What was the Kornilov Affair?

• A. A successful coup by General Kornilov that strengthened the Provisional Government.
• B. A failed coup by General Kornilov that discredited the Provisional Government and helped Lenin's position.
• C. A peasant uprising in the countryside.
• D. A foreign invasion.

Answer: (B)

The Kornilov Affair was a failed military coup by General Kornilov against the Provisional Government in 1917, meant to restore order in Petrograd. The attempt backfired, and the Provisional Government’s standing collapsed as it appeared indecisive and vulnerable. Because Kerensky had to rely on troops loyal to, or at least sympathetic to, the Bolsheviks to defend the city, the incident discredited the government and undermined its authority. At the same time, the Bolsheviks framed themselves as the defenders of Petrograd and the revolution, gaining support and credibility, which strengthened Lenin’s position. It wasn’t a peasant uprising or a foreign invasion, and it wasn’t successful—the coup failed and instead accelerated the Bolshevik rise.