Russian Life & People Digest
Question by : What caused the provisional government of Alexander Kerensky to lose favor with many Russians?
Answers and Views:
Answer by tham153
He tried to keep Russia in WW1, despite the fact that it was the losses in that war which had been the main factor in the fall of the Czarist government.
Read all the answers in the comments.
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SieglindeDieNibelunge says
I’m no expert, but the subject is interesting to me. Since you probably won’t get too many answers, here’s my best shot for the moment:
Under Kerensky’s provisional government, two offensives were mounted against the German/Austro-Hungarian enemy in 1917, to the distress of the war-weary Russian people. This did not sit well. Beside deposing the Tsar’s monarchy, the socialists had promised an end to their part in WWI, and he broke that promise, much like US President Wilson.
According to the article below, “On April 18 (May 1) minister of Foreign Affairs Pavel Milyukov sent a note to the Allied governments, promising to continue the war to ‘its glorious conclusion’. On April 20 and 21 massive demonstrations of workers and soldiers erupted against the continuation of war. Demonstrations demanded resignation of Milyukov. They were soon met by the counter-demonstrations organised in his support. General Lavr Kornilov, commander of the Petrograd military district, wished to suppress the disorders, but premier Georgy Lvov refused to resort to violence” (1)
In Jul of that year, workers rioted against the provisional government, no doubt thinking that they had been sold out.
According to the same article below:
“The main obstacle and problem of the Provisional Government was its inability to enforce and administer legislative policies. Foreign policy was the one area in which the Provisional Government was able to exercise its discretion to a great extent. However, the continuation of aggressive foreign policy (for example, the Kerensky Offensive) increased opposition to the government. Domestically, the Provisional Government’s weaknesses were blatant. The dual power structure was in fact dominated by one side, the Petrograd Soviet. Minister of War Alexander Guchkov stated that “We (the Provisional Government) do not have authority, but only the appearance of authority; the real power lies with the Soviet” [11]. Severe limitations existed on the Provisional Government’s ability to rule.”