Брестский мир 1918 г. и Беларусь

Abstract

The article "The Brest Peace Treaty of 1918 and Belarus" sheds light on the situation which took shape in European international relations at the end of World War I on the basis of archives and historical literature. It explores the activities of the top leaders of RKP(b) on withdrawing Soviet Russia from the war in the period of the end 1917—the beginning 1918 and preservation of peaceful relations with Germany and its allies in the period from March to November of 1918. The author notes that the Brest Peace Treaty of 1918 showed groundlessness of the Bolshevik's plans of rapid victory of the revolution in Europe and became one of the main factors of the Civil War and foreign intervention in Russia. The article makes a conclusion that it was Germany that became the first country which established full diplomatic relations with Soviet Russia. It reflects the attempts of states of the Four-sided Union (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, the Osman Empire) to change military political situation in Europe during signing the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty of 1918 and afterwards in their favour. It also notes that the victories of Antanta on World War I fronts and the fall of monarchy in Germany created the pre-conditions for the annulment of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty of 1918 and for assuming the offensive actions by the Red Army in the European direction in the period from the end of 1918 to the beginning of 1919. The article analyses the problem of the influence of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty of 1918 on the process of establishment and development of new independent states in Eastern Europe. It states that the non-recognition of the Brest Peace Treaty of 1918 by the members of Belarusian national movement played a decisive role in the proclamation of Belarusian People's Republic and its independence from Russia in March of 1918.