After the Bolsheviks took control of Russia, what did they do to get out of the war?
After the Bolsheviks took control of Russia in the October Revolution of 1917, one of their main priorities was to bring an end to Russia's involvement in World War I. To achieve this, the Bolshevik government undertook several steps:
1. Peace Negotiations: The Bolsheviks initiated negotiations with the Central Powers, consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire, in order to secure a peace treaty. They aimed to extract Russia from the war as quickly and favorably as possible.
2. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: The negotiations resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on March 3, 1918. Under this treaty, Russia ceded vast territories, including Finland, the Baltic states, Ukraine, Belarus, and parts of Poland, to the Central Powers. This immense territorial and resource loss was a necessary sacrifice for the Bolsheviks to secure an end to the war and consolidate their power within Russia.
3. Ceasefire and Withdrawal: Following the signing of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty, Russia's military engagement in the war officially ended. A general ceasefire was declared, and Russian troops began a phased withdrawal from the front lines.
4. Civil War: Despite the withdrawal from World War I, Russia descended into a long and brutal civil war between the Bolsheviks (Red Army) and their opponents (White Army) who aimed to overthrow the new regime. The struggle for power in Russia continued until 1922, during which Russia's focus shifted to suppressing internal opposition rather than actively participating in the wider war effort.
To summarize, the Bolsheviks ended Russia's involvement in World War I by negotiating and signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which resulted in significant territorial losses but allowed the new Soviet government to consolidate power and focus on establishing their socialist state.