Six mois rouges en Russie

by Louise Bryant, José Chatroussat (translator)

"Récit d’un témoin direct en Russie avant et pendant la dictature prolétarienne (1917-1918)

« Diriger un gouvernement était une tâche nouvelle et parfois déroutante pour les gens à Smolny. Ils éprouvaient une certaine admiration mêlée de crainte à l’égard de Lénine ; de sorte qu’ils le laissaient volontiers seul tandis qu’ils s’adressaient à Trotski à la moindre difficulté. Celui-ci travaillait avec acharnement et se trouvait souvent au bord de la dépression nerveuse. »

Alexandra Kollontaï, Maria Spiridonova, Catherine Breshkovski, mais aussi Alexandre Kerenski, Pavel Dybenko, Julius Martov, telles sont quelques-unes des grandes figures que l’on croise au long de ce récit épique, empathique et didactique écrit à chaud entre septembre 1917 et mars 1918 et traduit pour la première fois en français. Envoyée spéciale du Metropolitan et de Seven Arts, Louise Bryant décrit la société russe en révolution, et s’intéresse tout particulièrement à la condition féminine. Elle cherche à convaincre ses compatriotes de soutenir la jeune république soviétique. Relu avec un siècle de recul, son livre dresse le portrait d’un monde sorti des chaînes où tout semblait possible."

Genres: History, Russia, Nonfiction, Memoir, Politics, Russian Revolution, Soviet Union

372 pages, Pocket Book

First published October 1, 1918

Reviews

[Feargal McGovern · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this immediately after reading '10 ten days that shook the world' by John Reed - the husband of Louise Bryant. As they were together much of the time (but not all), it is really interesting to compare the way the two spoke of similar events, as well as the events they considered most important to discuss.

Whilst Reed's book is more historically thorough, one of the two strengths of Bryant's work is the attention she gives to describing in rich detail, particular figures of the revolution - from both sides. Whilst blatantly (and rightly) supports the Bolsheviks, she is somewhat sympathetic, though not apologetic, of personalities from the other side. One such example is Alexander Kerensky, who I already had know to be a snake and counter revolutionary figure at the time of the revolution. However Bryant's description helped me get an idea of how and why he had been so highly regarded by so many Russians across the political spectrum before the revolution.

The second strength, is her attention to the role of women in the revolution. It is on this point that I think her book is beyond compare with Reed's, in fact again, reading the two side by side, really reveals the weakness of Reed's account. Women are rarely mentioned, and more often than not, when they are they seem like passive observers, often as mourning their dead sons, husbands, brothers etc.
Reading Reed's book it would be fair to think that during the Russian revolution women were sidelined and disregarded, however Bryant's account makes it clear this wasn't the case at all. Women were not only active participants in the revolution (as revolutionists and reactionaries). They were also among its leaders and figureheads - the Bolshevik Alexandra Kollantai and Left Socialist Revolutionary Maria Spiradova, being two figures she makes special point to mention and describe. While many account of the russian revolution might focus on men, the revolutionary masses at the time werent so blind sighted.


I think it is a real shame that her contribution to recording the Russian revolution as it unfolded, isn't more famous - I have no doubt that it is no small part to her being a woman - Even on the left, so many amazing women have been overlooked and left out of 'revolutionary canon', despite significant contribution to class struggle and theoretical developments.
After reading Bryant's book, I am left thinking that this is the fault largely of the historians and people who write about the struggles from the outside and after the fact, looking for the phenomenon they are familiar with. In a patriarchal world, that means approaching their study of social movments by focusing on the men, even if the militants involved in those struggles themselves weren't centered so much on men (or at least not to the extent described by outside journalists and historians)

At any rate, this left me with so much more respect for the Bolsheviks (their role and practice in the revolution) but above all, for my class - the working class - for and just how fucking great we are when we act in our own interests as a class. Whatever stupid ideas we have (sexism, racism, homophobia, etc) just go right out the fucking window when rise up to make revolution.

[celestine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating for its on-the-streets view of things, writing about the revolution as it is happening. At the same time, it does not feel like something you could read knowing nothing about the situation. Bryant jumps around in time and location frequently, eschewing a linear narrative for chapters focused on individual people or aspects of the revolution, in no apparent order. It comes off as excerpts from her diary more than anything else.

Still and all, if you enjoy reading about the Russian Revolution, this will be a good source of interesting tidbits.

Bryant is sympathetic but clearly has liberal reservations in the back of her mind, and her insistence that the Bolsheviks wouldn’t need to *use* power against the moderates, loyalists, and counterrevolutionaries feels foolish considering the Civil War (and everything else to come)— so with that in mind it’s not even like you’re reading this from a commie bias. It’s someone who thinks American democracy and Russian democracy looks very similar in the moment (which is hilarious in its own right—and that’s a poopoo on America).

[Barbara Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is much more accessible to a twenty-first century reader than John Reed’s book and offers valuable characterizations of prominent women and men from the time. It carries the reader along on the revolutionary wave from the perspective of an American journalist sympathetic to the Bolsheviks. Disappointingly, Bryant shows no skepticism of the show the Bolsheviks put on for her of treating their prisoners well.

[Pete Dolack · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent eyewitness account of the weeks leading up to the October Revolution, and the first weeks following, written as journalistic reports at the time. Very much a "you are there" approach that works well. This is a book that is unjustly obscure, but should be better known and read. The author, Louise Bryant, was the wife of John Reed, and they traveled together, so in one sense this is a complement to the much better known Ten Days.

The one weakness with this book is that there is sometimes little or no context to certain specific events, in particular the chapter on the so-called "pre-parliament." For readers already familiar with the events of the time, this is no problem at all and Bryant's account brings forth valuable details. But a reader not familiar might not grasp what is happening at a given moment, although it nonetheless is a good read for them, too.

Particularly valuable are the sketches of people involved, such as Maria Spiradonova and Aleksandra Kollantai. Like John Reed, Louis Bryant doesn't hold back from her pro-revolution perspective but the eyewitness accounts of how people in the streets and those in positions of some authority thought and acted are presented as they are, and that includes people in opposition. Definitely should be read by anyone interested in the revolution.

[Christopher Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though lacking the political clarity of her husband John Reed's book "Ten Days that Shook the World", Bryant's book covers a larger amount of time and material. Another difference from John Reed's book is that she strives much more for neutrality (despite her obvious sympathy for the Bolshevik cause)than John Reed ever did. In many ways this book is a perfect companion to Ten Days That Shook the world, and it may be useful for people to read the books together.

[Will Slocum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply fascinating. Though there is some obvious bias in the way Bryant presents her experiences, she does a good job remaining mostly neutral as a witness to a major world event. Her strength lies in her ability to make the reader feel like we are with her in the streets, listening to interviews, and bearing witness to the meetings that shaped Russia for a century to come. An enjoyable and informative piece on Russia in a specific time, but also gives a glimpse into the people as a whole.

[Ilze Paegle-Mkrtčjana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Visumā OK. Daži interesanti novērojumi, dažas agrāk nedzirdētas detaļas, tikai datumus gan nevajadzēja tik bieži putrot

[Reuben Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

From my understanding, this is the only account from the time of what happened in Russia between the October Revolution and the beginning of the civil war in earnest. Bryant was an American Journalist who travelled to Russia in 1917. She arrived around the time of Kornilov's attempted coup, and witnessed the mass meetings that exposed the Mensheviks as allies of capitalism (particularly their support for giving the bourgeoisie greater representation in parliament than their democratic mandate). She also describes the humanism of the Bolshevik project once in power, detailing Kollontai's attempts to provide social welfare to the suffering, and the limited nature of bolshevik repression (at least it was limited until the escalation of the White Terror forced the bolsheviks to respond with their own counter terror).

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good mix of engaging and informative.
Very unique account of one woman’s unbelievably daring immersion into the October revolution. There are many insights into human behavior that can hopefully be applied to the next attempt at a Proletarian uprising, and specifics to Russia’s context.

The complete and unceremonious decline of antisemitism, having been revealed as a mere rough pretext of anti authoritarianism.

The surprisingly magnanimous behavior of those who underwent centuries of oppression to their former oppressors.

The obvious bias of the supposedly free press being the mouthpiece of a few capitalists, and how that’s not any better than an explicitly controlled press that at least has an obvious agenda.

[Julio The Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louise Bryant covered the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 while her husband and comrade John Reed wrote and lived it. That is the crucial difference between SIX RED MONTHS IN RUSSIA and TEN DAYS THAT SHOOK THE WORLD. Reed knew he was witnessing a turning point in history and set out to shape that history. SIX MONTHS IN RUSSIA is certainly heartfelt, but reads more like a series of dispatches from a journalist who just happened to be on the scene. The chapters are first impressions, unpolished and lacking in any particular journalistic style. Bryant gathered these pieces after her return home to America in 1918, and this gives her chronicle the air of an apology: "The Bolsheviks aren't so bad as they are portrayed in the U.S. press. They don't eat babies or anything". Take her chapter on "Lenine{sic} and Trotsky". Aside from telling us that "Lenine is aloof and intellectual" while "Trotsky is more at home with the masses, and a fiery speaker" nothing is said of their politics or how they attained such eminence in the revolutionary ranks. Louise accompanied Jack when the Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Palace in October, yet her main recollection is that "the conscript boys inside were afraid and the whole thing was a bloodless affair". Much stronger are her chapters on "Women Soldiers", female conscripts of the Tsar, next assigned to guard Kerensky and finally dismissed and sent home by the Communists. Her interview with the new Welfare Minister, Alexandra Kollontai, offers a first glimpse at the woman soon to become the incarnation of Bolshevik feminism and later one of the few survivors of the Stalinist purges. Bryant toured America in 1918 plugging her writings and peace between the U.S. and Russia, but American audiences had to wait until Jack returned home before grasping just how much the world had changed in just those ten days.

[Peter Thurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating first hand account of the 1918 October Revolution in Russia, as told by American socialist and journalist Louise Bryant. The book pairs well with her husband John Reed's book Ten Days That Shook The World, essentially providing colour commentary to Reed's more matter-of-fact, blow-by-blow narrative. She spends a fair bit of time talking about the role of women in the Revolution, which is a nice change from the normal focus on the menfolk.

It should be noted at the outset that Bryant is favourable to the Bolsheviks. It should also be understood that she was reporting on what was happening in 1918, without the foresight of knowing just how badly the Soviet experiment would go. Her rosy comparisons between the humanity of the conquering Bolsheviki and the brutality of the Imperial Regime and the German enemy will strike the modern reader as awkward, given what we know now about how the Soviet regime evolved. Just remember that she was not privy to any of that information at the time of writing.

[Maxime Trencavel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What a read. First hand accounts of meeting many of the most famous protagonists and antagonists of the Russian Revolution. I got the idea to read this author's collection of POVs on her time in Russia after watching the Academy Award winning film Reds. Even though the film portrays Louise Bryant as being independent, her accounts in this book showcase her bravery and fierce independence to find the truth behind what was happening despite the stereotypes and the lore being spun up in the US media and politics.

[Damiano Miraglia Raineri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read the Italian translation by Gabriele Terranova, Villaggio Maori (2018). In particular, I got caught by the articles about the female soldiers and the critical conditions of children in revolutionary Russia. Louisa Bryant’s work was and should still be considered an important witness of history.

[Mitia · Rating 5 out of 5]

agréablement surpris

[Melanie Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Louise!

[Velvetink]

ebook