Russia and the Great War
~ 1918 ~

 

 

 
1918 - War and Revolution
 

This section will focus on a the events of the Great War, as well as the costs in men and equipment. It was the most devastating conflict the world ever engaged in to that point.  The war would sap the strength of the massive Russian military machine, and plunge the nation into revolution.

With few exceptions noted in parenthesis, all dates given below are according to the Gregorian  Calendar that was used by most of the world during this period.  Additionally, the dates below are color coded depending on where the selected event took place.  All dates in Black took place in Europe, while naval actions will be highlighted in Dark Blue, actions that took place in the Caucasus and Asia will be highlighted in Brown.
 

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January 1918
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 January

 Reported German peace terms cause much concern in Russia and are denounced as annexationist.  The terms state that German occupation of Poland, Courland, Lithuania, and Estonia would be required for peace.

Bolsheveks appoint M. Litvinov as the Plenipotentiary in London.
2 January Soviet Central Committe meets to discuss German peace terms.  They soon denounce the conditions laid down by the Germans.
3 January British ambassador in Petrograd is granted a leave of absence.
4 January Bolshevik government recognizes the independence of Finland.
5 January Turkey sends Russia its peace terms.  They state that Russia must demobilize while Turkey remains armed.  It also would annul any treaties regarding Persia.
7 January Leon Trotsky and Russian peace delegates return to Brest-Litovsk to continue negotiations.
9 January Negotiations continue between Germans and Russians.  Germans refuse Russian request to conduct negotiations in a neutral country.

Bolsheviks issue appeals for volunteers to march against 'the Bourgeoisie of the world.'

10 January Ukraine is recognized as a separate state by both the Central Powers and the Bolsheviks.

British government assures the Russian government that they support the creation of an independent Poland.

11 January Reports of Bolshevik excesses in Sevastopol and Kilia.
12 January Russo-German Peace Conference concludes.

Romanian minister in Petrograd is arrested by Bolsheviks.

13 January Government of Estonia declares its independence.

Japanese dispatch warships to Vladivostok.

14 January Germans warn the Russians that they have reached their limits with regard to peace terms.

Failed assassination attempt of Bolshevik leader V. I. Lenin.

15 January Bolsheviks issue an ultimatum to Romania.  The ultimatum states that Romania is involved in hostile acts against Russians soldiers and must release any soldiers that it has and cease further actions against Russia.  It also ordered the King of Romania to be arrested.  They have 24 hours to comply.
Romanian minister is released.
16 January Central Powers come to tentative settlement with Ukraine.
18 January Bolsheviks send a second ultimatum to Romania demanding the passage of troops through that country.

Germany refuses to withdraw its troops from Russia.

Constituent Assembly meets in Petrograd and denounces the Bolsheviks.

19 January Bolsheviks move against Constituent Assembly and forcibly dissolve it.
21 January Germany announces agreement with Ukraine.  It states that the two nations will resume normal diplomatic and economic relations.  German troops would also be removed from Ukraine as soon as war ends.
22 January Germans report on peace proceedings has notable omissions, Russians protest.
23 January Leon Trotski declares that the policy of the Central Powers is annexationist.
Congress of the Soviets meets in Petrograd.
Bloody riots occur in Moscow.
25 January Romanians and Bolsheviks troops fight at Galatz.
26 January Ukraine declares its total independence.

Provisional Siberian Government is elected by regional government at Tomsk.

27 January Bolsheviks break off diplomatic relations with Romania.
28 January At Lutsk there is heavy fighting between Bolshevik and Ukrainian troops.

Bolsheviks order the Romanian Legation to leave Petrograd.

Civil War erupts in Finland.
Helsingfors is captured by Socialists backed by Russian troops.

February 1918
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 February Ukraine is recognized as an independent state by the Central Powers.
4 February General Alexeiev takes command of Cossacks from Gen. Kaledin.  He leads 30,000 men towards Moscow to stop the Bolsheviks.
5 February First Duma of the Independent Siberian Republic
6 February Germans give ultimatum to Romania.  It states that Romania has four days to enter into peace negotiations.

Within Russia the Bolshevik campaign against the Orthodox church is running into increased opposition.

7 February Civil war in Finland continues.
8 February Paris press reports that Trotsky and Lenin are receiving pay from German agents.
9 February Formal peace is signed between Central Powers and Ukraine.  It states that Kholm district of Poland would be incorporated into Ukraine.
10 February Bolsheviks order the demobilization of Russian army.
Leon Trotsky states that Russia is not at war with the Quadruple Alliance despite signing no formal peace treaty.
11 February Polish Cabinet resigns in protest against Ukraine treaty.
13 February General Alexeiev's army is defeated by the Bolsheviks.
General Kaledin commits suicide.
18 February End of Russian Armistice
German army crosses the river Dvina and moves towards Dvinsk and Lutsk.  Another force moves against Bolsheviks in Ukraine.

Russians evacuate Armenia as Turks close to within 8 miles of Trebizond.

Most of southern Finland is under Bolshevik control
General Mannerheim gathers army (the White Guards) in northern Finland to fight the Bolsheviks.

19 February Germans occupy Dvinsk and Lutsk.  They also enter Estonia and move towards Petrograd and Reval.

Bolsheviks formally declare their willingness to sign the peace conditions dictated at Brest-Litovsk.

Austria-Hungary and Ukraine sign agreement stating that Kholm district of Poland will not necessarily be absorbed by Ukraine.

20 February German army meets little resistance in Russia as it advances towards Kiec, Moscow, Petrograd, and Reval.  They soon occupy Hapsal and Minsk.
Finnish White Guard is reinforced by German troops.
21 February New peace terms for Russia are drafted by Germans.
German troops close to within 60 miles of Reval.
24 February Russia accepts the German peace terms.

Bolsheviks capture Novocherkask, the capital of the Don Cossack lands.

25 February Germans occupy Reval and Pskov.  They also reach Zhitomir in Ukraine.
27 February Ukrainian Central Soviet accepts the treaty between Germany and the Ukrainian Rada.

Japan proposes military actions in Siberia.

28 February Bolshevik delegates return from Brest-Litovsk.

Germans continue their advance in the Ukraine, as Austrians invade Ukraine north of the Pruth river.

Pripet flotilla is captured.

March 1918
 

 

2 March Kiev is captured by the Germans as Austrians continue to advance into Ukraine.

Romania agrees to negotiate for peace on the basis of demands issued by the Central Powers.

3 March Treaty of Brest-Litovsk is signed.
Russia's involvement in the Great War ends.

 

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