On April 18, 1917 P.N.Milyukov, the Minister on Foreign Affairs, sent a diplomatic note to allies about national aspiration "to finish the World War by a convincing victory", in this connection the next task was "to repulse attacks of enemy, which invaded the limits of our native land". On April 20 the information about this note got into newspapers, this caused 100-thousand anti-war demonstration in Petrograd.
There were demonstrations and meetings in Moscow, Kharkov, Nizhny Novgorod and other cities. General L.G.Kornilov, the commander-in-chief of Petrograd command, ordered to send the army against demonstrators, but officers and soldiers refused to execute this order. The executive committee of Petrograd Soviet, trying to take the strain off, asked the Provisional Government to interpret P.N. Milyukov's note. The Government explained, that under "convincing victory" exceptionally achievement of tasks, which were laid down in the address of March 27, was meant. Executive committee of Petrograd Soviet was satisfied with these explanations.
The April crisis and requirement of G.B.Lvov, A.F.Kerensky and M.I.Tereshchenko to create the coalition government resulted in P.N.Milyukov's and A.I.Guchkov's resignation, who rejected the idea of a coalition. 6 socialists were in the first coalition government, it started its work on May 5, 1917. Among them were A.F.Kerensky (military and sea minister), representative of workers P.N.Pereverzev (minister of justice), socialist-revolutionary V.M.Chernov (minister of agriculture), Menshevik I.G.Tsereteli (minister of post and telegraphs), peoples' socialist A.V.Peshekhonov (minister of food). The next day the new government came up with the declaration in which it set tasks of promptest achievement of peace without annexations and contributions, establishment of state control over economy and preparations of agrarian reform. Despite all efforts they failed to stabilize situation in the country.
In this conditions Bolsheviks began to get increasing influence on fabzavcoms, trade unions and Soviets. Socialist-revolutionaries and Mensheviks, trying to relieve the situation, secured the adoption of resolution at the Ist All-Russian congress of Soviets on confidence to the Provisional Government and prohibition of demonstration on June 10, which was being prepared by Bolsheviks as a sign of protest against the decision on continuation of war. The Central Committee of Russian Social-Democratic Party of Workers (Bolsheviks) was compelled to cancel the demonstration, but V.I.Lenin at the meeting of Petrograd committee of the Bolsheviks' party declared that " workers shouldn't even think of a peaceful demonstration".
The Ist All-Russian congress of Soviets fixed the date of demonstration in support of the government on June 18. |
History 