Second Russian Republic (Our Place in the Sun)

The Second Russian Republic, officially the Russian Republic (Russian: Российская республика) was the government of Russia from 1918 until 1937. It was formed toward the end of the Russian Civil War and replaced the first republic, which had collapsed due to the October Revolution. The second republic's institutions and political structures were stronger than those of the first republic, but it still lacked popular legitimacy throughout its lifespan and in many ways was a failed state. It failed to resolve the internal issues which led to the rise of the Bolsheviks and the civil war in the first place, so it was characterized by political instability and turmoil throughout most of its lifespan. Ultimately, it was this instability and uncertainty that allowed Joseph Stalin to rise to power in 1937 and dissolve the republic entirely.

Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War began in November 1917 and engulfed Russia in conflict for nearly two years before it came to an end. The war invited a good deal of outside influence because many countries had a preferred outcome that they wanted to see happen. For the Germans and the British, this outcome was a victory for the Whites and the end of the communist revolution. For the French during the Frossard government, this was a victory for the Reds. The first republic collapsed almost immediately as most of its government officials were arrested within the first week of the civil war, leaving a political vacuum that, initially, the Bolsheviks filled.

About a year later, as the war began to move toward a conclusion, the pro-republican Whites reasserted power over most of the country. Additionally, the Germans had intervened in late 1918 and captured or killed many communist leaders, including Vladimir Lenin, causing the swift collapse of the Bolshevik government. As the Whites consolidated their control over these areas, Alexander Kerensky proclaimed a second republic on 1 November 1918, which was to become the new governing body of Russia after the war came to an official end. Many important members of the old government became members of his cabinet.

Kiev Accords
See also: Treaty of Kiev (Our Place in the Sun)

Once the war was nearly over, many breakaway states which had supported the republic against the Bolsheviks began to demand independence. The White army broke apart and the second republic found itself unable to resolve the issue through diplomatic means. With the Bolsheviks defeated and the threat of renewed hostilities between Russia and its breakaway states continuing to grow, the Germans called for a peace conference to be held in Kiev. The result of this conference was the Treaty of Kiev, signed on 2 February 1919, which forced the republic to acknowledge the independence of most of its breakaway states in exchange for vast British and German economic support in rebuilding Russia.

Siberian War
See also: Siberian War (Our Place in the Sun)

Absent from the Kiev Accords was the government of Siberia, headed by Alexander Kolchak. Kolchak considered his government to be the rightful government of Russia and had declared himself Supreme Leader of Russia. As such, he refused to negotiate at Kiev, instead opting to call for a temporary ceasefire in early 1919 until the negotiations were completed, after which point he would decide what further action was necessary. When the final treaty was signed, he denounced it and resumed hostilities with the second republic in a brief war that lasted only 4 months (5 February 1919-7 June 1919) before his government was overthrown by a coup lead by his close associates Pyotr Vologodsky and Anatoly Pepelyaev. After the coup, Siberia gave up all claims of sovereignty over the Russian nation and the two governments officially recognized one another.