The Russian Defeat

What was the Russian surrender in 1917?

In October 1917, Bolsheviks (communists) took control of Russia in a revolution. Their leader, Lenin, pulled Russia out of the First World War. An armistice was agreed in December and a peace treaty was signed in March 1918.

What was the impact of the Russian surrender on the First World War?

There were 3 main consequences of the Russian surrender:

• ❖ It ended the Triple Entente, weakening the Allied war effort.
• ❖ It allowed the Germans to transfer hundreds of thousands of troops to the Western Front and launch the Ludendorff Offensive in spring 1918.
• ❖ The peace treaty of Brest-Litovsk gave Germany vast areas of farmland and raw materials which helped in dealing with shortages caused by the Allied naval blockade.