The tactics of the Bolshevik military organization on the issue of the June offensive in 1917

Since the beginning of the Russian Revolution in 1917, the Bolsheviks opposed the First World War as they re­garded it as a war in the interests of bourgeoisie. The position of the Bolsheviks provided them with the support of the Petrograd garrison rear military units. However, when the offensive of the Russian army in June 1917 started, the military organization of the Bolsheviks was urged not to disturb hostilities, because it could threaten the soldiers on the front line who influenced the Party. The Bolsheviks were still against the war and thought that the offensive could not be successful. Moreover, it might prevent the revolutionary movement in Germany. In some cases, the agitators of the military organization were trying to avoid the question of sending troop replenishment to the front, but mostly they had to campaign for the support for the offensive. Since such a position was not popular in rear military units, the Bolsheviks were losing their support among pacifist soldiers. As a result, they were not able to influence the growing mass opposition movement and to prevent spontaneous uprising in July 1917. This is contrary to the tradi­tional view on the Bolshevik Party and its tactics on the issue of the war. The case shows that the party was not popu­list and its strategy depended on specific conditions in which they had to work.