Figure 1.--

The poorly organized and led Russian Army suffered enormous losses. The Russian tied down large German armies in the Eastern Front, making it impossible for the Germans to concentrate their strength against the French and British on the Western Front. The Russians finally cracked in 1917. Revolution broke out in Russia. The Bolsheviks seized control of the Russian government in November 1917. The Russian Army had collapsed in front of the Germans. The Russian people were starving as deperate. The Bolsheviks who had pledged bread and peace had no alternative but to seek terms. The Germans were thus able to force a humiliating peace on the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks had to ceede the Ukraine, its Polish territories, the Baltics (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia), and Finland. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed in 1918 between the new Soviet government and the Central Powers. Russia gave up land for peace. This thus allowed the Russians to withdraw from the war, although at enormous cost. The Germans were thus able to withdraw substantail forces from the Eastern Front to reiforce the Western Front. The Germans rushed to attack before the America which entered the War in April 1917 could equip and train substantial forces which could come to the aid of the British and French. The Germans amassed their forces in 1918, hoping that they could break the Allies on he Western Front before the Americans who were arriving in France in force would be ready to fight. The Breast-Litovsk Treaty was after the collapse of the Western Front was annulled by the Armistice betwewwn Germany and he Western Allies.

Collapse of the Eastern Front

The poorly organized and led Russian Army suffered enormous losses. The Russian tied down large German armies in the Eastern Front, making it impossible for the Germans to concentrate their strength against the French and British on the Western Front. The Russians finally cracked in 1917.

Boshevick Revolution

Revolution broke out in Russia. The Bolsheviks seized control of the Russian Government in November 1917 from the Kerensky Government which attempted to honor Russia's war-time arrngements with the Allies and keep Russia in the War. The Russian Army, however, had collapsed in front of the Germans. The Russian people were starving as deperate. The Bolsheviks who had pledged bread and peace had no alternative but to seek terms. Leon Trotsky, the Peoples Komissar for International Affairs on December 12, 1917 prepared to inform the Allies that Russia was withdrawing from the war. The Bolsheviks had proposed a peace formula to the Germans. It provided for peace with no annexations or monetary repriations as well as self determination for all nationalities. Trotsky demanded that the Allies join in the negotiations or face the consequences of continuing the war without Russia. For a brief period Trotsky thought ythat he had gained a great success. The first priority of the Bolsheviks after seizing power was to end the War. The Bolsheviks signed an Armistace ending the fighting on December 17, 1917

Negotiations

The Soviets and representives of Germany and the other Central Powers opened at Peace Conference at Brest-Litovsk on December 22, 1917. The Soviet negotiator at the peace talks in Brest Litovsk, however, soon learned what the Germans had in mind. German General Hoffman explained how the Germans interpreted self determination. He maintained that Poland and other territories (occupied by German troops) desired to suceed from the Russian Empire. He further explained that some or all of these territories may decide to "choose" union with Germany. The Germans were clearly thinking about annexing large areas of the former Russian Empire. As a result, the talks soon reached an empase. The Soviets announced in January that they could not agree to the German terms, but would not renew the War. The Central Powers, however, renewed hostilities and soon forced the Soviets to agree to their draconian terms.

The Treaty

The Germans were thus able to force a humiliating peace on the Bolsheviks. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed March 3, 1918 by the the new Soviet government and the Central Powers (Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany, and Turkey). Russia gave up land for peace. This thus allowed the Russians to withdraw from the war, although at enormous cost. The Bolshecicks had to ceede the Ukraine, its Polish territories, the Baltics (Estonia, Livonia, Courland, Lithuania), Finland, and Bessarabia. While not immediately annex by the Central Powers, these regions came undr their control and were economically exploited in the continuing fighting on the Western Front. Russia was also forced to cede Ardahan, Kars, and Batum to Turkey. Although the German were subsequently to complain about the severity of the Versailles Treaty, the Brest-Litovsk was by far the most onerous of all the treaties ending World War I.

Germam Western Offensive

The Germans were thus able to withdraw substantial forces from the Eastern Front to reiforce the Western Front. The Germans rushed to attack before the America which entered the War in April 1917 could equip and train substantial forces which could come to the aid of the British and French. The Germans amassed their forces in 1918, hoping that they could break the Allies on he Western Front before the Americans who were arriving in France in force would be ready to fight.

Western Front Armistace

The Breast-Litovsk Treaty was after the collapse of the Western Front was annulled by the Armistice between Germany and he Western Allies. One of the conditions of the Armistace of Novermber 11, 1918, was the anulling of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty. The Soviet Government quickly followed suit on November 13.

Created: June 24, 2003
Last updated: June 24, 2003