THE BOLSHEVIKI.—­Bolsheviki (b[=o]l-sh[)e]v’e-kee) is the name given to the extreme socialistic party in Russia.  From the beginning they had opposed the control of affairs by the moderate revolutionists under Kerensky.  At last, in the fall of 1917, helped by the depression caused by the German advance and by the strikes and food riots which once more broke out in the capital, they succeeded in winning over to their side the Petrograd garrison and the navy, and drove Kerensky from the city (November 7).  Their revolt was led by two of the most extreme members of the party, Lenine and Trotzky, who had at their disposal large sums of money furnished by Germany.

No sooner were the Bolsheviki in control than they announced themselves in favor of an immediate peace.  They proclaimed that all the land should at once be divided among the peasants.  When the new representative assembly met to make a constitution, it was found to be too moderate to suit the Bolshevik leaders, who dispersed it before it could accomplish anything.  The rule of Lenine and Trotzky promised to be even more tyrannical than anything that had preceded it in Russia.

[Illustration:  EUROPEAN BATTLE FRONTS End of 1917]

Meanwhile the Bolsheviki had arranged for an armistice with Germany with a view toward immediate negotiations for peace.  This arrangement for the cessation of military operations became effective December 7.  In spite of its provisions, however, the Germans, who had taken Riga (ree’ga) in September, continued their advance into Russian territory.  By the close of 1917 peace negotiations were in progress between Russia and her enemies.  Russia under Bolshevik control had definitely deserted her allies.

THE BRITISH IN MESOPOTAMIA.—­It will be remembered that the Allied war plans in 1916 had included the junction of Russian armies operating from the Caucasus with British troops advancing north from the Persian Gulf.  After the disaster at Kut-el-Amara the British still held the territory about the mouth of the Tigris.  In January, 1917, they began a new advance up the river in the direction of Bagdad.  This time their efforts proved successful.  In February, Kut-el-Amara was retaken from the Turks, and on March 11 the British entered the city of Bagdad.  They also continued their advance a considerable distance along the Bagdad Railway and occupied much of the Euphrates valley.

Still more important victories would probably have resulted from this campaign had it not been for the outbreak of the Russian revolution.  This had the effect of weakening Russian military cooeperation, and finally of removing Russia entirely from the war, leaving to Great Britain alone the task of dealing with the Turkish armies in Asia.  But the British kept their hold on the city of Bagdad, thus checkmating the German scheme of a Berlin-Bagdad railway and protecting India from any offensive on this side.