AGRICULTURAL EXPECTATIONS AND POLITICAL ATTITUDES OF SOLDIERS OF THE WESTERN FRONT AFTER THE FEBRUARY REVOLUTION

UDC 94(470+571):323.27

Semenchyk Nikolai Yefimovich – DSc (History), Professor, the Department of History of Belarus and Political Science. Belarusian State Technological University (13a, Sverdlova str., 220006, Minsk, Republic of Вelarus). Еmail: polity@bk.ru

DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.52065/2520-6885-2024-287-4.

Key words: world war, February Revolution, Russian army, democratization, Western Front, Belarus, Provisional Government, land reform, political parties, agrarian program, peasant soldiers, Constituent Assembly.

For citation: Semenchyk N. Ye. Agricultural expectations and political attitudes of soldiers of the Western Front after the February revolution. Proceedings of BSTU, issue 6, History, Philosophy, 2024, no. 2 (287), pp. 21–26 (In Russian). DOI: 10.52065/2520-6885-2024-287-4.

Abstract

The article points to a significant amount of literature in Russian historiography devoted to revolutionary events involving military personnel of the Western Front and rear units stationed in Belarus during the period from the overthrow of the autocracy to the October coup. The main goals and results of the transformation of army life are indicated. The events related to the democratization of the front and the role of soldiers' committees and Councils in this are described. The negative role of the Provisional Government and «revolutionary democracy» in reducing the combat capability of the front was noted. A special reason for the decline in discipline on the Western Front and in the rear is the activity of the Bolshevik Party. Considerable attention is paid to the sentiments of the soldiers of the front and rear regarding the preparations for land reform announced by the Provisional Government, including their interest in the agrarian programs of the largest political parties. The article presents and analyzes data on the participants of the congress, their party affiliation, attitude to the Provisional Government and its policies, and sentiments regarding ways to implement land reform. The author provides facts about the commitment of the participants of the congress to the Socialist Revolutionary project of solving the agrarian problem in spite of the destructive activities of the Bolshevik delegates. At the evidentiary level, the negative attitude of the Bolsheviks towards other parties and the Constituent Assembly is characterized. The materials devoted to the results of the congress reflect not only the agrarian sentiments of its participants, but also their attitude to current events related to the October Uprising in Petrograd. The article focuses on the fact that, despite the antiBolshevik pathos of the resolutions adopted by the deputies of the Congress 23–25 October 1917 of peasant soldiers of the Western Front, their real contribution to the defense of the gains of the February Revolution was insignificant. Among the reasons for this, the author names the political unscrupulousness of the bulk of the "defenders of the fatherland" who supported the populist Leninist decrees on peace, land, etc., contrary to the program of transformations outlined by the Constituent Assembly. The article concludes with generalizing conclusions on the research topic.

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References

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09.09.2024