Fun Fact: Lenin and Kerensky attended the same high school in Simbirsk (a Volga town east of Moscow). Kerensky’s father was a teacher in that school and Lenin’s father an educational official for all schools in the Simbirsk area. Their families were friends. Kerensky’s father also helped Lenin with an admission to the Kazan University which was not easy because Lenin’s brother was executed for an attempted murder of Tsar Alexander III.
Another sinister fun fact about the Zionist Russian bolshevik revolution in 1917 is that Jacob Schiff a German born Jew and a New York banker who at the request of the Jew Rothschild banking family of Frankfurt financed the Russian revolution to the tune of $10 million gold bullions and a chartered ship that was handed over to his house guest a Jew Trotsky who was ordered to depose the Czar / killing him and his family as well. Trotsky he met up with Lenin in Russia who had to travel there all the way from Switzerland. Those two they definitely did a bang up job. Russia never looked the same after that.
@@Nordbon1523 in the kgb Archives(which are the only reports that are somewhat true until the end of Stalin’s era) there are a lot of discussions with kerrensky and other people around him(cabinet members or intellectual friends of his) in which he is pretty much complaining like a little bitch that the Bolsheviks and the army are not accepting democracy like in France, iao they are not obedient to him and his cabinet
He's buried in London at Putney Vale, crematorium and cemetery of the "Great and the Good." There are a lot of famous actors, politicians,business people there. The Kerenskys have a family plot there.
Alexander Kerensky's forces should be demonstrated to anyone who calls for soldier democracy(i.e giving soldiers free reign over picking their commanding officers).
It worked for the boers too in South Africa. But these are rather small forces and they were uktimately unable to fight less democratic forces without help from other non-democratic forces.
@@nelsoj11 a militia is different than a standing army, politically and socially. a militia protects their own community, a professional soldier is sent to defend places he has no social ties to. the leader of a militia cannot overthrow the government, the general of a field-army can.
Some people still buy into the myth at the bolsheviks would have somehow gotten power, but as addressed in this video and by so many other books. The October revolution was a gambit that 9 times out of 10 would have failed if atleast 1 regiment responded to kerensky's plea, however there were no more loyal, disciplined, or organized troops to support his actions. And he had indeed planned to arrest Lenin and actively bought evidence for such but he refused to use dirty gotten evidence, which is why he abolished the okhrana as he was very strict for following his "rights of man" stipulated by the constitution.
@luck3yp0rk93 One of those morals should have included innocent until proven guilty when it came to believing that his top general wanted to overthrow him.
As a Russian, I would like to add that a regiment was marching towards Petrograd and an operation was planned for November 8 to arrest all the Bolsheviks. If the Communists had postponed their coup for even a day, the fate of our country would have been completely different. As Kerensky himself said: “Fate sometimes knows how to make good jokes.”
I learned of Kerensky during my Junior High School Russian Language Studies. The film Nicholas and Alexandra was shown occasionally on television at this time. My teacher had dinner with Kerensky shortly before his death.
Wow! You're so lucky to have had someone who witnessed history from its direct participants. what did your teacher tell you about his interactions with Kerensky?
@@omaralsaadi1751 It was a dinner, with others, in New York I believe. Other than introductions I’m not sure how much they spike. He told us this over 45 years ago, when I was a kid. I remember him telling of the encounter, but I never pursued it. Too young to really care I suppose.
It seems to me that Lvov not Kerensky is the villain in this story it was he who turned Kerensky and Kornilov against each other by his lies, His motives remain unknown. Prior to this tragic episode, Lvov had a reputation as a sincere liberal and a very generous man, He organized medical missions to provide care for soldiers at the front during the Russo-Japanese war, During the first world war, he also organized medical care and supply shipments to the soldiers at the front, Earlier, he had worked on a soup kitchen during the famine 1991 (where he met his wife, also a princess from a noble family) who was working on the soup line. As amember of the Duma, he criticized the tsar's government. But several other members of the Duma were even harsher critics.He was a mediocre and unpopular prime prime minister, because he dithered and failed to take the decisive actions needed transform Russia into a democracyand reform Russian institutions. This was one reason he resigned as prime minister and nominated Kerensky as his successor. But he had not had a reputation as an intriguer, manipulator and liar, That make his destructive behavior in the Kornilov affair baffling. His autobiography and a biography by a friend, both published after he fled Russia to escape the Bolsheviks, who had slated him for execution, might provide a clue to his strange, seeminlgy out of character behavior and its disastrous consequences. However, no one has bothered to translate these books from their original Russian, What a pity.
@@stariyczedun famine doesn't mean starving to death, just a shortage of food. Starvation is a result of famine but a famine can still happen without people dying.
Bolsheviks were also more blue blooded (27% high nobility) than Kerensky's supporters, i.e. having fewer members but being connected economically. The lessons here are a) that revolutions happen DURING a reform, not in times of biggest oppression (read Tocqueville). Ironically Kerenky's naivity/compromise made radicalism possible. This is evident by the fact that Austrian Painter got into power when a moderate right wing goverment ruled Weimar, not a left wing one. and b) that revolutions are more elitist than people might thing. Ironically Tsarist Russia was doomed when the situation became BETTER for peasants.
I’m actually reading “Leaves From a Russian Diary” written by Pitrim Alexandrovich Sorokin - Kerensky seemed weak and indecisive. His turning on General Kornilov seemed significant, demoralizing his forces when they seemed to be the last respected force of strength in the form of a disciplined army. Appreciate the video - it really expands on what I’ve read so far.
Bolsheviks:We might not have that many numbers,guns or military experience we’ll easily lose though but we should try it Provisional Russian Government:Omg the Bolsheviks are marching to the capital that means they have experienced,equipped and many more soldiers.We are not that strong because of the Tsar ‘totally not cause we overthrew a famous public figurehead and lost our entire army to the germans cause we didn’t want to surrender for reasons’
It’s so easy to look at history with hindsight. You often dust off certain context or motivations. Like how people say “Hitler could’ve won ww2 if x y z” just outright making shit up and ignoring the roles of ideology, economics and politics in peoples decisions.
Kerensky is a very interesting figure. Few people could manage to screw up that hard even if they tried. Arming the Petrograd Soviet was one of the most idiotic decisions you could make. I never understood what the deal was behind why Kornilov marched on the capital so you answered a question I've had for a long time. Kornilov's journey to Ekaterinodar and the Ice March is a topic worthy of multiple videos, it even ended with his almost comedic death. I have been interested in the Russian Civil War and the Revolution ever since first playing Revolution Under Siege. Btw Lavader you should try that game.
You should do a video about the French Revolution. I believe a lot of the issues that would come about in the 20th centuries can be traced to the French revolution.
Many decades ago I read the opinion that Lenin did not topple the government but instead seized "the power that was lying in the streets". Hence his hurry to acquire the gold and rapid transport from the German Government to get to the streets of St Petersburg and Moscow before any other group.
Isn't calling the Brusilov offensive 'a failure ' going a bit far though? Sure, the original goals were not entirely met, but it was clearly the best operation the Russian army conducted in that war, and relieved the entente forces on the western front.
This is sooo interesting, thank you so much for these videos, I was taught a completely different narrative in my history books (Netherlands here 2000ish era) which basically touted the communist historical narrative of massive protests against the tsar and famine being the cause for the bolshevik take-over. This puts a completely different spin on the story that I was told. Kudos and much thanks for your work.
Yah the Bolcheviks came to power from a carefully planned coup. Funny part is big parts of the famines swere created by the Bolcheviks. Intellectualss and illiterates don't know economics.
Finally someone who uses more sources with detail on Kornilov/Kerensky situation. Thank you, I've red works about Kornilov affair from Russian 90's sources and was suprised how it was complicated and how much was Kerensky biased in his later work in US.
Hi, could you make a viedeo about Wilhelm II sending Lenin in a sealed train to Russia, in order to start the revolution? I gues you have a different opinion on that. It would perfectly fit in the peace Emperors series.
It wasnt like that at all, thre train wasnt sealed it was a regular train and the only thing the germans did was just let Lenin pass trough their territory, No orders from the kaiser
many of the people involved in World War I, the Revolution, the Civil War did not have good ends (beside run of the mill executions). Kerensky eventually escaped to USA and died penniless in NYC. I think one of the worst was a military officer involved in logistics named Sukhomlinov. He was arrested for mismanagement and corruption. He escaped and eventually turned up broke in Berlin. Later he was found frozen to death on a park bench with nothing but a newspaper to cover him during a Berlin winter.
It is ironic that Kerenky lived out his life at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University and was hailed by America's right wing as an anti-communist warrior.
Here in the states some of our right wing guys are so anti communist to the point that they will support anybody who was anti communist like imperial Japan and nazi germany for example
Kerensky has been moved from power by a Regime Change operation conducted Imperial Germany. Lenin had been secretly transportet by German railwas to Russia. This Regime Change, also called October Revolution, helped Germany to force Russia out of the First World War. But it led to Communism taking power. Over 100 million people had to pay with their lives for that, most of them in Russia and China, plus millions in Ukraine. This is besides Operation "Barbarossa" the second reason why German politicians should keep their stupid mouths shut when it comes to Russia and Ukraine.
Since this channels been on the topic of the revolution for a while, perhaps in the future you could make more response to people like Balkan Odyssey, Badempanada or Hakim. Anyways bang up job Lav.
This was magnificent. I did a lot of research on Communism whilst in university (both undergraduate and graduate) and in particular the Bolshevik uprising. I did not give Kerensky much of a thought beyond his initial role in Petrograd. Thank you very much.
Order No.1 sounds like a catastrophe in any setting. Politically active serving soldiers, and enforced indiscipline. No country could survive that, the military is not the place for cushioned politics. Russia's revolution turning to dictatorship is one of the worst events in human history.
If you look at a literature fiction POV, you might think this is a poorly written story who giving a lot of leeway for the certain event in the story to happened. Sometimes I feel people forget that the world can be poorly written story while also can be a good written story.
I know about him from 12 Days that Shook the World, a very good account of the revolution from an American journalist. My memory is that half that book was made up of people sh*tting on Kerensky.
Yeah, because without Kerensky the Russian government would not have been a steaming pile of untrained wreck like it has it been ever, since the Vikings.
Between your video covering this period and referencing Sean McMeekin’s book made me also look back at Piotr Wrangel’s memoris with similar takes. Most of our books are about real world historical events during which “moderate” liberals ran cover for maximalist socialism, itself just a poorly-disguised pretext for mass robbery, inversion of all normal/decent behavior, and ethnic grievance. Libtards are the useful idiots for the deranged Marxists. Almost every time. I think it’s important to never forget that the liberals are very culpable for the inevitable and easy to predict disasters that follow. People today correctly point out the overrepresentation of various ethnic minority groups (Jews, Latvians, Chinese, etc.) among the Bolsheviks. However the role of ethnically Russian liberals in the collapse of the Russian state and the subsequent mass terror is often overlooked. At every stage of the Russian Revolution and into the Civil War, Russian liberals actively impeded efforts to stop the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks, always unpopular, were on the brink of defeat many times but saved by the insane and ultimately suicidal actions of Russian liberals. Get this in Always with Honor where at the end of the war Wrangel has had to turn Crimea into a fortress and is outnumbered 10-to-1 by a communist army certain to massacre the population if they win (this happened) and still has to deal with petty complaints from a liberal mayor. Wrangel, to his credit, knew how to handle these types and said he’d be fine with ending the policy (censorship of pro-Bolshevik newspapers) if the mayor took personal responsibility for any ensuing enemy propaganda and subjected himself to the military justice system (executions).
He write a pretty good article in the Russian review called Russia on the eve of WWI,It illustrated the problem of Tsarist policy pretty well. Kerensky could have been a good minister.
Even the leaders of the first revolution had been traitors. But you are right, at least they should have eliminated the Bolsheviks. They had the power to do it. With Army and Police
Yeah, the Bolsheviks actually followed through and led the revolution to victory. "Lenin ruined everything." "Lincoln ruined everything." "Robespierre ruined everything." "Cromwell ruined everything." It all gets old.
Kornilov affair was not a mere misunderstanding. He did stage a full blown coup and attacked Petrograd. The Bolshevics were instrumental in defeating that coup. Also, the biggest mistake of the prvisional government was continuing the war. The main reason Bolshevics won was because they were promising and end to the war.
Kerensky foolishly forced Grand Duke Mikhail to turn down the throne when that would have retained continuity in the face of the anarchic Petrograd Soviet. After that it was "let the good times roll" until Russia was effectively ruined. His worst act was betraying the Tsar Martyr by sending his family, loyal staff and him to Tobolsk and death. They could have easily been ferried to the Crimea with the rest of the royals that were already there. He joins Miliukov, Guchkov, General Alexiev and Rodzianko - they were absolutely sure that they could run Imperial Russia without a tsar. After the forced abdication at Pskov they ran it until the Petrograd Soviet issued Order #1 - one day and the storm was let loose. Good work, gentlemen.
Regarding Order # 1 and #3: Kerensky alone didn't issue "Orders;" he sat on a self-appointed executive committee of three members from each party represented in the Soviet. That Executive committee issued orders that had been agreed. So, it wasn't that he issued "ukases" and demanded they be enforced. "Order #1" was meant only to be enforced in Petersburg but it spread through the army like wildfire. Order #3 is what made that possible, reinstating the authority of the the Officer and Ministry classes over the regular soldiers, but the Officer classes were subordinate to that executive central committee, the same one which issued # 1. Again, as discipline had broken down, once it was announced, it was impossible to stop.
If I drank every time I heard someone say "when the Bolsheviks overthrew the Tsar and took power" I would be a drunkard like Yeltsin. When Lenin came to power there was no Russia already, thanks to the provisional government's incompetence and toadyism to Western political and business interests. That they managed to reunite most of the former empire is frankly nothing short of miraculous.
I can see him maybe wanting a sort of compromise, but not a full take over as shows in his reaction to their march on petrograd, it's just hard to tell with how incompetent he was
reminds me of the brazilian empire. king was so lenient in dealing with the whole coup thing he basically just let brazil fall to a bunch of corrupt elites
There is a Russian series from 2017, dubbed into English, about the bloody revolution where Kerensky is highly profiled. The Soviet ''wanna be king''. Kerensky's father was Vladimir Illyich Ulyanov Blank alias Lenin's teacher, such a small country Russia... The Russian series (also from 2017) ''The Road to Calvary'' and ''Trotsky'' are also worth watching if one is interested in the topic, as well as the film ''The Chekist'' from 1992.
During looking of RU-vid subtitle translation: "...Керенский хотел выдвинуть своего знаменитого генерала-любовника на роль начальника ставки..." (...Kerenskij wanted to promote its famous *general-lover* Kornilov as chief of staff...) ... *Weell* , *i* *think* , *its* *can* *have* *some* *sort* *of* *sense* , considering rumors that Kerenskij was seen escaping in maid clothes.
Your map at 7:37 appears to date from 1945 and not 1917 when the events under discussion took place. Finland did not declare independence until 6 December 1917, and Russia was not in control of the northern half of East Prussia. Poland was not reconstituted as a state until 1918, nor did Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania regain their independence until that year. Please check.
20:30 Kerensky could ve replied 'Well sorry, the guy who i just promoted as Chief of the Army attempted a coup attempt on me' You are absolving Korlinov of too much here, he's at fault for attempting a coup, going against the government. Kerensky was right to be distrustful of him.
@@Nordbon1523 Well I guess that's where we differ. I don't put stock in unfettered democracy. I do like Limited Franchise though, a vote should be earned I believe and I think there should be an executive for life with a referendum every ten years to either keep or remove him.
@@Nordbon1523 yeah, while Kerensky shot himself in the foot by arming the Bolsheviks and letting them free, it was Korlinov who caused his paranoia and distrust in the army generals. I believe Kerensky felt desperate in that moment fearing for his life and position without the army support, the Bolsheviks were his only potential allies(unfortunately...)
Kerensky was a bright man who followed a reasonable balanced political way. But polarization of the whole Russian socium at that finally managed the fail of his cause. Previous to him, liders of provisional government lose the power less than in two months. It is very strange to her about the Russian revolution without a mention of any soviet structures. Especially "советы рабочих и солдатских депутатов" and "Петросовет" played an important roles. And after all, Kerensky themselves belonged to the ultra left party of Socialist Revolutionarist, and he is really affraided of right-wing military groups.
America, Britain and France did not want Russia to participate in Versailles Conference. With Alexander Kerenski at Versailles as the Prime Minister of United Russia, Russia would had to receive at least Czechia, Slovakia and 25% of the Constantinopole and Gallipoli Strait. Naturally, Bessarabia, Baltic States, Poland and Finland would had continued to remain Russian as they were before the war.
“Kerensky was a fool in many ways; the existence of the accuresed Clans is proof of his divine madness. The Word of Blake views Kerensky as the man who single-handedly destroyed the Star League when he abandoned the inner sphere forever, taking most of the Star League army with him.” -SORRY! Wrong Alexander Kerensky....
Thank you for you channel and sharing your knowledge suppressed by so many historians. Kerensky is interesting and so sad that he couldn't have taken peaceful control while allowing the royal family to remain as symbols of the monarchy and tradition.
1917 Revolution was the worst thing to happen to that country…..Which leaves us with the current Russian disaster!!…..hopefully the next revolution is better than the last!!
@ollie9486 that's not what i mean't by great, i mean actually being good, since 988 russia had been shit for being christian and feudalist, the late russian empire was even worse because they created the judeo bolshevik myth
@@NBrioDaZueraRules Yes, because famines, tyranny, war, misery, and genocide (among other things) were such amazing things for Russia. Pfft the greatest part of Russian history was the USSR's collapse.
You people say that about every revolution, while enjoying the benefits of the modern would that resulted from revolutions. I never understood you people's fetish for the feudal and absolutist order. The "current Russian disaster" as you call it was due to the reversal.of the 1917 Revolution. So don't complain about it.
I knew the socialist Prime Minister of the Provisional Russian Government Kerensky when I was 19 due to watching a docuseries about the late Russian Empire and Russian Revolution on Netflix.
I would counter that if it hadn't been for Nicholas II, Kerensky never would have come to power. Which means Lenin would have never come to power. Kerensky is a symptom of Russia's problems, not a cause. It certainly didn't help that with political assembly remaining illegal, political opposition to the Tsar had to be extremely suspicious of everyone within their midst. So it isn't surprising that people such as Kerensky and Stalin would see enemies around every corner, and could be swayed to trust the wrong persons against those who were enemies, but not nearly as dangerous as their supposed 'friends'.
Kornilov's radio address to the nation? It must have been in Morse Code! No full-fledged radio broadcasts (with talk, music) were technically possible until 1920. The Kornilov attempted coup was in 1917.
Boy the 1st two minutes reminds me of TIKhistory who also claimed Lenin didn't come to power with popular support, and actually took power with a minority of lets say more energetic revolutionaries.
@@ladosdominik1506 Honestly find it a breath of fresh air. I'm subscribed to channels with wide views. I'm subscribed to Amarcho-Socialist, two Libertarian Socialist, one Libertarian, two Monarchist, a Communist. Used to be subscribed to a Fascist but those channels were purged years ago. TIK makes all their nonsense make sense. I find it funny that even Animarchy gives a nod to TIK now and then, like in one of the live Streams when he said. "Even though I don't agree with his political views, but there is a reason TIKhistory heavily cites Glance for his Battlestorm series." When he was talking about how good Glance's work on WWII is.
I red a book about Nicholas and Alexandria and by that account he was pretty nice to the imperial family although he swore to make sure they would survive and spell but the book blames the Ural Soviet more directly. Either he's not so bad or people hate him
Kerensky's mistake is that he did not take Russia out of the first world war, did not dissolve the army, and thought about the conquest of Constantinople. He was essentially a fascist and a conqueror. So he got his...
