Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 26 - From Marx to Mao

SECOND ALL-RUSSIA CONGRESS OF SOVIETS253ended by one side. We are proposing an armistice for threemonths, but shall not reject a shorter period, so that theexhausted army may breathe freely, even if only for a littlewhile; moreover, in all the civilised countries national assembliesmust be summoned for the discussion of the terms.In proposing an immediate armistice, we appeal to theclass-conscious workers of the countries that have done somuch for the development of the proletarian movement. Weappeal to the workers of Britain, where there was the Chartistmovement, to the workers of France, who have in repeateduprisings displayed the strength of their class consciousness,and to the workers of Germany, who waged the fightagainst the Anti-Socialist Law and have created powerfulorganisations.In the Manifesto of March 14, 105 we called for the overthrowof the bankers, but, far from overthrowing our ownbankers, we entered into an alliance with them. Now wehave overthrown the government of the bankers.The governments and the bourgeoisie will make everyeffort to unite their forces and drown the workers’ andpeasants’ revolution in blood. But the three years of warhave been a good lesson to the masses—the Soviet movementin other countries and the mutiny in the German navy, whichwas crushed by the officer cadets of Wilhelm the hangman. 106Finally, we must remember that we are not living in thedepths of Africa, but in Europe, where news can spreadquickly.The workers’ movement will triumph and will pave theway to peace and socialism. (Prolonged applause.)Izvestia No. 208, October 27,Report published according1917, and Pravda No. 171, to the Pravda text,November 10 (October 28), 1917decree according to theIzvestia text