Agreeing to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a misjudgement by the Bolsheviks.’ How far do you agree?

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, signed in March 1918, marked the end of Russia's involvement in World War One. The terms of the treaty were undeniably harsh, forcing Russia to cede vast swathes of territory and pay crippling reparations. This has led many historians to argue that agreeing to the treaty was a misjudgement by the Bolsheviks, weakening their position and ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the Russian Civil War. However, others contend that the Bolsheviks had little choice but to accept the treaty, given the dire circumstances they faced, and that ultimately it served their interests by allowing them to consolidate power and focus on the revolution at home. This essay will examine both sides of the argument before concluding that while the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk carried significant costs, it was not a misjudgement by the Bolsheviks, but rather a necessary evil.

Arguments supporting the view that the treaty was a misjudgement primarily focus on the severity of its terms. Russia lost approximately 30% of its population, over 50% of its industrial capacity, and nearly 90% of its coalfields to Germany and its allies. The loss of Ukraine, Russia's breadbasket, was particularly devastating. Additionally, the financial burden of the reparations further crippled the Russian economy. These losses fueled widespread resentment amongst the Russian populace, including many Bolsheviks, who viewed the treaty as a humiliating betrayal of national interests. The prominent Bolshevik leader, Nikolai Bukharin, for example, denounced the treaty as "a shameful peace" and argued that Russia should continue fighting. The contentious nature of the treaty is evident in the fact that Lenin only managed to secure its ratification by a slim margin within the Bolshevik Central Committee.

Furthermore, signing the Brest-Litovsk Treaty did not bring the peace that the Bolsheviks so desperately craved. While it ended hostilities with Germany, it enraged the Allied Powers, who felt betrayed by Russia's withdrawal from the war. This contributed to their decision to intervene militarily in the Russian Civil War, backing the White forces against the Bolsheviks. The treaty also provided ammunition to the Bolsheviks' domestic enemies, who used it to portray them as weak and willing to compromise Russia's national interests. This contributed to the escalation of the Civil War, which cost millions of lives and devastated Russia.

However, there are strong arguments to be made that accepting the treaty, however unfavorable, was the only realistic option available to the Bolsheviks in 1918. Russia was on the verge of collapse, the army was demoralized and on the brink of mutiny, and the population was war-weary and desperate for peace. Continuing the war would have been suicidal and risked the very survival of the Bolshevik regime, which was still tenuous at this point. Lenin himself acknowledged the difficult choices facing the Bolsheviks when he stated, "To sign a peace now, however harsh its terms, or to wage a revolutionary war." He ultimately decided that preserving the Bolshevik revolution took precedence over territorial integrity.

Moreover, the Bolsheviks were internationalist revolutionaries who prioritized the spread of global communist revolution over the national interests of Russia. From their perspective, the territorial losses were of secondary importance compared to the opportunity that peace provided to consolidate their power and export the revolution abroad. They believed that the imminent collapse of capitalist Europe would render the treaty's provisions meaningless anyway. As historian Richard Pipes argues, "The Bolsheviks signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk not because they had to, but because they wanted to."

In conclusion, while it is undeniable that the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk came at a heavy price for Russia, arguing that it was a misjudgement by the Bolsheviks is overly simplistic. The Bolsheviks found themselves in an impossible situation, facing pressures from all sides. Their decision to sign the treaty was a pragmatic one, driven by a desire to survive and a belief in the ultimate triumph of world revolution. While the treaty undoubtedly had negative consequences, including contributing to the outbreak of the Russian Civil War, it also bought the Bolsheviks valuable time to consolidate their power and ultimately emerge victorious. Therefore, while the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk can be seen as a necessary evil, it was not, in the final analysis, a misjudgement.