World War I: Lenin and the Bolsheviks -- Finland Station (April 1917)

Lenin Bolsheviks Finlnd Station
Figure 1.--This painting, an example of Soviet Realist art, depicts Lenin's arrival at St. Petersburg Finland Station. He had been transported by the Germans from Switzerland aboard a sealed train with his suppotrs and gold to finance a revolution. Here he would assume leadership of the Blosheviks which would seven months later seize control of the Russian state. We are no sure yet who the artist was and when it was painted.

Switzerland became a haven for revolutionaries and refugees. The Bolsheviks, a minority faction of Russian socialists, began to look to Lenin as a leader. The Tsarist Okrana had driven many who objected to autocratic rule into exile. This included both both groups committed to violent ovethrow and those who advocated moderate legal changes. Lenin after a decade of exile in Siberia went to Western Europe to continue his revolutionary activities (1900). At the outbreak of the War, Lenin was an exile in Austria. He was when the large Social Democratic parties that had become an imprtant factor in European politics (and still strongly Marxist) supported their respective countries' decision to go to War. Lenin saw this as the peasants and workers fighting bourgeoisie battles against each other. He saw the War as an 'imperialist war'. He wanted to turn it into a civil war between the classes--which he would eventially do in Russia. As a result of the War, he had to leave beligerant Austria for neutral Switzerland (1914). He remained politically active in the European socialist movement from Switzerland. With the Revolution in Russia (February 1917) and the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II he wanted to return to Russia. There was at first no way to get there. It would be the Germans that provided the means. The Russian Provisionl Government that replaced the Tsar decided to continue the War. The Germans were desperate to end the fighging in tghe East so they could concentrate their forces to break the deadlock on the Western Front. In hope of destabilizing the Provisional Government and to forece Russia out of the War, the Germans decided to gamble and transport Lenin and a small group of his revolutionary supporters to Russia. They provided a sealed train that carried Lenin with gold to finance his work through Germany and Sweden, emerging at the Finland Station in St. Petersburg/Petrogard (April 1917). Lenin would then began to reshape Bolshevik strategy and the course of Russian history.

Vladamir Lennin

The Bolsheviks, a minority faction of Russian socialists, began to look to Lenin as a leader. The Tsarist Okrana had driven many who objected to autocratic rule into exile. This included both both groups committed to violent ovethrow and those who advocated moderate legal changes. Lenin after a decade of exile in Siberia went to Western Europe to continue his revolutionary activities (1900). At the outbreak of the War, Lenin was an exile in Austria. He was when the large Social Democratic parties that had become an imprtant factor in European politics (and still strongly Marxist) supported their respective countries' decision to go to War. Lenin saw this as the peasants and workers fighting bourgeoisie battles against each other. He saw the War as an 'imperialist war'. He wanted to turn it into a civil war between the classes--which he would eventially do in Russia. As a result of the War, Lenin had to leave beligerant Austria for neutral Switzerland (1914).

Switzerland

It was not clear when World War I erupted in Europe that the beligerant poweres would respect Swiss neutrality. After all, the Germans lunched the war by invading neutrl Belgium. It soon becm clear, however, tht noth the allies and the Central Powers were going to respect Swiss neutrality. The difference probably has more to do with geography than anything else. Belhium offered the Germans a flat route to Paris without any natuaral obstacles. Mounaneous Switerland offered no easy route. Neutral Switzerland maintained it neutal status throughout the War. And it became a haven for revolutionaries and refugees. Switzerland was a democratic country with free speech rights. And as Switzerland was neutral, there was no censorship restfictions preventing Lenin from writing about the War. And writing about socialism was also common. He remained politically active in the European socialist movement from Switzerland. Lenin came to Switerland so he could benefit from the civil liberties of a free society. But he never saw such liberties as of any rel valuable, but rather a weakness that would be used to further the Revolution.

German Military Situation

The Kaiser and Genrman General Staff decided on War despite the gact that the countries with which they were going to fight had a larger industrial and agricultural base and a greater population. They also had a greater access to raw materials and naval forces which could blockade Germany. This time it was not Demark, Austria, or France alone, but a coalition of powerful countries. What German had was the best trained and equipped army in the world. The Kaiser and the General Staff believed that they could gain a quick victory. When the French held at the Marne, however, it became a war of attrition. And this meant that without a break through in the West, Germany was going to lose the war. And by 1917 the Generals could see that the impact of the war and blockade was fatally undermining the German war effort. The Germans faced with the fact that they were getting weaker and the Allies stronger took two fateful steps. First they decided to resume Unrestricted Submarine warfare even though it mean America coming into the War. Second they decided to promote revolution in Russia.

Revolution in Russia (February 1917)

Heavy losses and the front and food shortages in the cities led to revolution in Russia (Fenruary 1917). The Russian Provisionl Government replaced the Tsar. It proved to be a brief effort at parlimntry democracy. It was not what Lenin and the Blosheviks wanted. Rather the Bolsheviks wanted to use the abolition of tsarist instrumnts of oppresion like the Okhrana (Охрана) to destroy the Provisional Gobernmnt. The Kerennsky Government decided to continue the War. With the Revolution in Russia (February 1917) and the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II. Lenin wanted to return to Russia. There was at first no way to get there. A vast front line separated Russia and Germany and there was no way of getting through the Russian front line.

Sealed Train

It would be the Germans that provided the means. The Germans were desperate to end the fighting in the East so they could concentrate their forces to break the deadlock on the Western Front. In hope of destabilizing the Provisional Government and to forece Russia out of the War, the Germans decided to gamble and transport Lenin and a small group of his revolutionary supporters to Russia. Churchill describes it best, "In the middle of April [1917] the Germans took a sombre decision. Ludendorff refers to it with bated breath. Full allowance must be made for the desperate stakes to which the German war leaders were already committed. They were in the mood which had opened unlimited submarine warfare with the certainty of bringing the United States into the war against them. Upon the Western front they had from the beginning used the most terrible means of offense at their disposal. They had employed poison gas on the largest scale and had invented the ‘Flammenwerfer.’ Nevertheless it was with a sense of awe that they turned upon Russia the most grisly of all weapons. They transported Lenin in a sealed truck like a plague bacillus from Switzerland into Russia.” [Churchill] Vladimir Lenin, leader of the revolutionary Bolshevik Party, was in exile in Switzerland, with after the Tsar was deposed, no way of getting to Russia. The Germans put him on a sealed train and financed him. The train carried Lenin with gold to finance his work through Germany and Sweden. Sweden was a neutral country. There were thus open borders between Germany and Sweden and Sweden ad Russia.

Finland Station

Lenin arrived at the Finland Station in St. Petersburg/Petrogard (April 16, 1917). He immediately took the reins of the Bolshevik Party. The Germans hoped that Lenin would start a second revolution, this time that would cause Russia to withdraw from the War. Lenin upon arrival set about reshaping Bolshevik strategy and the course of Russian history.

Sources

Churchill, Winston S. The World Crisis Vol. 5.








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Created: 12:23 PM 7/19/2017
Last updated: 12:23 PM 7/19/2017