Fact Finder - History

In 1917, the Russian Empire collapsed under the weight of war casualties and economic ruin, leading to the Bolshevik Revolution. The new communist government, led by Vladimir Lenin, sought an immediate exit from World War I. This resulted in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, a peace agreement with the Central Powers. The terms were exceptionally harsh: Russia ceded vast territories, including Ukraine, the Baltic States, and parts of Poland and Finland, losing roughly 25% of its population and 90% of its coal mines. For Germany, this was a massive strategic victory, as it eliminated the 'Two-Front War' and allowed them to move nearly a million soldiers to the Western Front for a final, desperate offensive before American manpower could arrive in full force.