Peace of Riga - Definition and Overview

The Peace of Riga signed on 18th March 1921 between Poland and Soviet Russia ended the Polish-Bolshevik War.

Background

Amidst the Russian Civil War the Poles were eager to retake all the territories of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from their traditional enemy, Russia. The historian J.F.C. Fuller described the Battle of Warsaw as one of the most significant battles ever. If the Bolsheviks had occupied Poland they would have been in a position to come to the aid of German Communists and possibly ensure the success of a Soviet revolution in Germany.

The treaty

The Treaty of Riga led to the stabilization of the eastern border of Poland. The new Polish state was smaller than the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth before the partitions of Poland, but still had sizeable (approx. 6 million citizens) minorities of Ukrainians and Belorusians. Poland also was to receive monetary compensation (30 milion rubles) for its economic input into the Russian Empire during the times of partitions of Poland. Russians were also to surrender pillaged arts and other Polish national treasures.

However, Piłsudski's dream of creating an Eastern Europe alliance (Międzymorze) of independent countries was thwarted by this treaty, as Poland was unable to fulfill the obligations of its alliance with Ukraine and support its independence, and Polish-Lithuanian relations deteriorated as well.