, whoRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesdetermining beginnings and endings that accord with major shifts in political and socioeconomic circumstances and dynamics rather than standard but arbitrary chronological break points. In the decades that followed the Great War, the victorious European powers appeared to have restored, even expanded, their global political and economic preeminence only to see it eclipsed by the emergence of the Soviet and U.S. superpowers on their periphery and a second round of even more devastating global conflict.