Kornilov Affair

The Kornilov Affair in 1917 was an attempted military coup in Russia led by General Lavr Kornilov, who aimed to strengthen the provisional government amid the chaos of the Russian Revolution. Kornilov, however, was suspected of planning to establish a military dictatorship and suppress revolutionaries. The scandal caused political upheaval: some viewed Kornilov as a threat, while others saw him as a defender against chaos. The Bolsheviks exploited the incident to gain support, and ultimately, the affair contributed to the weakening of the provisional government, setting the stage for the October Revolution and the rise of Soviet power.