On February 17, 1914, a week after the abdication of the Tsar, Russia finally struggled to form a new provisional government: Ivov, the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, assumed the post of prime minister and minister of the interior, becoming the supreme power in Russia today. What is surprising and inexplicable is that the Bolshevik Party, which had directly initiated the revolution to overthrow Tsarist rule, only held two shares of the 10-member cabinet.

Moreover, the position of the Bolsheviks in the new cabinet was also extremely marginalized: Trotsky, who led the revolution, became Minister of Education, and Kamenev, another leader of the Bolshevik Party, became Minister of Agriculture. The core positions such as the Minister of the Army and the Navy, the Minister of Transport, the Minister of Trade and Industry, and the Minister of Finance were all divided among the former Duma members headed by the Constitutional Democratic Party, of which the Constitutional Democratic Party accounted for 5 seats, making it the most influential giant in the Russian political arena!

Upon learning of this, the British and French governments almost wept with joy. When the Tsar was forced to abdicate the throne, they all thought they had lost the Russian giant in the East: but the situation in Russia was not much different from what it had been before the fall of the Tsar! Perhaps knowing that they were incapable of controlling the country as a clay leg, the Bolsheviks, who held military power, willingly returned leadership to the bourgeois elites, which was undoubtedly the best outcome for Britain and France. In addition to their natural aversion to the plague demons who were intent on subverting capitalism, the Russian bourgeoisie's enthusiasm for war was also in line with the needs of Britain and France: these men controlled cotton yarn, machinery, steel, coal, and many other industries. The longer the war lasts. The more beneficial it will be to their business development and income generation. As for the life or death of the Russian people. Anyway, Russia has twice as many gray animals as the population of Britain and France combined, and it will not be distressing to die no matter how much they die!

The attitude of the Russian Provisional Government did not disappoint Britain and France. After throwing the bait that would cut the Turks from Russia after the war, the Prime Minister of the Provisional Government, Ivov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miliukov, and the Minister of the Army and Navy Guchkov, all immediately patted their chests and assured their ambassadors that the new government would resolutely fulfill its obligations under the Triple Entente and carry the war against Germany and Austria to the end.

"The stupid Germans, who wanted to attack Guò to force the Tsar to make greater concessions, did not expect that the Tsarist government would collapse in such a short time. And the Provisional Government of the newly taken over the country is on our side! In a fine Gothic building in St. Petersburg, the elderly British ambassador shook the glass of red wine and said triumphantly to the visiting French ambassador, "It is a wonderful feeling that the Germans have finally paid the price for their greed." ”

The French ambassador was also smiling, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes; He clinked glasses with the man in front of him and spoke in fluent Russian: "Indeed, the greatest crisis before us has passed, and the new Russian cabinet has easily resolved its decision to continue the war with 6 votes in favor, 2 votes against and 2 abstentions. The Bolsheviks, however, remained an unstable factor. They have been sidelined from the core of the current cabinet. But it has a large number of grassroots troops and the support of almost all the workers; Its opposition to the continuation of the war was bound to have a great impact on the situation on the Eastern European front. ”

"Don't worry. My friend, these devils only have a certain appeal in the hearts of the people at the bottom, and it is our bourgeois comrades-in-arms who are really at the top of Russia's power. They had the power of resources, production, transportation, and command, and they had covered almost all the vital aspects of Russia: it would not be long before these low-level cattle, who had recently followed the Bolsheviks in trouble, would be divided and disintegrated by the power that directly led them, and could no longer be used by the Bolsheviks as a whole. After all, these demons are demons who can only live in hell, and the light of the heavenly mountain can only belong to the gods and saints. The British ambassador smiled.

On 20 February, the Russian Provisional Government issued a statement stating that it would continue to carry out the terms of the treaty it had previously signed with Britain and France and wage war with Germany and Austria and its allies. The British and French ambassadors looked at this achievement with satisfaction, and the joy in their hearts was hard to describe in words. However, less than two days later, in their early morning sleep, they heard the faint noise and roar of the crowd in the official residence, and this voice they had heard once before, in the turmoil that took place in St. Petersburg more than half a month ago!

The hustle and bustle is like a wave, and the crowd is like a flood. More than 100,000 workers and soldiers once again poured into the streets of the capital from all directions, and a roar of rage broke out to bring down the war. Under the propaganda of the Bolsheviks, the bourgeoisie, who declared the continuation of the war, became the greatest traitor to steal the fruits of the victory of the workers' revolution. Although they had offered the workers more favourable working conditions than before, the soldiers were not bought by the Provisional Government's war policy: how could the Provisional Government's forgiveness and approval of the Provisional Government's act of pushing them into the fire pit had long been fearful of fighting the Germans?

Almost instantly, the small number of military and police loyal to the Duma class in the capital was completely overwhelmed by the roaring crowd. The General Post Office, the railway station, the telephone office and other important places fell into the hands of the Bolsheviks, who immediately cut off all communication and power lines of the Provisional Government and the Headquarters. The troops from outside the city marched into St. Petersburg, but instead of suppressing the revolutionaries, they joined the opposition to overthrow the Provisional Government.

It was only when the chaos in the capital resumed that the top echelons of the Provisional Government realized the seriousness of the situation: the Bolsheviks had launched an armed coup d'état, and they had no army of real strength to rely on! If they were still dreaming of directing the country and making great plans from now on, then now the other party's heavy blow has completely shattered the mirage in front of these high-level Dumas. Without an army, they are simply as fragile as a glass bottle in front of the other party holding a weapon, but now they have given the other party a legitimate handle! But since when has it become the most effective form of dialogue in Russian politics? Didn't you always have to negotiate well and understand the reason?

In a panic, the top brass of the Provisional Government thought of fleeing. As long as you leave the capital controlled by the Bolsheviks, then there is still a chance to turn the tables, after all, he is still the head of Russia in name, and Russia is by no means everywhere will respect those Bolsheviks. However, the premeditated Bolshevik Party had already occupied and blocked all roads out of the city, and all the government officials eventually fell into the hands of the Bolsheviks, except for Justice Minister Kerensky, who was in the American ambassador's car.

The winter wind is calling, and the frost and snow are dancing in St. Petersburg; Sprinkled white floc fluttered from the air and landed on Ulyanov's cheeks and beard under his chin. Not far away, in front of Alexanderplatz, the magnificent Hermitage still looks so dreamlike in a silvery world: three huge arched iron doors are as majestic as when I first stood here and saw it.

This time, however, the situation is very different from 20 years ago. On the wide Alexandra Square, two rows of soldiers armed with rifles lined up; On the sleeve of their left arm, without exception, there is a red logo symbolizing the Bolsheviks. When they saw themselves appear in the square, they all put down their guns in an instant and saluted themselves with the most standard military salute; Behind him were hundreds of loyal comrades; The gaze of their gaze at the not-so-tall figure in front of them was full of recognition, admiration, awe, and reverence.

A quarter of a century has passed since 1887, when he left behind his brother's legacy and devoted himself to the revolutionary cause. And for the belief that he never gave up, he was expelled from school in his first year of college, and was later arrested and imprisoned, exiled, and exiled to every country in the West. Moldy bread, cold bridge holes; Those miserable lives in the past, and the once shabby shelter, became clearer and clearer as he approached the gates of the Winter Palace, as if it were yesterday.

When he reached the gates of the Winter Palace, where the soldiers of the guards saluted him and invited him to enter, Ulyanov finally came to his senses and realized that he had indeed become the master of the Winter Palace, and his hands were tightly gripping the helm of the most vast country except Britain! An irrepressible excitement and heroism welled up in his heart, and then filled his body like a lava eruption. He shook hands with the soldier slightly, and then strode into the thick gate, and Trotsky, who followed closely behind him, could clearly see that a glittering tear had appeared in the corner of his eye.

"Mr. Ulyanov, the agreement between us is still valid, right?" When he walked into the palatial cloister of the Winter Palace, a discordant voice suddenly sounded quietly behind him. The middle-aged man's figure was shocked slightly, and a surging anger suddenly rose in his heart; However, after only a moment, he gathered his inner feelings to the fullest, and said softly, "Of course. We, the Bolsheviks, are here today thanks to the great support of your country in the previous ten years. Mr. Kuzov should be grateful if he could convey to your Government that the People's Soviets wish to put an immediate end to the state of hostilities with the Central Powers. (To be continued......)

PS: Thank you for the support of the book friend pigeon, MeTaTron, the monthly pass of the cold wind blowing away, and the reward of zhouyu1976~~~