islative bodies called Soviets. The rebellion spread throughout the country and to the troops, who deserted by tens of thousands. On March 14, the Petrograd Soviet and the Duma formed a provisional government under Prince Lvov with Alexander Kerensky. On March 17, Russia was proclaimed a Republic after the tsar left on March 15. Lenin and other Bolshevik leaders returned from exile to Petrograd in April. They had a few demands to the provincial government which were that Russia withdraw from the war and land be redistributed to the peasants and factories be controlled by the Soviets. After a coup that failed in July, Lenin and the rest fled to Finland. Prince Lvov turned over the government to Kerensky. The October Revolution: Kerensky's government failed to win the support of the people because of continued shortages, and Russia stayed in the war against the Central Powers. Lenin returned to Petrograd with the cry of "Peace, land, bread." On October 6 and 7 the Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Palace, headquarters of Kerensky's government, and seized other key centers in Petrograd. Kerensky's provisional government fled. The congress of Soviets, established a Council of People's Commissars with Lenin as head, Trotsky as a foreign minister and Stalin as nationalities minister. Over the next months, the government abolished the freely elected legislative assembly and established a secret police organization, the Cheka.7) The Bolsheviks and Lenin gained control of Russia after the Revolution of 1917, with the help of the Red Army under the command of Leon Trotsky. When an election decreed for a Constituent Assembly by the provisional government that had taken the place of the Tsar but was overthrown by Lenin, took place, it gave the majority of the seats to the Socialist Revolutionaries, rather than the Bolsheviks. The next day, the Red Army dispersed the Assembly, and full control was given to the Bolsheviks. Radical changes were occ...
