March 1917: The Red Wheel, Node III, Book 2

Book 2 of March 1917 by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn covers three days of the February Revolution, leading to the Bolshevik takeover eight months later. It tells the story of the Russian Revolution, during which the Imperial government melts in the face of the mob and the opposition giants prove incapable of controlling the course of events. The action is set during March 13–15, 1917, the Russian Revolution's turbulent second week. The troops sent to suppress the revolution are halted by the army's top commanders, and the Emperor is detained and abdicates.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 728 pages
Publication date: 01 November 2022
Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press

The Red Wheel is a monumental multivolume epic work by Nobel Prize-winning author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn that delves into the intricacies of the Russian Revolution. Spanning decades, Solzhenitsyn focused his attention on four critical periods or "nodes" of this pivotal historical event. Among them, the first translation of the monumental March 1917—the third node—into English is now available. This book chronicles the very essence of the Russian Revolution, showcasing the collapse of the Imperial government in the face of the overwhelming power of the mob. Additionally, the giants of the opposition, who had assumed control, also proved incapable of steering the course of events.

Set during the tumultuous second week of March 1917, Book 2 of March 1917 unfolds amidst the backdrop of the Russian Revolution. The revolution had already gained significant momentum within the capital, Petrograd. News of the revolution spread rapidly across Russia through the telegraph system of the Ministry of Roads and Railways. However, it was during wartime, and the true authority lay with the army. At Emperor Nikolai II's command, the Supreme Command dispatched troops to quell the revolution in Petrograd. Simultaneously, victory speeches reverberated throughout Petrograd's Tauride Palace, where two distinct power structures emerged. On the one hand, the Provisional Government assumed control, while on the other, the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies emerged, issuing its renowned Order No. 1, which signaled the impending destruction of the army.

The troops sent to suppress the Petrograd revolution were met with a surprising turn of events. The army's top commanders halted their advance, effectively halting the suppression efforts. The Emperor was detained and abdicated, and his ministers were imprisoned and sent to the Peter and Paul Fortress. This sweeping historical novel by Solzhenitsyn is a must-read for his numerous fans and those who have a deep interest in twentieth-century history. It provides a profound and detailed account of a pivotal period that shaped the course of Russian and global history.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780268106867