The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the Peace Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, arguably one of the most important milestones in modern history. The paper determines why a peace treaty so unfavorable to Russia was ratified by the Soviet government. The personal intentions of Lenin are examined and the paper explains how they differ or parallel to those of the socialist revolution. The paper presents an evaluation of the extent of the German assistance to the Bolsheviks prior to the revolution and describes how Lenin attempted to fulfill the promises given to the Germans in exchange for their help. The paper traces the method by which the peace treaty was ratified on the VII Party Congress despite wide spread opposition.
Outline
Introduction
Lenin's Intentions
German Assistance to the Bolsheviks
Promises Fulfilling
Growth of Domestic Opposition
The VII Party Congress of March 1918 and the Ratification of the Treaty
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The Peace of Brest-Litovsk is one of the most important milestones in modern history, for with its signature begins a chain of events which led directly to the outbreak of the Second World War. This treaty not only signified the apparent and complete victory of German arms in the East and the greatest diplomatic and military humiliation which Russia had ever sustained, but, with the exception of the Treaty of Versailles, it had consequences far greater than any other peace settlement since the Congress of Vienna. It was the course of negotiations at Brest-Litovsk which prompted President Wilson to formulate his famous Fourteen Points in an attempt to keep the Russians from signing a separate peace. The rapacity of the Germans in the terms imposed on Russia disclosed to the rest of the world the extent of the Supreme Command's domination and the impossibility of arriving at peace with Germany in the hands of such rulers. This realization produced the final unity among the Western powers, thereby assuring the ultimate defeat of Germany."

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