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isaac-deutscher-the-prophet-armed-trotsky-1879-1921

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CHAPTER XI<br />

The Drama of Brest Litovsk<br />

'THIS government would consider it <strong>the</strong> greatest crime against<br />

humanity if <strong>the</strong> war were to be continued solely in order to<br />

decide which of <strong>the</strong> strong and wealthy nations should dominate<br />

<strong>the</strong> weak ones .... This government solemnly declares its resolution<br />

to conclude at once a peace ... equally just to all nations<br />

and nationalities without exception.'' In tht:se words Lenin's<br />

peace decree, adopted on 2G October by <strong>the</strong> Congress of <strong>the</strong><br />

Soviets, formulated <strong>the</strong> essence of Bolshevik foreign policy.<br />

Only that peace would be just that allowed all occupied and<br />

subject peoples, whe<strong>the</strong>r in Europe or on o<strong>the</strong>r continents, to<br />

determine <strong>the</strong>ir own fate in free votes, taking place after <strong>the</strong> withdrawal<br />

of all occupation armies. Having put forward this bold<br />

peace aim, which could be attained only through <strong>the</strong> overthrow<br />

of all colonial empires, Lenin cautiously added that <strong>the</strong> Soviets<br />

were prepared to join in peace talks even if <strong>the</strong>ir programme<br />

was not accepted-<strong>the</strong>y were willing to consider any alternative<br />

terms. For itself, <strong>the</strong> Bolshe\'ik government stood for open<br />

covenants openly arrived at; and it would <strong>the</strong>refore publish and<br />

declare null and void <strong>the</strong> secrrt imperialist treaties concluded<br />

by previous Russian governments. This message, as Lenin explained<br />

to <strong>the</strong> Congress, appealed to <strong>the</strong> governments as well as<br />

<strong>the</strong> peoples of <strong>the</strong> belligerent countries. Implicitly, it called on<br />

<strong>the</strong> peoples to rise against <strong>the</strong> existing governments, and expressly<br />

it urged those governments to arrange an immediate<br />

armistice. The central dilemma of Bolshevik foreign policy and<br />

<strong>the</strong> germ of <strong>the</strong> Brest Litovsk tragedy were contained in this<br />

double appeal.<br />

"Var-weary Russia received <strong>the</strong> decree on peace with a gasp<br />

of relief. The governments and <strong>the</strong> patriotic opinion of France<br />

and Britain replied with an outcry of indignation. The allied<br />

ambassadors and <strong>the</strong> heads of allied military missions in Russia<br />

had been more or less aware of Russia's incapacity to wage war. 2<br />

1<br />

Lenin, Sochinen;·a, vol. x.xvi, p. 218.<br />

:i M. Paleologue, La Russie dts Tsars, vol. iii, pp. 265, 280, and passim, ~ir George<br />

Buchanan, /l.1y Mission to RusJia, vol. ii, p. 228 and /Jassim. As early as on 1 April<br />

1917, i.e. before Lenin's arrival in Russia, PalCologuc watchrd a paradt' in which

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