Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Lenin and Trotsky had a marked difference over the ending of the war. Lenin wanted it to end immediately, whilst Trotsky believed in a delay. Russia’s military exhaustion made it impossible to fight on successfully to win the war. If Germany won, they would gain Russian land, but if Germany lost, Russia could regain and land lost from pulling from the war. Russia would not be worse of, and secondly it would gain. Lenin had also been receiving funds from the German Foreign office, pulling out of the war was the best way to retain these funds. Trotsky was between his ‘straight away opinion’ and the Left Bolsheviks who pressed for continuation of the war to beat ‘imperialist Germany’

At Brest-Litovsk is where the talks happened. Trotsky was undoubtedly rude, yawning and having private conversations, only speaking when on the subject of the October Revolution. Hindenburg, saw them as degrading the conference table, and tried to start dissolution in the army of their ranks. Lenin and Trotsky however, supported international revolution over Russia’s needs. The Germans seriously considered marching into Petrograd to overthrow their government, but they quickly signed a devastating peace treaty as soon as this was made clear.

The Treaty saw a third of European Russia ceded to Germany with 45 million people within it. Russia was also required to pay 3 Billion roubles as war damages. Lenin stressed that this was the only realistic policy, ‘maternally exhausted by three years of war’. Basically Russia did not have the supplies or the skill, and the Bolsheviks signing the treaty would have time to gain this. Although heavily debated in the central committee, Lenin’s argument was passed by a majority of only 1. Lenin and Trotsky saw Brest Litovsk as a small price to pay for the kick starting of international revolution. What eventually destroyed the division in the central committee (of left Bolsheviks who wanted continuation and saw the losses at Brest-Litovsk as awful) was that Germany’s defeat in which Russia simply regained everything it had lost.

SUMMARY
A split in attitudes – Continuation or immediate peace
Lenin – Russia could not possibly win, Russia worn out by three years, say no now to fight another day. Also pulling out would continue the GFO funding.

Harsh terms – 1/3 of Euro land lost, with 45 million people and 3 Bil in reparations.
This lead to conflict between the left, Lenin justifying frequently and won the debate. German defeat justified policy anyway.