V. I. Lenin

Statements Made At The Morning Sitting
Of The Central Committee Of The R.S.D.L.P.(B.)

February 18, 1918 [1]

Minutes

I

Item under discussion: German offensive. A. Lomoy (G. I. Oppokov) moves a proposal to adjourn the debate.

Comrade Lenin objects, but proposes that a five-minute limit
should be set for speakers expressing group opinions.

2

Following a decision to continue the debate, N. I. Bukharin
moves that more speakers should be given the floor.

Comrade Lenin objects to this and proposes that the matter
should be reduced to the dispatch or non-dispatch of a telegram
with an offer of peace, and the pros and cons heard.

Lenin's proposal is adopted.

3

L. D. Trotsky opposes the dispatch of a telegram with an offer
of peace.

Comrade Lenin (speaking in favour of a peace offer). Yesterday's
vote was especially characteristic, with everyone recognising
the need for peace in the event of an offensive but no movement
in Germany.182 There is good cause to believe that the Germans
want an offensive in order to overthrow the Soviet
Government. We face a situation which calls for action. If an
imperialist offensive clearly gets under way, we shall then all
be in favour of defence, and this can be explained to the
people. If an offensive gets under way now, and we explain this
to the masses later, we shall create more confusion than if we
now continue negotiations for an extension of the armistice;
there is no time to lose in this because the masses will never
understand such an approach. Either we wage a revolutionary war
for the sociallsation of land, something the masses can
understand, or we continue the peace negotiations.

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Notes:
[1] The
morning sitting of the Central Committee on February 18, 1918,
discussed the German offensive and the dispatch of a telegram to
the German Government announcing readiness to conclude a peace.

The pretext for the German offensive was Trotsky's refusal to
sign a peace treaty in Brest-Litovsk. At 7.30 p.m. on February
16, 1918, the German Command officially informed the Soviet
representatives at Brest-Litovsk that the ceasefire between
Russia and Germany would be terminated at noon on February 18
and a state of war resumed. Under the Brest-Litovsk armistice
agreement, concluded on December 2 (15), 1917, the parties were
bound to give a seven-day notice of their intention to abrogate
the agreement. The German Command violated this commitment. The
Soviet Government sent a protest to the German Government over
the breach of the armistice agreement, but received no reply. On
the morning of February 18 reports were received that German
troops had gone into action.

At the Central Committee meeting, Lenin's proposal that a
telegram should be sent to the German Government immediately was
opposed by Trotsky and Bukharin; Zinoviev favoured its dispatch. When put to the vote Lenin's proposal got 6 votes with
7 against. It was decided to call the next meeting at 2.00
p.m. the next day, but in view of the unfurling German offensive
it was called on the night of February 18.