Once upon a time, General Lavr Kornilov and Alexander Kerensky were thought of as heroes in Russia. Conservative historians describe Kornilov as an honorable patriot and professional soldier while liberal historians tell us about the eloquent, idealistic lawyer Kerensky, who wanted to transform Russia into a vibrant, democratic republic. After Tsar Nicholas II’s abdication, the two joined forces — Kerensky as the head of the Provisional Government, Kornilov as commander-in-chief. Both wanted to guide their nation to a better future.

As historians of all stripes have recorded, the two heroes had a falling out in August 1917, setting the stage for the Bolshevik Revolution. Historians disagree, however, on what precisely precipitated this split.

By some accounts, Kornilov was planning a coup, which Kerensky foiled by mobilizing socialist and working-class groups. The unscrupulous Bolsheviks, it’s argued, took advantage of the confusion and seized power. Others say that Kerensky invented the coup in order to remove Kornilov, unwittingly paving the way for the all-too-real Bolshevik takeover. This interpretation begs the question: why would Kerensky turn on his top military commander and undermine his own power?