War chronicle · November · Petrograd, Russia
Russia’s revolution rolls on
The communists are in power as the Russians exchange world war for civil war.
The political chaos in Russia has worsened. The Provisional Government struggles to hold on to power, and the army is increasingly demoralised and unreliable. One final attempt to attack the Germans in July backfires badly, with many units refusing to fight. Thousands of soldiers simply desert.
On 7 November, the hard-line communist Bolsheviks seize control of Petrograd (modern-day St Petersburg) and overthrow the Provisional Government. The Bolsheviks are led by Vladimir Lenin and committed to withdrawing Russia from the war.
The communists negotiate an armistice with the Central Powers in December. Talks on a peace treaty begin. The Germans drive a hard bargain, and Lenin has to surrender vast amounts of territory in exchange for peace.
But while one war ends another begins. Civil war breaks out, prolonging the Russians’ suffering for many more years.