This paper deals with the internal and foreign policy of the Soviet Government during the first months of Soviet rule, between October 1917 and the spring of 1918. The essence of the so-called “Revolutionary Diplomacy” which was adopted by the Soviet Government in this period did not lie in the principles of the Peace Declaration, but in the actions of this Government. The Soviet Government tore up the treaties on the continuance of the war and won broad support from the masses which demanded for peace at that time. On the other hand the Allies could not intervene at once, though they reacted strongly against the peace policy of the Soviet Government. They were obliged to admit the facts that the Soviet peace policy had the overwhelming support of the masses and that they could not disturb the strong movement for peace among the masses.
The policy for general democratic peace, which was adopted by the Soviet Government, met with the disregard of the Allies and the demand for annexation from the Central Powers. At this moment, the political struggle over the peace policy within the Soviet Government and the Bolshevik Party reached its climax. This struggle, which is generally described in terms of the antagonism between Lenin/Bukharin and Trotsky, was actually caused by the disagreement between two wings: Lenin and his followers, and the big radical party organizations such as those of Petrograd and Moscow. The political appeal, “No peace, no war”, was proclaimed by Trotsky in his draft of compromise. The final victory of Lenin was brought about by the start of the attack of the German army. This victory of Lenin, supported by foreign pressure, continued the above-mentioned struggle up to the summer of 1918.
After the conclusion of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty, the Soviet Government made use of the “breathing space” and tried to build a centralized state. But this tactic did not succeed. Therefore, the principal foreign policy of the Soviet Government turned against the armed Powers of both neighbouring Germany in the west and Japan in the east. In its actual policy at this moment the Soviet Government chose compromise with Germany, but did not offer its hand to Japan, who was supported by England and France. This is why the geopolitics centering on Soviet Russia was widely influential.

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