World War One Turning Points The Russian Withdrawal

World War One Turning Points – The Russian Withdrawal Mr Scully HSC Modern History

Questions for this Lesson Explain where Russia had inadequacies in her war planning. What was the “end state” of the Russian Army by February 1917? Describe the political situation in Russia during 1917. How did Russia’s withdrawal affect the country?

Russia and WW 1 At the outbreak of war in 1914, Russia had the largest army in the world but was also a nation plagued by serious internal problems. War on the Eastern Front began on 17 August 1914 when Russia launched a full-scale offensive against Prussia. By 30 August, General Hindenburg’s German forces defeated a massive Russian force at the Battle of Tannenburg. Russia suffered tens of thousands of casualties and lost 92 000 troops as prisoners of war. The inadequacies of Russia’s logistical planning became a catastrophic short-coming when faced with a highly industrialised and organised opponent.

Unrest at Home The immense difficulty in supplying and maintaining the massive Russian army placed a great strain on Russia’s total war effort. At the outset of war, the Russian people had supported the war effort, but the brutal toll in Russian lives and terrible suffering brought rebellion. By May 1915, Germany had taken command of the Eastern Front and, during the course of the year, Russia lost two million troops. With soldiers sent to their deaths on the Eastern Front and economic collapse at home, discontent among the Russian people grew stronger. Russia edged closer to revolution as the people’s support for the Tsar and his war disintegrated.

Tsar Nicholas Abdicates By February 1917, the demoralised Russian army had suffered eight million casualties and one million more Russian soldiers had deserted. With the Tsar’s authority shattered, the government collapsed and Russia was in revolution. On 2 March 1917, over three centuries of Romanov rule ended when Tsar Nicholas II abdicated. Key politicians formed Russia’s new Provisional Government. The Allies welcomed the willingness of the new Provisional Government to continue Russia’s involvement in the war and honour its military obligations to its French and British allies.

Bolsheviks rise to power The Russian population did not support this decision and, in the ensuing months, more and more people transferred their loyalty to the government’s Bolshevik opponents who promised to end the war and relieve the sufferings it had induced. In October 1917, a second revolution gave the Bolsheviks power. The Bolshevik leader, Lenin, called for a separate peace and signed an armistice with Germany in December 1917. More than three million men had died and more than nine million were wounded during Russia’s three years of fighting on the Eastern Front.

Treaty of Brest–Litovsk The Russian government’s withdrawal from World War I in 1917 and the subsequent Treaty of Brest–Litovsk effectively ended the war on the Eastern Front. The Bolshevik government declared an armistice with Germany in December 1917 and, soon after, Lenin instructed his representative, Adolf Joffe, to commence peace negotiations with Germany and Austria at Brest– Litovsk. Lenin demanded a peace without annexations or indemnities and based on Russia’s right to selfdetermination. Germany was determined to assert its authority over Russia and dictated harsh conditions for peace. The Bolshevik delegates declared the terms too

On 18 February 1918, the German forces resumed their advance on Russia and the Bolsheviks were forced to accept the punishment meted out by the Treaty of Brest–Litovsk. The treaty was a national humiliation for Russia. By the terms of the treaty, Russia lost a quarter of its European territory, which meant: 34 per cent of the population 89 per cent of the coal mines 32 per cent of the agricultural land.