74.17 The Final Gamble, 1918

A History of Europe, Key Battles

Carl Rylett

History

4.4 • 756 Ratings

🗓️ 8 September 2023

⏱️ 22 minutes

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Summary

After the Russian withdrawal from the frontlines following the October revolution, the treaty of Brest-Litovsk is negotiated between Germany and Russia.

The Germans sought to conclude war on the Eastern Front as quickly as possible, while at the same time trying to establish an informal empire in east-central Europe, one composed of newly independent nation states on Russia’s western periphery. However, back on the German home front, after four harsh winters and widespread hunger, political unity was fraying, and riots and strikes occurred across the country.

Everything now depended on the success or failure of a German Spring Offensive on the western front.

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Picture - German Spring Offensive - British Lewis gun team at the Battle of Hazebrouck 1918

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to a history of Europe, Geabattles podcast.
0:25.8	My name is Cardo Eilat, and today I'll be continuing the story of the First World War.
0:33.3	So far we've talked about the origins of the First World War and the conduct of the war up until the end of 1917.
0:42.3	Today we move on to the final year of the war, 1918.
0:46.3	The On the 22nd of December, 1917, a peace conference began of the fortress city of Brest-Litovsk, then the German military headquarters on the Eastern Front.
1:12.6	In attendance on one side were 14 of the high-ranking delegates of the central powers,
1:18.6	with representatives from Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria.
1:24.6	On the other was the delegation of Bolsheviks, a radical left-wing group which had just
1:30.2	recently seized control of St. Petersburg. The latter consisted of 28 members, including workers,
1:37.6	soldiers, sailors, women and a peasant. The Germans and their allies had never seen anything
1:43.8	like it at a formal diplomatic meeting.
1:47.0	The Germans sought to conclude while on the Eastern Front as quickly as possible, while at the same time trying to establish an informal empire in East Central Europe.
2:00.0	One composed of newly independent nation-states
2:03.6	on Russia's western periphery, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia, Kourland, Finland,
2:11.6	Livonia and Bessabia, whose future would then be controlled by Germany.
2:23.5	The leading Bolsheviks had differing ideas about how best to proceed.
2:29.2	Lenin assessed the situation pragmatically and favoured a peace agreement at any price in order to stabilise the Bolsheviks hold on Russia.
2:33.3	Others were optimistic about a socialist revolution
2:36.3	breaking out in war-weary nations across Europe
2:39.5	and that therefore, in the meantime, they should play for time.
2:44.6	The German delegation were impatient,
2:47.1	who were particularly keen for Ukraine to quickly gain independence
	...

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