Why Kerensky is called a showman and "lover of the revolution"

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The February Revolution was the time of the orators. Revolutionary meetings became a favorite mass spectacle. There was even a term - "tenors of the revolution", as they went to the performances of popular orators, as before they went to the opera house to see a talented singer. One of the first among them was Alexander Kerensky - a man raised by the crowd to the post of the leader of the country and the people's leader.

How Kerensky committed "political suicide" and "squandered" his authority

Kerensky liked the role of leader and tribune of the people, he reveled in it. And the public believed that before them a real leader who would save the country at the moment of terrible trials, he seemed to her almighty.

But the "era of hope" in the spring and early summer of 1917 was replaced by the melancholy hopelessness and despair of autumn. Along with hopes, Kerensky's authority also melted - the recent idol became the object of ridicule. By that time, Kerensky was not called otherwise, as "the chief persuading." Suddenly it became clear to everyone that their idol was not a genius at all, but only able to pronounce beautiful words. Now his once-adored audience greeted Kerensky with whistles and boos. The boundary of Kerensky's political career was the confrontation with Kornilov, whom he himself put forward at one time, realizing that the decisive role in the most important events belongs to the soldier's element, and the winner is the one who will direct it in the right direction. But out of jealousy of Kornilov's popularity, which overshadowed his own glory, Kerensky did everything to discredit and remove this man from his path. One thing he did not take into account - it was with Kornilov that hopes for the salvation of the country and the restoration of order were now connected.

By his actions against him, Kerensky alienated the traditional supporters - the intelligentsia and the petty bourgeoisie, and gave carte blanche to the Bolsheviks. Due to the incorrect decrees and orders of Kerensky, all negative processes accelerated. The situation at the fronts became complicated, the army was falling apart, desertion, looting and banditry flourished (criminals released from prison under the amnesty of the chairman of the Provisional Government were ironically called "Kerensky's chicks"); money depreciated (due to the lack of paper and the high cost of making secured banknotes, so-called "kerenki" were printed, which could easily be forged); food supplies were running out and famine was approaching.

The dream of an acting career and a passion for dressing up - how Kerensky "realized" himself in life

Beloved son, pride and hope of the family, Kerensky was a good student and student - he wanted to live up to expectations. But gradually, because of these special parental hopes for his brilliant future, Kerensky developed a character trait that later often determined his behavior. He pathologically loved to be in the spotlight. When he was admired, when he was praised, he just came to life, became bright, energetic, talented and sparkling. If the mood of the audience was hostile, he quickly fizzled out and lost strength. Once, in a letter to his parents, he called himself "an actor in the imperial theaters" - this was in the fourth grade of the gymnasium, when Kerensky clearly saw himself in the future as an artist or an opera singer. He then did not yet know on what large-scale stage he would act.

Stepping onto the stage of a student theater for the first time, Kerensky experienced the feeling that will never be enough for him - power over the public. He liked to experience the sensations characteristic of the last minute before the curtain opened - nervous energy ready to explode from within. But Kerensky moved not to art, but to jurisprudence - he became a lawyer. Later, recognizing in himself political ambitions, Kerensky took on only those corresponding to this direction of affairs (fiery speeches, detailed newspaper reports and all-Russian recognition - this is what the political processes promised).

Having achieved by hook or by crook a certain fame in lawyers' circles, Kerensky is knocked out to the State Duma. But this was not the limit of his dreams. Kerensky aimed at the very top and wanted a rapid take-off to the ultimate goal - the tribune of the people. And his finest hour struck - on February 17, 1917, in one day, from a politician who was known only in limited circles, he became a large-scale figure, and his popularity only grew every day. It all began with the fact that on that day the rebellious regiments of the Life Guards - Volynsky and Litovsky, went out into the street with weapons in their hands. This happened against the background of the dissolution of parliament. The Duma members created a Provisional Committee "to restore order and to communicate with individuals and institutions." Kerensky, who until that moment had no particular influence in the Duma environment, turned out to be the only one who understood that the laws were now established by the street, and everything was decided by the changing sympathies of the crowd.

When a crowd of rioters approached the Tauride Palace, Kerensky announced that he was ready to go out to them and announce the readiness of the Provisional Committee to lead the movement. After Kerensky's words, spoken with underlined decisiveness in his voice, those present had no doubt that he knew what to do and was ready to act without hesitation.

Kerensky became the connecting link between the two formed bodies (the Provisional Duma Committee and the Executive Committee of the Soviet of Workers' Deputies), claiming supreme power. At that moment he became simply irreplaceable for them. In these February-March days, everyone was overwhelmed by the euphoria of expectation of imminent changes, but latently in the minds of people a feeling was growing that something terrible would happen. Everyone expected a leader capable of performing a miracle, and these hopes began to be identified with Kerensky. It was Kerensky who turned out to have the necessary qualities and merits to soar at that moment to the role of leader. He knew how and loved to be liked, was an artist and opportunist to the core. When he was a deputy, he was dressed smartly, in the latest fashion. During the revolution, his appearance changed radically - he began to wear a black jacket, which gave him a proletarian look, with a stand-up collar. After Kerensky assumed the post of Minister of War, he began to wear a short French-style jacket, and his permanent headdress was a cap with a high crown. Minister of War, he looked like a civilian in his clothes without insignia.

Why was Kerensky called "Alexandra Feodorovna"?

Kerensky was rapidly losing his authority; much about him now irritated the townsfolk. There were various rumors about him, one more absurd than the other, and with his imprudent behavior he only fueled them. It seemed to him somehow that his stroke resembled the signature of Emperor Alexander III, and he said this out loud, after which the nickname "Alexander IV" stuck to him. He used exclusively cars from the tsar's garage, and for long journeys - the letter imperial train.

He held meetings of the Provisional Government in the Winter Palace, where he lived, having adapted one of the rooms for his office - rumors spread that he was sleeping in the Empress's bed in her bedroom. His nervous, hysterical nature very easily matched the female image, and they began to call him Alexandra Fedorovna, as the wife of Nicholas II. Once a sense of proportion denied him completely: Kerensky took the chair, and aide-de-camp stood at attention behind him - this was provided for by the imperial protocol, but Kerensky was at that time minister of war, and a reference to tsarist times was hardly appropriate.

The role of Nurse: Did Kerensky escape from the Winter Palace in a woman's dress?

Time was lost, and all the efforts of Kerensky and the Provisional Government to keep the power slipping from their hands did not lead to anything. The head of the Provisional Government summoned an armed detachment from the headquarters of the Northern Front, but no news came from there. Then Kerensky decides to go personally to meet the troops in order to get ahead of the Bolshevik agitators and warn their commanders about the situation in Petrograd. But all the cars turned out to be faulty for various reasons. The adjutant of the chief of the automobile department of the district headquarters tried to get a car from the Italian embassy, but there was no free car there. Then he turned to his acquaintance, attorney at law Eristov, and to the American embassy - so he managed to get two cars. Kerensky and his fellow travelers successfully managed to leave the city and get to Gatchina.

Having settled there, Kerensky tried to gather anti-Bolshevik forces for a new attempt to return power into his own hands. But the campaign against Petrograd ended in failure. Parliamentarians were sent to the Bolsheviks. When they returned, the Bolshevik Dybenko arrived with them - he was a man with a strong personal charm. He quickly found an approach to the Cossacks of General Krasnov and in a conversation with them dropped that it was possible to change Kerensky to Lenin. This was enough for Kerensky, who heard this conversation, to understand that no one was going to die for him. People who sympathized with Kerensky helped him change into a sailor: his arms protruded from the short sleeves, there was no time to change shoes, and she did not fit at all, the peakless cap was small and covered only the top of his head, his face was hidden by large driver's glasses. So, dressing took place, but not at all in women's clothing, as they later said everywhere. In this form, he got to the car, which was prepared at the Chinese gate and, together with his rescuers, left for Luga. Ahead of him awaited an underground existence, departure abroad and a long life away from his homeland.

And the most successful Russian terrorist Boris Savinkov fell victim to intrigue.