Statesman.
Prime Minister of Russia who failed to restore order after the tsar had been deposed. He was an excellent public speaker but no good statesman. His Provisional Government was deposed by the Bolsheviks.
Background
Lived: 1881-1970.
Kerensky’s father was a headmaster at the school in Simbirsk, that also Lenin attended. They were family friends. Alexander studied at the St. Petersburg University and became a famous lawyer. In notorious political cases he defended revolutionaries. He then joined the Fourth Duma as leader of the moderate socialist Trudovik fraction of the SR Party.
Rise to power
During the February Revolution, Kerensky became a political celebrity and activist. His excellent oratory skills got him elected as Vice-President of the Petrograd Soviet.
He was elected as the only socialist delegate in the Provisional Government and became a kind of bridge between the Soviet and the Government. In Lvov’s first cabinet of the Provisional Government he became the Minister of Justice. From May 1917 the Minister of War.
Prime Minister
After the July Days rebellion attempt, Lvov resigned and Kerensky became the new Prime Minister. He was now a key figure in Russian politics and formed a new socialist coalition.
Reputation of the Provisional Government was on a constant downfall. Kerensky’s big words but little deeds gave him a nickname “Persuader-in-Chief“.
By October 1917 he had no support from the left-wing nor the right. Left wing socialists called for more active reforms, right wing support fell off as Kerensky sacked the Supreme Commander Kornilov.
October Revolution
Kerensky was warned about the Lenin’s plan to depose the Government and he left for the army front to raise forces against the Bolsheviks.
Death
Kerensky tried to organize resistance, but decided to emigrate to France in 1918. He later moved to Australia and to the United States in 1940. There he gave lectures and justified his action in various books. He died in New York City in 1970.
Alexander Kerensky
Statesman.
Prime Minister of Russia who failed to restore order after the tsar had been deposed. He was an excellent public speaker but no good statesman. His Provisional Government was deposed by the Bolsheviks.
Background
Lived: 1881-1970.
Kerensky’s father was a headmaster at the school in Simbirsk, that also Lenin attended. They were family friends. Alexander studied at the St. Petersburg University and became a famous lawyer. In notorious political cases he defended revolutionaries. He then joined the Fourth Duma as leader of the moderate socialist Trudovik fraction of the SR Party.
Rise to power
During the February Revolution, Kerensky became a political celebrity and activist. His excellent oratory skills got him elected as Vice-President of the Petrograd Soviet.
He was elected as the only socialist delegate in the Provisional Government and became a kind of bridge between the Soviet and the Government. In Lvov’s first cabinet of the Provisional Government he became the Minister of Justice. From May 1917 the Minister of War.
Prime Minister
After the July Days rebellion attempt, Lvov resigned and Kerensky became the new Prime Minister. He was now a key figure in Russian politics and formed a new socialist coalition.
Reputation of the Provisional Government was on a constant downfall. Kerensky’s big words but little deeds gave him a nickname “Persuader-in-Chief“.
By October 1917 he had no support from the left-wing nor the right. Left wing socialists called for more active reforms, right wing support fell off as Kerensky sacked the Supreme Commander Kornilov.
October Revolution
Kerensky was warned about the Lenin’s plan to depose the Government and he left for the army front to raise forces against the Bolsheviks.
Death
Kerensky tried to organize resistance, but decided to emigrate to France in 1918. He later moved to Australia and to the United States in 1940. There he gave lectures and justified his action in various books. He died in New York City in 1970.
July Days