<!:TITLE=World War I: 1917><l:lexpage><l:lexhead>World War I: 1917<l:/lexhead>
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<l:h1>The Russian revolution:<l:/h1>
The Russian people hated <l:ep_tsar_nikolaj> and his german wife Alexandras. Furthermore millions of soldiers had been killed in the war and the people lacked food. In February 1917 the revolution broke out and the Tsar were overthrown and replaced by a temporary government.
<l:eh_p_tsar>
The new Russian government gave orders to attack the german troops but it was hopeless and thousands deserted. In this chaos Vladimir Lenin started the October revolution and declared that Russia would make peace with Germany. Germany were now able to concentrate its troops on the western front.
<l:h1>USA enters the war:<l:/h1>
The Triple Entente got a new and powerfull allied when USA in April declared Germany war. There were two main reasons for USA to enter the war. First - german submarines had been sinking american transportships headed for England. And second - Arthur Zimmerman the german Foreign Minister suggested that Mexico should be helped in attacking USA.
<l:eh_p_usa>
<l:h1>The western front:<l:/h1>
The French army made mutiny and General Nivell were fired. The new commander General Pétain reestablished diciplin by executing deserting soldiers.
England won small victories at Vimy (April) and Messines (June). But at the third battle at Ypres they fought under the worst conditions in the war. More than 400,000 were killed and they only won 800 meters of mud.
In October Italy was defeated in the battle at Caporetto. The Italien army had to give up the Isonzo-front and pulled back in panic.
<l:h1>Middle East:<l:/h1>
Only in Turkey the Allied had success in 1917. In March they conquered <l:ec_bagdad> and took control of most of the Middle East. An arabian attack on the Hejaz-Railroad was conducted by "Lawrence of Arabia" breaking off the Turkish supply line. Furthermore a great number of turkish soldiers who were supposed to protect the railroad were captured. In November General Allenby beat the turkish army at Beersheba and conqured <l:ec_jerussalem>.
