934 Ch. 23 • Revolutionary Russia and the Soviet Union
commission to try to bring the soldiers roaming through the city under
some control.
On February 27, in response to calls in the streets, the Petrograd Soviet
of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies was created—soviets were councils that
had been established during the Revolution of 1905. Members of the orga
nization included several hundred workers, some of whom the demonstra
tors had freed from jail (where they had been placed for their political or
trade union activities), as well as soldiers. They elected officers, discussed
ways to defend Petrograd against a possible German attack, and sent rep
resentatives to encourage the formation of soviets in other cities. Menshe
vik leaders took the lead in the Petrograd Soviet’s creation as Bolshevik
leaders held back, fearing that a large and effective soviet might make it
more difficult for their party to direct worker militancy.
Hoping to overwhelm the rebellion with his presence, the tsar now
decided to return to Petrograd. He spent almost two full days aboard his
private train, critical moments in the February Revolution. On the train,
the tsar received an erroneous report that insurgent troops held the next
stations and that they would refuse to let his train through. Nicholas then
went to the northern military front, hoping to find a loyal army ready to
march on Petrograd. In disbelief, he learned that Moscow, too, had fallen
almost overnight to insurgents. His generals made no effort to save the