The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: Lenin's Peace with Germany

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: Lenin's Peace with Germany

In March 1918, the Bolsheviks signed a separate peace with the Central Powers that cost Russia a third of its European territory. This episode explores the bitter negotiations at Brest-Litovsk, where Leon Trotsky faced off against German General Max Hoffmann. We cover the internal party struggle—Lenin arguing for immediate peace against 'Left Communists' like Nikolai Bukharin who wanted revolutionary war. The treaty ceded Ukraine, Finland, the Baltics, and parts of Belarus and the Caucasus, effectively dismantling the Russian Empire. We also discuss the role of the Ukrainian People's Republic and its own peace deal with the Central Powers. The episode examines how this 'obscene peace' bought the Bolsheviks time but fueled opposition from the Whites and Allied powers. We touch on the treaty's collapse in November 1918 and its long-term consequences for Eastern Europe. #BrestLitovsk #TreatyOfBrestLitovsk #LeonTrotsky #VladimirLenin #MaxHoffmann #NikolaiBukharin #LeftCommunists #UkrainianPeopleRepublic #CentralPowers #RussianRevolution #Bolsheviks #WorldWarI #PeaceNegotiations #EasternFront #Ukraine #Finland #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The October Revolution: Storming the Winter Palace

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the pivotal October Revolution of 1917, focusing on the dramatic storming of the Winter Palace in Petrograd. They explore the planning by the Military Revolutionary Committee under Leon Trotsky, the role of the cruiser Aurora, and the relatively small-scale violence that marked the Bolshevik seizure of power. Listeners will learn about the key figures like Vladimir Lenin, who famously declared 'The time has come!', and the composition of the Red Guards and sailors from Kronstadt. The episode also touches on the immediate aftermath, including the formation of the Sovnarkom and the initial decrees on land and peace. A nuanced look at a mythologized event. #OctoberRevolution #WinterPalace #Bolsheviks #LeonTrotsky #VladimirLenin #Petrograd #AuroraCruiser #RedGuards #KronstadtSailors #MilitaryRevolutionaryCommittee #Sovnarkom #DecreeOnLand #DecreeOnPeace #RussianRevolution #1917 #EasternEurope #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Cheka's First Mass Execution: The Red Terror Begins

In September 1918, the Bolshevik Cheka carried out its first mass execution, shooting 512 prisoners in Petrograd and Moscow. This episode explores the origins of the Red Terror, triggered by the assassination of Moisei Uritsky and the attempted assassination of Lenin. We discuss the Cheka's founding, its leaders Felix Dzerzhinsky and Yakov Sverdlov, the legal framework of the terror, and the specific events of August 30–September 5, 1918. We also examine the human toll: the executed included former tsarist ministers, Socialist Revolutionaries, and ordinary civilians. The episode draws on eyewitness accounts and recent scholarship to reveal how the terror was planned and justified. Listeners will learn about the role of the Cheka's Petrograd chief, the execution of Professor Mikhail Tikhvinsky, and the controversial figure of Moses Uritsky. This is a focused look at a pivotal moment when revolutionary violence became systematic. #Cheka #RedTerror #FelixDzerzhinsky #MosesUritsky #Lenin #Bolsheviks #Petrograd #Moscow #PoliticalRepression #RussianRevolution #1918 #SocialistRevolutionaries #YakovSverdlov #MassExecution #Terror #SovietHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Imperial Russian Army Collapse of 1917

In the summer of 1917, the Russian Army disintegrated from within. This episode follows the story of General Lavr Kornilov, the failed coup that bears his name, and the breakdown of discipline along the Eastern Front. Lucas and Luna explore how Order No. 1, the Petrograd Soviet, and the rise of soldiers' committees destroyed the old command structure. They discuss the Kerensky Offensive, the Kornilov Affair, and the role of the Bolsheviks in accelerating the collapse. Specific figures include Alexander Kerensky, Lavr Kornilov, Mikhail Krymov, and Boris Savinkov. Key locations: Petrograd, Stavka at Mogilev, the Northern and Southwestern Fronts. The episode examines the July Days, the Moscow State Conference, and the Kornilov's march on Petrograd that never happened. It ends with a reflection on how military disintegration paved the way for the October Revolution. #RussianRevolution #KornilovAffair #Kerensky #JulyDays #OrderNo1 #PetrogradSoviet #Stavka #Mogilev #EasternFront #KerenskyOffensive #MikhailKrymov #BorisSavinkov #RussianArmyCollapse #1917 #FexingoHistory #History #WWI #MilitaryHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Red Terror: Bolshevik Repression After the Revolution

In this episode, Lucas and Luna delve into the Red Terror of 1918, the Bolsheviks' campaign of political repression during the Russian Civil War. They explore the origins, key figures like Felix Dzerzhinsky and Yakov Sverdlov, and the use of terror as a state instrument. The conversation covers the Cheka's mass executions, the hostage system, and the impact on the population, including the murder of the Romanovs. Specific events like the executions in Petrograd and Moscow are discussed, along with the legal framework of the decree 'On Red Terror'. The episode also touches on the historiography and how later Soviet leaders, including Stalin, built on these methods. #RedTerror #Bolsheviks #RussianCivilWar #Cheka #FelixDzerzhinsky #YakovSverdlov #Petrograd #Moscow #Romanovs #PoliticalRepression #1918 #SovietHistory #RussianHistory #Terror #Lenin #History #FexingoHistory #EasternEurope Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]