"The position was clear—either Kornilov's dictatorship or the dictatorship of the proletariat and the poorer strata of the peasantry."

"We now have the majority behind us. Politically, the situation is fully ripe for taking power."

"The success of both the Russian and the world revolution depends on two or three days' fighting."

"The composition of the Conference was very mixed—even absurd, for the people who got together were not in agreement on the main thing, and therefore were incapable of really unanimous action, of really acting together"

"We must mobilise all forces to convince the workers and soldiers that it is absolutely imperative to wage a last, desperate and decisive fight for the overthrow of the Kerensky government."

"The peasants must know that it is only the workers’ party, the Bolsheviks, who are prepared to stand to the last for the interests of the poor peasants and all working people against the capitalists and the landowners."

"The crisis has matured. The whole future of the Russian revolution is at stake. The honour of the Bolshevik Party is in question. The whole future of the international workers' revolution for socialism is at stake."

"Here we have strike-breaking in the full sense of the term."

"Written by Lenin, October 6-8 (19-21), 1917"

"Difficult times. A hard task. A grave betrayal."

"All the best forces of the Party must be sent to the factories and barracks to explain to the masses their task and, taking their mood correctly in account, choose the proper moment for overthrowing the Kerensky government."

"Victory is certain, and the chances are ten to one that it will be a bloodless victory."

"Neither the workers in the cities nor the soldiers at the front can tolerate this military suppression of the just struggle of the peasants for the land."

"The Petrograd Soviet and the Bolsheviks have declared war on the government. But the government has an army, and is preparing systematically." Written to Smilga, Chairman Of The Regional Committee Of The Army, Navy And Workers Of Finland. 

"Discontent, indignation and wrath are growing in the army, among the peasantry and among the workers. The "coalition" of the Socialist-Revolutionaries and Mensheviks with the bourgeoisie, promising everything and fulfilling nothing, is irritating the masses, is opening their eyes, is pushing them towards insurrection."

"The slogan "All Power to the Soviets" is a slogan of insurrection. Whoever uses this slogan without having grasped this and given thought to it will have only himself to blame. And insurrection must be treated as an art." A letter written for the comrades attending the Congress of Soviets of The Northern Region.

"That the bourgeoisie hate us so passionately is one of the most striking proofs that we are showing the people the right ways and means of overthrowing the rule of the bourgeoisie."

 "The proletarian revolution is firmly rooted, the bourgeois counter-revolution is without roots..."

"The issue is not “freedom of the press’ but the exploiters’ sacrosanct ownership of the printing presses and stocks of newsprint they have seized! why should we workers and peasants recognise that sacred right?"

"There is no middle course. This has been shown by experience. Either all power goes to the Soviets and the army is made fully democratic, or another Kornilov affair occurs."