s take over the Soviet from the Mensheviks. The Petrograd Soviet saw its role as speaking for all of Russia, it represented the workers, the peasants and the soldiers. The Petrograd Soviet now wanted to protect the revolution and the workers. The Soviet issues Order #1 saying that all armed forces including the Petrograd Garrison must take their orders from the Soviet. The Bolsheviks used their mastery of propaganda to gain support for their cause. The workers were now ready for the Bolsheviks to take power, but they were not ready. During the July Days the Bolsheviks try to seize power but fail, most of the party leadership is arrested including Trotsky. After this the Bolsheviks rise seems to be dead. However, on October 10 the Bolshevik Central Committee places armed uprising on the agenda. Trotsky presents his 5- point plan saying the Soviet should be used to overthrow the government and that they should mask the uprising as a defense of the Soviet. This meant they would delay the uprising until an excuse for a defense was found. TheBolsheviks had the support of the majority of workers and a good number of soldiers. The mass of the soldiers support us not because of the slogan of war, but because of the slogan of peace.(pg. 57 Daneils) Lenin managed to lead his party into action by October 21. The Provincial Government remained passive even while being aware of the Bolshevik preparations. On October 22, 1917, the headquarters of the Petrograd Military District failed to recognize the Military Revolutionary Committee and refused to conduct its work in cooperation with the soldiers section of the Soviet. By this act headquarters breaks with the revolutionary garrison and the Petrograd Soviet of Workers and soldiers Deputies, which made headquarters a direct instrument in counter-revolutionary forces. An order was issued on October 24 to ban the Bolshevik party and arrest its leaders. However, this proved to be to litt...
