July Days in Petrograd

Following a victory during the Kerensky Offensive and a sudden surge in popularity and organization of the Provisional Government, the forces loyal to it are left with no choice but to counteract the ongoing riots in Petrograd with force.

Following the downfall of Tsar, the Petrograd streets were filled with revolting soldiers (mostly hailing from the so called First Machine Gun Regiment), that remained a permanent threat to the Provisional Government. Not interested in going to the front,the soldiers permanently sabotaged all attempts of the Provisional Government to restore peace and stability in the capital.   This changed after the period of riots called The July Days, when soldiers together with anarchist seamen from the Baltic Fleet, instigated by the Bolsheviks, almost managed to overthrow the Provisional Government. The reason for that being the on-going offensive, that the anti-war minded soldiers opposed. Aleksandr Kerensky, the prime minister, decided to react with force. While the failed coup was squashed by soldiers and policemen that remained loyal to the government of the Russian Republic, the situation in the capital could no longer be tolerated.   Soon forces under personal command of general Lavr Kornilov entered the capital and - after several more days of violent riots - managed to stabilize situation, disarm most of the revolting soldiers, disband the First Machine Gun Regiment, and arrest most of the anarchist seamen under the charge of lynching their officers during the July Days. Lenin fled the capital. This further strengthened the authority of the Provisional Government.   Kerensky, having decisive evidence for Lenin being supported by German Empire, decided against eliminating him via execution. He feared causing open civil war, that could pave the way for the counterrevolutionary tsarists to emerge as a political alternative, exploit the peasant's respect for the Tsar, and overthrow the Republic--despite Kornilov's repeated suggestions that the Bolsheviks weren't completely stomped out, but severely weakened. Their opposition to the war, however, made them slowly gain ground in the following years.