62 – Episode 62 Negotiations to end the war (1)
Kerensky’s fall meant peace negotiations.
As soon as the Tsar took the initiative, he began strengthening relations with Germany.
On June 9, 1915, German-Russian delegations met in Minsk. The German representative was Marshal Leopold, Supreme Commander of the Eastern Front, and the Russian representative was General Nikolai Russky, Commander of the Northwestern Front.
Although the attitudes of both sides in the negotiations were serious, the negotiations encountered difficulties. The conditions each person thought were very different.
‘You have to present terms that make sense for them to accept it. How can you calmly talk about ruining us?’
Russia thought the conditions offered by Germany were overly harsh.
Handing over the Baltic States, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Finland, Novgorod, Kola, Crimea, and Donbas to German jurisdiction was the same as telling Russia to go out and die.
Most of Russia’s industrial power belonged to the territory claimed by Germany.
Although there is no compensation, it would have been better to pay compensation than to give up that land.
“This is a ridiculous condition. Please discuss conditions again in Berlin. “This is too harsh.”
“If we are dissatisfied with the conditions, let us continue the war. We don’t have any inconvenience. “Then, shall we get up from our seats?”
“Oh, no.”
Germany’s attitude was consistently high-handed. It’s not like Germany doesn’t have other enemies, so I didn’t understand.
While the Russians were confused, Marshal Leopold spoke with the negotiating team.
“Honestly, I think these conditions are overly punitive. “Even if we capture Petrograd and Moscow, I think it would be difficult to take them all.”
“To tell you the truth, those friends sitting at the table are ghosts, Marshal.”
“What do you mean by that? Please explain so I can understand.”
“Those friends will disappear within two months. “No matter how hard you negotiate, there is nothing left in your hands.”
“Then what is His Majesty the Kaiser’s mind?”
“You are thinking of negotiating with your new friends who will sit in power.”
“Then, this place is a clown’s play.”
The enemy looked dumbfounded.
Negotiations that lasted three days ended in failure.
This is because the German military abandoned the negotiations, citing the lack of progress in the peace negotiations.
“The advance begins! The target is Petrograd!”
When the German army resumed its advance, the Russian government fell into a state of panic.
“What on earth does the Kaiser want? “Do you really mean to accept all the demands?”
Kirill could not hide his embarrassment.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, revolutionaries rose up.
“This is the end of incompetent legislation that cannot even end war!”
“Let’s conclude a peace agreement with Germany and send the soldiers home!”
“Bread instead of bullets!”
People whose dissatisfaction had already reached critical mass were furious at the news of failed negotiations.
The Tsar’s side raised its own demands for Germany, but the crowd did not believe them. This was because they had lost confidence in the Tsar’s words and thought it was a ploy to change public opinion.
Finally, as tens of thousands of people gathered, even the Tsar felt a sense of crisis.
“Your Majesty. You must avoid it. “Soon, the crowds will come.”
“But I am the tsar of this country.”
“There are so many people who do not acknowledge that fact.”
Kirill was speechless at those words.
When the Tsar fled from Petrograd, the crowds flocked to the State Duma and demanded that the ‘Tsar’ be dethroned.
The State Duma succumbed to ‘another revolution’ that occurred just a few months later.
“The State Duma declares the abdication of Grand Duke Vladimirovich Kirilovich Romanov, who succeeded to the throne.”
The throne is empty once again.
But no one thought of filling that empty position.
Tsar Kirill’s supporters naturally had no intention of doing so, and the side that vacated the throne also had no intention of putting anyone in place.
In the midst of this chaos, a man entered Petrograd via Finland. Although he was an unattractive man with slick hair and no thinning hair, many people welcomed him.
“Teacher Lenin!”
“The teacher is back!”
“Lenin!! Lenin!!”
The Bolsheviks accepted Lenin’s return as an imperative to establish a ‘socialist republic.’
Lenin did not come empty-handed. He also brought with him enough money to become the seed of the Red Republic.
It was a huge amount of money, over 20 million marks.
“With this money, take firm control of the soldiers’ soviets. “In the midst of chaos, we must act.”
Veteran Bolsheviks, including Trotsky, also came to the forefront.
“From now on, it’s a race against time. If we don’t solidify our foundation before the Constituent Assembly opens, only the Revolutionary Party and Mensheviks will do us any good. Do you understand?”
“I understand, comrade.”
As the Bolsheviks began to rapidly increase in power, the Mensheviks and the Revolutionary Party, who took the lead in the State Duma, also smelled that something was going on.
“These filthy bastards are making advance plans to seize power.”
“Where did that money come from? Dirty bastards.”
Minister Alexander Ivanovich, who was in power on behalf of Kerensky, ordered a strong response.
“What if it is a response?”
“Let’s brand them as an illegal group and oppress them.”
“Good. “We can’t just watch those traitors sneaking into Congress.”
With the consent of Prince Lvov, Chairman of the State Duma, martial law was declared.
The Provisional Government planned to increase its negotiating power by reinforcing military power at the front as soon as it suppressed the Bolsheviks.
But things were not as easy as they sounded.
“Give me bread instead of bullets!”
“Are you going to negotiate only when the German army enters Petrograd? “You incompetent bastards!”
From Noble mtl dot com
500,000 Protesters organized by the Bolsheviks occupied Petrograd. Considering that many of the soldiers mobilized for martial law were taken over by the Bolsheviks through the Soldiers’ Soviet, the Provisional Government was almost dreaming an impossible dream.
“Mo, let’s take refuge in Moscow.”
The Provisional Government quickly packed their bags and fled to Moscow. They planned to build a base in Moscow, where the former Tsarist family was temporarily staying, and then launch a counterattack against the Bolsheviks.
As a result, Russia found itself in a situation where the German army was facing the axe’s edge.
The Bolsheviks, who took control of the capital, proposed peace negotiations to Germany on July 1. It was the moment when the war on the Eastern Front was approaching its end.
*
“It has finally come.”
I laughed out loud when I read the letter from Lenin.
In the last episode, Lenin insisted on no-compensation-free annexation, but was beaten by Germany with a one-two straight and then ceded 2.4 Million square kilometers.
However, the Junkers, who were not satisfied, went out of their way to take over 1 million square kilometers of territory, including the Caucasus, so even after the war ended, an additional 1.6 Million people had to remain in the occupation force. If that had been attributed to Ludendorff’s offensive, wouldn’t Germany’s win rate have gone up by 1%?
Damn Junkers.
This time, the picture itself flowed smoothly.
Lenin immediately said that we should start with negotiations without complaining.
Why is the difference in attitude so severe?
Wouldn’t the feeling of negotiating power be different if a German field army was holding out in Luga, 100km away from the capital Petrograd?
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was practically concluded when the German army reached a distance of 50 km from Petrograd.
In any case, it was as if Russia had left the battle line.
Of course, the Russian Provisional Government remains, but they will be dealt with by our new friends, the communists.
So, from the Allies’ perspective, it was safe to say that the Eastern Front was over.
“We must not simply believe that Lenin accepts our conditions.”
Foreign Minister Gottlieb basically liked a trustworthy partner. It was no wonder that he disliked communists and did not want to talk to them.
I also hated commies.
“Jim thinks so too.”
In the first place, commies are not people you can trust and trust.
What did the United States do to communists during World War II?
The communists who were dying because they were pushed out by the Nazis gave out food because they said there was not enough food, factories because there were no factories, trains because there were no trains, whatever they could.
How did the communists respond as a result of such excitement?
Berlin blockade! Korean War! Intervention in the Chinese Civil War! Cold war!
It was truly an animal that repays grace well. Wouldn’t even a bastard repay the favor better than that?
It was the same for the United States, which showed grace in a desperate crisis, but what about Germany, which cut off its own land?
It’s obvious even if you don’t look at it. Don’t you want to crush us?
“But I’m sure those commies won’t be able to care about us for at least three years.”
Why?
Ah, if you want to take power, don’t you think you have to catch the bourgeoisie?
If the Red-White civil war is lost, they will all face the guillotine.
So if we ended the Western Front while the Russians were killing each other, it probably didn’t matter.
“Three years. “Do you have a plan for something?”
Even the compound eye.
Anyway, there are new countries in the East that we will establish. If you arm those friends and tell them to play flag-planting in Russia, which has been devastated by civil war, wouldn’t they be happy and go out?
“You can even have compound eyes. “I just think that when that time comes, I might have to settle the matter with them.”
I had no intention of leaving the communists behind at the end of this war.