Reasons for the Russian

Withdrawal
Modern History Core Study
 Why Revolution?

Russia was experiencing

profound social changes as
a result of the growing
economy. The creation of a
middle class and the
movement of farmers into
cities for work is one
example.
Tsar Nicholas was resistant to
providing people with
access to power and
decision making in the
form of a strong effective
parliament
 Further social changes

Food shortages
from the shifting
economy
Evidence of
corruption within
the Tsarist court
Inability for the
Tsar and his
representatives to
support
modernization

 Series of Revolutions

February Revolution (March 1917)– Tsar Deposed

and Creation of a Provisional Government
October Revolution – Bolshevik (Communist)
Revolution replaces the Provisional Government
Series of Revolutions
 Russian Withdrawal

Peace Negotiations began

with the Central Powers in
Dec, 1917
Lenin and the Bolsheviks
were then forced to sign
the Treaty of Brest Litovsk
in March 1918
Russian Troops withdrew
from the Eastern Front
leaving German troops to
focus on the Spring
Offensive of March 1918
 Treaty of Brest Litovsk

The treaty, signed between Bolshevik Russia on the

one side and the German Empire, Austria-Hungary,
Bulgaria and Ottoman Empire (collectively the
Central Powers) on the other, marked Russia's final
withdrawal from World War I

 Treaty of Brest Litovsk

The Treaty, fulfilled on unexpectedly humiliating

terms, a major goal of the Bolshevik revolution of
November 7, 1917.

 Treaty of Brest Litovsk

In all, the treaty took away a quarter of Russia's

population, a quarter of its industry and nine-tenths
of its coal mines
However, Germany's defeat in World War I, marked
by the armistice with the Allies on November 11 at
Compiègne, made it possible for Finland, Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Poland to become
truly independent sovereign states, and the
designated monarchs had to renounce their thrones.
 Impact on WW1

For the Western Allies, the terms imposed on the Russians

were interpreted as a reminder and a warning of what to
expect if the Germans and the other Central Powers won
the war.
Secret German archives found after 1945 proved that the
German government and military did indeed intend to
settle the conflict on harsh terms (especially against
France and Belgium), although between Brest-Litovsk
and the point when the German military situation in the
west became dire some in the German government and
high command began to favour offering much more
lenient terms in exchange for Allied recognition of
German gains in the east.
 Impact on WW1

In any event, Germany's treaty with the Bolsheviks

spurred Allied efforts to win the war.
One of the first conditions of the 1918 Armistice was
the complete abrogation of the treaty.
German gets ready for the March Spring Offensive on
the Western Front