Foreign News: Enter Kerensky

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Meanwhile the Bolsheviki were strengthened by the return of their exiled leaders from Sweden, Switzerland, the U. S. Their strategy was to give expression to a wide spread craving for peace and land. The German general staff so completely understood this that Bolshevik Lenin was hurried from Switzerland across Germany in a sealed railway car. He was injected as a social virus into Russia by Germany.

Between June and November the All-Russian Congress of "People's Committees" or "Soviets," composed of delegates from all over Russia, transferred its support from Kerensky and his Menshevik War party to Lenin and his Bolshevik peace-and-land faction. Bolshevik propaganda in the army and navy caused many of the troops to obey Lenin rather than Kerensky.

Lenin was elected President of a new Cabinet, called the "Council of People's Commissars," and within little more than a month 193 decrees had been issued to give the people land, abolish titles and give the workers control of the factories.

M. Kerensky fled and rallied perhaps 2,000 troops which nearly succeeded in restoring his régime—so nearly without defense was the Lenin faction at first.

1918. Peace was concluded with Germany at Brest-Litovsk and ratified by the Congress of "People's Committees" on such unfavorable terms that the dissenting "Lesser Group" or Mensheviki withdrew in protest from the Congress, henceforth Bolshevik.

Soon Germany collapsed; and there began intervention in Russia by the Great Powers, assisting the "White Russian" or reactionary Tsarist commanders: Kolchak,* Denikin, Yudenich and Wrangel. This at last pushed the Bolsheviki so close to the wall that they began the "Red Terror."

On July 15 the Tsar and his family were expecting to be rescued by Czechoslovak troops who were advancing toward Ekaterinburg, where the Imperial family were imprisoned. The local "People's Committee" ordered the Tsar and his family executed on July 16—one year after his abdication. Fifteen days later, too late, the Czechoslovaks took Ekaterinburg.

1919. The Allied-"White Russian" forces met with such success that at one time 80% of all Russian railways were in their hands.

1920. By the end of this year War Minister Leon Trotzky had built up the "Red Army" sufficiently to harass and wear down the "White Armies" to vanishing white hopes. Denikin was driven from Ekaterinodar and fled to Constantinople. Baron Wrangel retreated to Sevastopol, lost it, and likewise fled—to turn up recently in Belgium, still "White" (TIME, Dec. 27). The "Red Terror," a series of extraordinary measures resorted to in time of stress, crystallized into the still active Soviet secret police.

1921. Britain made her trade agreement with Russia in March. Republican Germany denounced the treaty of Brest-Litovsk and made a more just peace with Russia in May. Other powers followed suit.

Another famine year increased the distress in Russia, but subsequently the Bolsheviki have gradually consolidated their position under Lenin and his successors.

1923. M. Kerensky offered to return to Russia and submit to imprisonment if the Bolsheviki would release from prison certain Mensheviki.