Milyukov note

Miliukov Note

The Miliukov Note was an incident in May 1917, one which resulted in the bolstering of support for the Bolsheviks, and a widespread mistrust of the Provisional Government. The Bolsheviks, who had long thought that the Provisional Government were continuing the war in the same fashion that the Tsarist Government had, had little proof of this and were simply waiting for a time to take action in spreading hatred of the Provisional Government.

Foreign Minister Miliukov sent the Allied Powers a telegram, one which would prove to be a turning point of 1917. The telegram contained the statement that the Provisional Government would continue the war with the Tsarist war aims. The telegram was leaked to the Bolsheviks by an insider, and they began protests against the Provisional Government, who had previously promised the people that the terror of Tsardom had ended.

Miliukov stepped down as Foreign Minister, but this sent a shockwave through the country; if the Provisional Government couldn't be trusted over an issue as serious as the war, were they worthy of the people's trust in anything?