1919: Britain's forgotten war on Russia
As celebrations commenced at the signing of the General Armistice that ended the First World War, the British army, among others, decided to continue hostilities, this time against the new Soviet Republic of Russia. Steve Guy tells the story of this shady episode in British history.
When the Russian revolution finally toppled the Tsarist autocracy in November 1917 and swept Lenin and the Bolsheviks into power, one of their first acts was to seek a peace settlement with the Central Powers, Germany and Austro-Hungary. In December an armistice was signed, formally ending hostilities on the Eastern Front.