This is the second revolution, which is also called the Bourgeois-Democratic revolution.

Causes

100 years later, historians argue that the February Revolution was inevitable, since there were many reasons that caused it - defeat at the fronts, the difficult situation of workers and peasants, hunger, devastation, political lawlessness, the decline in the authority of the autocratic government and its inability to carry out reforms.

That is, almost all those problems that remained unresolved after the first revolution, which occurred in 1905.

Democratic transformations in Russia, with the exception of small concessions made by the Manifesto of October 17, 1905, remained unfinished, so new social upheavals were inevitable.

Move

The main events of the February Revolution happened quickly. At the beginning of 1917, interruptions in food supplies to major Russian cities intensified, and by mid-February, due to a shortage of bread and rising prices, workers began to go on strike en masse.

Bread riots broke out in Petrograd - crowds of people destroyed bread stores, and on February 23 a general strike of Petrograd workers began.

Workers and women with the slogans “Bread!”, “Down with war!”, “Down with autocracy!” took to the streets of Petrograd - a political demonstration marked the beginning of the revolution.

Every day the number of striking workers who were driving force struggle, led by the Bolshevik Party. The workers were joined by students, office workers, artisans, and peasants demanding the redistribution of land. Within a few days, a wave of strikes swept Petrograd, Moscow and other cities of the country.

© photo: Sputnik / RIA Novosti

Executions and arrests were no longer able to cool the revolutionary fervor of the masses. Every day the situation became more and more aggravated, becoming irreversible. Government troops were brought into combat readiness— Petrograd was turned into a military camp.

The outcome of the struggle was predetermined by the mass transition of soldiers on February 27 to the side of the rebels, who occupied the most important points of the city and government buildings. The next day the government was overthrown.

The Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies and the Provisional Committee were created in Petrograd State Duma, who formed the Provisional Government.

The power of the Provisional Government was established in Moscow on March 1, and within a month throughout the country.

Results

The new government proclaimed political rights and freedoms, including speech, assembly, press and demonstrations.

Class, national and religious restrictions, the death penalty, military courts were abolished, a political amnesty was declared, and an eight-hour working day was introduced.

Workers received the right to restore democratic organizations banned during the war, to create trade unions and factory committees.

However, the main political question of power remained unresolved - a dual power system emerged in Russia, which further split Russian society.

The land issue was not resolved, factories remained in the hands of the bourgeoisie, agriculture and industry were in dire need, and there was not enough fuel for railway transport.

1917 was a year of upheaval and revolution in Russia, and its finale came on the night of October 25, when all power passed to the Soviets. What are the causes, course, results of the Great October Socialist Revolution - these and other questions of history are in the center of our attention today.

Causes

Many historians argue that the events that occurred in October 1917 were inevitable and at the same time unexpected. Why? Inevitable, because by this time a certain situation had developed in the Russian Empire, which predetermined the further course of history. This was due to a number of reasons:

• Results of the February Revolution : she was greeted with unprecedented delight and enthusiasm, which soon turned into the opposite - bitter disappointment. Indeed, the performance of the revolutionary-minded “lower classes” - soldiers, workers and peasants - led to a serious shift - the overthrow of the monarchy. But this is where the achievements of the revolution ended. The expected reforms were “hanging in the air”: the longer the Provisional Government postponed consideration of pressing problems, the faster discontent in society grew;
• Overthrow of the monarchy : March 2 (15), 1917, Russian Emperor Nicholas II signed the abdication of the throne. However, the question of the form of government in Russia - a monarchy or a republic - remained open. The Provisional Government decided to consider it during the next convocation of the Constituent Assembly. Such uncertainty could only lead to one thing - anarchy, which is what happened.
• The mediocre policy of the Provisional Government : the slogans under which the February Revolution took place, its aspirations and achievements were actually buried by the actions of the Provisional Government: Russia’s participation in the First World War continued; a majority vote in the government blocked land reform and the reduction of the working day to 8 hours; autocracy was not abolished;
• Russian participation in the First World War: any war is an extremely costly undertaking. It literally “sucks” all the juice out of the country: people, production, money - everything goes to support it. First World War was no exception, and Russia's participation in it undermined the country's economy. After the February Revolution, the Provisional Government did not retreat from its obligations to the allies. But discipline in the army had already been undermined, and widespread desertion began in the army.
• Anarchy: already in the name of the government of that period - the Provisional Government, the spirit of the times can be traced - order and stability were destroyed, and they were replaced by anarchy - anarchy, lawlessness, confusion, spontaneity. This was manifested in all spheres of the country’s life: an autonomous government was formed in Siberia, which was not subordinate to the capital; Finland and Poland declared independence; in the villages, peasants were engaged in unauthorized redistribution of land, burning manorial estates; the government was mainly engaged in the struggle with the Soviets for power; the disintegration of the army and many other events;
• The rapid growth of influence of the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies : During the February Revolution, the Bolshevik party was not one of the most popular. But with time this organization becomes a major political player. Their populist slogans about an immediate end to the war and reforms found great support among embittered workers, peasants, soldiers and police. Not the least was the role of Lenin as the creator and leader of the Bolshevik Party, which carried out the October Revolution of 1917.

Rice. 1. Mass strikes in 1917

Stages of the uprising

Before speaking briefly about the 1917 revolution in Russia, it is necessary to answer the question about the suddenness of the uprising itself. The fact is that the actual dual power in the country - the Provisional Government and the Bolsheviks - should have ended with some kind of explosion and subsequent victory for one of the parties. Therefore, the Soviets began preparing to seize power back in August, and at that time the government was preparing and taking measures to prevent it. But the events that happened on the night of October 25, 1917 came as a complete surprise to the latter. The consequences of the establishment of Soviet power also became unpredictable.

Back on October 16, 1917, the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party made a fateful decision - to prepare for an armed uprising.

On October 18, the Petrograd garrison refused to submit to the Provisional Government, and already on October 21, representatives of the garrison declared their subordination to the Petrograd Soviet, as the only representative of legitimate power in the country. Starting from October 24, key points in Petrograd - bridges, train stations, telegraphs, banks, power plants and printing houses - were captured by the Military Revolutionary Committee. On the morning of October 25, the Provisional Government held only one object - the Winter Palace. Despite this, at 10 o'clock in the morning of the same day, an appeal was issued, which announced that from now on the Petrograd Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies was the only body of state power in Russia.

In the evening at 9 o'clock, a blank shot from the cruiser Aurora signaled the start of the assault on the Winter Palace and on the night of October 26, members of the Provisional Government were arrested.

Rice. 2. The streets of Petrograd on the eve of the uprising

Results

As you know, history does not like the subjunctive mood. It is impossible to say what would have happened if this or that event had not occurred and vice versa. Everything that happens happens as a result of not a single cause, but of many, which at one moment intersected at one point and revealed the event to the world with all its positive and negative aspects: Civil War, a huge number of dead, millions who left the country forever, terror, building an industrial power, eliminating illiteracy, free education, medical care, building the world's first socialist state and much more. But, speaking about the main significance of the October Revolution of 1917, one thing should be said - it was a profound revolution in the ideology, economy and structure of the state as a whole, which influenced not only the course of history of Russia, but of the whole world.

Event that happened October 25, 1917 in the capital of the then Russian Empire, Petrograd, was simply an uprising of the armed people, which shook up almost the entire civilized world.

A hundred years have passed, but the results and achievements, the impact on world history The October events remain the subject of discussion and controversy among numerous historians, philosophers, political scientists, and specialists in various fields of law, both in our time and in the bygone twentieth century.

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Briefly about the date October 25, 1917

Officially in the Soviet Union, this controversially assessed event was called today - the day of the October Revolution of 1917, it was a holiday for the entire huge country and the peoples inhabiting it. It brought a fundamental change in the socio-political situation, transformation of political and social views on the position of peoples and each individual individually.

Today, many young people do not even know in what year the revolution took place in Russia, but it is necessary to know about it. The situation was quite predictable and had been brewing for several years, then significant main events of the October Revolution of 1917 took place, table briefly:

What is the October Revolution in the historical concept? The main armed uprising, led by V. I. Ulyanov - Lenin, L. D. Trotsky, Ya. M. Sverdlov and other leaders of the Russian communist movement.

The Revolution of 1917 was an armed uprising.

Attention! The uprising was carried out by the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet, where, oddly enough, the majority was represented by the Left Socialist Revolutionary faction.

The successful implementation of the coup was ensured by the following factors:

1. Significant level of popular support.
2. The provisional government was inactive and did not solve the problems of Russia's participation in the First World War.
3. The most significant political aspect compared to previously proposed extremist movements.

The Menshevik and Right Socialist Revolutionary factions were unable to organize a more or less realistic version of an alternative movement in relation to the Bolsheviks.

A little about the reasons for the October events of 1917

Today, no one refutes the idea that this fateful event practically turned not only the whole world upside down, but also radically changed the course of history for many decades to come. Far from being feudal, the bourgeois country striving for progress was practically upended directly during certain events on the fronts of the First World War.

The historical significance of the October Revolution, which occurred in 1917, is largely determined by the cessation. However, as modern historians see it, there were several reasons:

1. The influence of the peasant revolution as a socio-political phenomenon as an aggravation of the confrontation between the peasant masses and the remaining landowners at that time. The reason is the “black redistribution” known in history, that is, distribution of land to the number of people in need. Also in this aspect there was a negative impact of the procedure for redistribution of land plots on the number of dependents.
2. The working sections of society experienced significant pressure from city authorities for residents of rural areas, government became the main lever of pressure on the productive forces.
3. The deepest decomposition of the army and other security forces, where the majority of peasants went to serve, who could not comprehend certain nuances of the protracted military actions.
4. Revolutionary fermentation of all layers of the working class. The proletariat at that time was a politically active minority, constituting no more than 3.5% of the active population. The working class was largely concentrated in industrial cities.
5. The national movements of the popular formations of imperial Russia developed and reached their culmination. Then they sought to achieve autonomy; a promising option for them was not just autonomy, but a promising autonomy and independence from the central authorities.

To the greatest extent, it was the national movement that became the provoking factor in the beginning of the revolutionary movement in the vast territory Russian Empire, which literally fell apart into its component parts.

Attention! The combination of all causes and conditions, as well as the interests of all segments of the population, determined the goals of the October Revolution of 1917, which became the driving force for the future uprising as a turning point in history.

Popular unrest before the start of the October Revolution of 1917.

Ambiguous about the events of October 17

The first stage, which became the basis and beginning of worldwide change historical events, which became a turning point not only domestically, but also on a global scale. For example, the assessment of the October Revolution, Interesting Facts which consist in a simultaneous positive and negative impact on the socio-political world situation.

As usual, every significant event has reasons of an objective and subjective nature. The vast majority of the population had a hard time experiencing wartime conditions, hunger and deprivation, the conclusion of peace became necessary. What conditions prevailed in the second half of 1917:

1. Formed between February 27 and March 3, 1917, the Provisional Government headed by Kerensky did not have sufficient tools to solve all problems and questions without exception. The transfer of ownership of land and enterprises to workers and peasants, as well as the elimination of famine and the conclusion of peace became an urgent problem, the solution of which was inaccessible to the so-called “temporary workers.”
2. Prevalence of socialist ideas among the general population, a noticeable increase in the popularity of Marxist theory, the implementation by the Soviets of the slogans of universal equality, the prospects of what the people expected.
3. The emergence of a strong force in the country opposition movement led by a charismatic leader, such as Ulyanov - Lenin. This party line at the beginning of the last century became the most promising movement for achieving world communism as a concept further development.
4. In this situation, they have become extremely in demand radical ideas and requiring a radical solution to the problem of society - the inability to lead the empire from a completely rotten tsarist administrative apparatus.

The slogan of the October Revolution - “peace to the peoples, land to the peasants, factories to the workers” was supported by the population, which made it possible to radically change the political system in Russia.

Briefly about the course of events on October 25

Why did the October Revolution happen in November? The autumn of 1917 brought an even greater increase in social tension; political and socio-economic destruction was rapidly approaching its peak.

In the field of industry, financial sector, transport and communication systems, agriculture complete collapse was brewing.

Russian multinational empire collapsed into separate nation states, contradictions between representatives of different nations and intra-tribal disagreements grew.

The acceleration of the overthrow of the Provisional Government was significantly influenced by hyperinflation, rising food prices Against the backdrop of lower wages, increased unemployment, and the catastrophic situation on the battlefields, the war was artificially prolonged. Government of A. Kerensky did not present an anti-crisis plan, and the initial February promises were practically abandoned altogether.

These processes, in conditions of their rapid growth, only increased influence leftist political movements throughout the country. These were the reasons for the unprecedented victory of the Bolsheviks in the October Revolution. The Bolshevik idea and its support by peasants, workers and soldiers led to parliamentary majority in the new state system - the Soviets in the First Capital and Petrograd. The plans for the Bolsheviks to come to power included two directions:

1. Peaceful, diplomatically stipulated and legally confirmed the act of transferring power to the majority.
2. The extremist trend in the Soviets demanded armed strategic measures; in their opinion, the plan could only be realized power grip.

The government created in October 1917 was called the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. The shot fired by the legendary cruiser Aurora on the night of October 25 signal to start the assault Winter Palace, which led to the fall of the Provisional Government.

October Revolution

October Revolution

Consequences of the October Revolution

The consequences of the October Revolution are ambiguous. This is the coming to power of the Bolsheviks, the adoption by the Second Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies of the Decrees on Peace, Land, and the Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of the Country. Was created Russian Soviet Republic, later the controversial Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed. Pro-Bolshevik governments began to come to power in various countries around the world.

The negative aspect of the event is also important - it began protracted, which brought even greater destruction, crisis, famine, millions of victims. The collapse and chaos in a huge country led to economic destruction of the global financial system, a crisis that lasted more than a decade and a half. Its consequences fell heavily on the shoulders of the poorest sections of the population. This situation has become the basis for a decline in demographic indicators, a lack of productive forces in the future, human casualties, and unplanned migration.

The October Revolution of 1917 in Russia was the armed overthrow of the Provisional Government and the coming to power of the Bolshevik Party, which proclaimed the establishment of Soviet power, the beginning of the elimination of capitalism and the transition to socialism. The slowness and inconsistency of the actions of the Provisional Government after the February bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1917 in resolving labor, agrarian, and national issues, the continued participation of Russia in the First World War led to a deepening of the national crisis and created the preconditions for the strengthening of far-left parties in the center and nationalist parties in the outskirts countries. The Bolsheviks acted most energetically, proclaiming a course towards a socialist revolution in Russia, which they considered the beginning of the world revolution. They put forward popular slogans: “Peace to the peoples,” “Land to the peasants,” “Factories to the workers.”

In the USSR, the official version of the October Revolution was the version of “two revolutions”. According to this version, the bourgeois-democratic revolution began in February 1917 and was completely completed in the coming months, and the October Revolution was the second, socialist revolution.

The second version was put forward by Leon Trotsky. While already abroad, he wrote a book about the unified revolution of 1917, in which he defended the concept that the October Revolution and the decrees adopted by the Bolsheviks in the first months after coming to power were only the completion of the bourgeois-democratic revolution, the implementation of what the insurgent people fought for in February.

The Bolsheviks put forward a version of the spontaneous growth of the “revolutionary situation.” The very concept of a “revolutionary situation” and its main features was first scientifically defined and introduced into Russian historiography by Vladimir Lenin. He named the following three objective factors as its main features: the crisis of the “tops,” the crisis of the “bottoms,” and the extraordinary activity of the masses.

The situation that arose after the formation of the Provisional Government was characterized by Lenin as “dual power”, and by Trotsky as “dual anarchy”: the socialists in the Soviets could rule, but did not want to, the “progressive bloc” in the government wanted to rule, but could not, finding themselves forced to rely on Petrograd a council with which it disagreed on all issues of domestic and foreign policy.

Some domestic and foreign researchers adhere to the version of “German financing” of the October Revolution. It lies in the fact that the German government, interested in Russia’s exit from the war, purposefully organized the move from Switzerland to Russia of representatives of the radical faction of the RSDLP led by Lenin in the so-called “sealed carriage” and financed the activities of the Bolsheviks aimed at undermining the combat effectiveness of the Russian army and disorganization defense industry and transport.

To lead the armed uprising, a Politburo was created, which included Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Andrei Bubnov, Grigory Zinoviev, Lev Kamenev (the latter two denied the need for an uprising). The direct leadership of the uprising was carried out by the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet, which also included the Left Social Revolutionaries.

Chronicle of the events of the October Revolution

On the afternoon of October 24 (November 6), the cadets tried to open bridges across the Neva in order to cut off the working areas from the center. The Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) sent detachments of the Red Guard and soldiers to the bridges, who took almost all the bridges under guard. By evening, soldiers of the Kexholm Regiment occupied the Central Telegraph, a detachment of sailors took possession of the Petrograd Telegraph Agency, and soldiers of the Izmailovsky Regiment took control of the Baltic Station. Revolutionary units blocked the Pavlovsk, Nikolaev, Vladimir, and Konstantinovsky cadet schools.

On the evening of October 24, Lenin arrived in Smolny and directly took charge of the leadership of the armed struggle.

At 1:25 a.m. on the nights of October 24 to 25 (November 6 to 7), the Red Guards of the Vyborg region, soldiers of the Kexholm regiment and revolutionary sailors occupied the Main Post Office.

At 2 a.m. the first company of the 6th reserve engineer battalion captured the Nikolaevsky (now Moskovsky) station. At the same time, a detachment of the Red Guard occupied the Central Power Plant.

On October 25 (November 7) at about 6 o'clock in the morning, sailors of the Guards naval crew took possession of the State Bank.

At 7 a.m., soldiers of the Kexholm Regiment occupied the Central Telephone Station. At 8 o'clock. Red Guards of the Moscow and Narva regions captured the Warsaw station.

At 2:35 p.m. An emergency meeting of the Petrograd Soviet opened. The Council heard a message that the Provisional Government had been overthrown and state power had passed into the hands of the body of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.

On the afternoon of October 25 (November 7), revolutionary forces occupied the Mariinsky Palace, where the Pre-Parliament was located, and dissolved it; sailors occupied the Military Port and the Main Admiralty, where the Naval Headquarters was arrested.

By 18:00 the revolutionary detachments began to move towards the Winter Palace.

October 25 (November 7) at 21:45 on a signal from Peter and Paul Fortress A gun shot rang out from the cruiser Aurora, and the assault on the Winter Palace began.

At 2 a.m. on October 26 (November 8), armed workers, soldiers of the Petrograd garrison and sailors of the Baltic Fleet, led by Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko, occupied the Winter Palace and arrested the Provisional Government.

On October 25 (November 7), following the victory of the uprising in Petrograd, which was almost bloodless, armed struggle began in Moscow. In Moscow, the revolutionary forces met extremely fierce resistance, and stubborn battles took place on the streets of the city. At the cost of great sacrifices (about 1000 people were killed during the uprising), Soviet power was established in Moscow on November 2 (15).

On the evening of October 25 (November 7), 1917, the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies opened. The congress heard and adopted the appeal “To Workers, Soldiers and Peasants” written by Lenin, which announced the transfer of power to the Second Congress of Soviets, and locally to the Councils of Workers, Soldiers and Peasants’ Deputies.

On October 26 (November 8), 1917, the Decree on Peace and the Decree on Land were adopted. The congress formed the first soviet government- Council of People's Commissars consisting of: Chairman Lenin; People's Commissars: for foreign affairs Leon Trotsky, for nationalities Joseph Stalin and others. Lev Kamenev was elected Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, and after his resignation Yakov Sverdlov.

The Bolsheviks established control over the main industrial centers of Russia. The leaders of the Cadet Party were arrested, and the opposition press was banned. In January 1918, the Constituent Assembly was dispersed, and by March of the same year, Soviet power was established over a large territory of Russia. All banks and enterprises were nationalized, and a separate truce was concluded with Germany. In July 1918, the first Soviet Constitution was adopted.

The October Revolution of 1917 in Russia was the armed overthrow of the Provisional Government and the coming to power of the Bolshevik Party, which proclaimed the establishment of Soviet power, the beginning of the elimination of capitalism and the transition to socialism. The slowness and inconsistency of the actions of the Provisional Government after the February bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1917 in resolving labor, agrarian, and national issues, the continued participation of Russia in the First World War led to a deepening of the national crisis and created the preconditions for the strengthening of far-left parties in the center and nationalist parties in the outskirts countries. The Bolsheviks acted most energetically, proclaiming a course towards a socialist revolution in Russia, which they considered the beginning of the world revolution. They put forward popular slogans: “Peace to the peoples,” “Land to the peasants,” “Factories to the workers.”

In the USSR, the official version of the October Revolution was the version of “two revolutions”. According to this version, the bourgeois-democratic revolution began in February 1917 and was completely completed in the coming months, and the October Revolution was the second, socialist revolution.

The second version was put forward by Leon Trotsky. While already abroad, he wrote a book about the unified revolution of 1917, in which he defended the concept that the October Revolution and the decrees adopted by the Bolsheviks in the first months after coming to power were only the completion of the bourgeois-democratic revolution, the implementation of what the insurgent people fought for in February.

The Bolsheviks put forward a version of the spontaneous growth of the “revolutionary situation.” The very concept of a “revolutionary situation” and its main features was first scientifically defined and introduced into Russian historiography by Vladimir Lenin. He named the following three objective factors as its main features: the crisis of the “tops,” the crisis of the “bottoms,” and the extraordinary activity of the masses.

The situation that arose after the formation of the Provisional Government was characterized by Lenin as “dual power”, and by Trotsky as “dual anarchy”: the socialists in the Soviets could rule, but did not want to, the “progressive bloc” in the government wanted to rule, but could not, finding themselves forced to rely on Petrograd a council with which it disagreed on all issues of domestic and foreign policy.

Some domestic and foreign researchers adhere to the version of “German financing” of the October Revolution. It lies in the fact that the German government, interested in Russia’s exit from the war, purposefully organized the move from Switzerland to Russia of representatives of the radical faction of the RSDLP led by Lenin in the so-called “sealed carriage” and financed the activities of the Bolsheviks aimed at undermining the combat effectiveness of the Russian army and disorganization of the defense industry and transport.

To lead the armed uprising, a Politburo was created, which included Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Andrei Bubnov, Grigory Zinoviev, Lev Kamenev (the latter two denied the need for an uprising). The direct leadership of the uprising was carried out by the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet, which also included the Left Social Revolutionaries.

Chronicle of the events of the October Revolution

On the afternoon of October 24 (November 6), the cadets tried to open bridges across the Neva in order to cut off the working areas from the center. The Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) sent detachments of the Red Guard and soldiers to the bridges, who took almost all the bridges under guard. By evening, soldiers of the Kexholm Regiment occupied the Central Telegraph, a detachment of sailors took possession of the Petrograd Telegraph Agency, and soldiers of the Izmailovsky Regiment took control of the Baltic Station. Revolutionary units blocked the Pavlovsk, Nikolaev, Vladimir, and Konstantinovsky cadet schools.

On the evening of October 24, Lenin arrived in Smolny and directly took charge of the leadership of the armed struggle.

At 1:25 a.m. on the nights of October 24 to 25 (November 6 to 7), the Red Guards of the Vyborg region, soldiers of the Kexholm regiment and revolutionary sailors occupied the Main Post Office.

At 2 a.m. the first company of the 6th reserve engineer battalion captured the Nikolaevsky (now Moskovsky) station. At the same time, a detachment of the Red Guard occupied the Central Power Plant.

On October 25 (November 7) at about 6 o'clock in the morning, sailors of the Guards naval crew took possession of the State Bank.

At 7 a.m., soldiers of the Kexholm Regiment occupied the Central Telephone Station. At 8 o'clock. Red Guards of the Moscow and Narva regions captured the Warsaw station.

At 2:35 p.m. An emergency meeting of the Petrograd Soviet opened. The Council heard a message that the Provisional Government had been overthrown and state power had passed into the hands of the body of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.

On the afternoon of October 25 (November 7), revolutionary forces occupied the Mariinsky Palace, where the Pre-Parliament was located, and dissolved it; sailors occupied the Military Port and the Main Admiralty, where the Naval Headquarters was arrested.

By 18:00 the revolutionary detachments began to move towards the Winter Palace.

On October 25 (November 7) at 21:45, following a signal from the Peter and Paul Fortress, a gun shot rang out from the cruiser Aurora, and the assault on the Winter Palace began.

At 2 a.m. on October 26 (November 8), armed workers, soldiers of the Petrograd garrison and sailors of the Baltic Fleet, led by Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko, occupied the Winter Palace and arrested the Provisional Government.

On October 25 (November 7), following the victory of the uprising in Petrograd, which was almost bloodless, armed struggle began in Moscow. In Moscow, the revolutionary forces met extremely fierce resistance, and stubborn battles took place on the streets of the city. At the cost of great sacrifices (about 1000 people were killed during the uprising), Soviet power was established in Moscow on November 2 (15).

On the evening of October 25 (November 7), 1917, the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies opened. The congress heard and adopted the appeal “To Workers, Soldiers and Peasants” written by Lenin, which announced the transfer of power to the Second Congress of Soviets, and locally to the Councils of Workers, Soldiers and Peasants’ Deputies.

On October 26 (November 8), 1917, the Decree on Peace and the Decree on Land were adopted. The congress formed the first Soviet government - the Council of People's Commissars, consisting of: Chairman Lenin; People's Commissars: for foreign affairs Leon Trotsky, for nationalities Joseph Stalin and others. Lev Kamenev was elected Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, and after his resignation Yakov Sverdlov.

The Bolsheviks established control over the main industrial centers of Russia. The leaders of the Cadet Party were arrested, and the opposition press was banned. In January 1918, the Constituent Assembly was dispersed, and by March of the same year, Soviet power was established over a large territory of Russia. All banks and enterprises were nationalized, and a separate truce was concluded with Germany. In July 1918, the first Soviet Constitution was adopted.