Repercussions for peace with Germany.
In 1918, even after his success with the revolution, Lenin faced serious problems. For one thing, he angered Russia's former allies who conceived that Russia's departure from WWI would let Germany concentrate more forces against them. Moreover, Lenin planned on nationalizing factories owned by British, French and American businessmen (this distressed the governments of the UK, France, and the United States). Finally, there were the anti-soviet "White" forces, mostly made up of Cossacks (Russian cavaliers) and former Czarist officers. These men vehemently opposed communism, and many dreamed of Czar Nicholas II retaking the throne. These "White" soldiers did not support the peace between Russia and Germany, and they were willing to continue fighting. To make things worse for Lenin, when the White leaders first gathered in Rostov, they "were at once offered $
100,000,000 by the British government and 100,000,000 rubles by the
French government to make war on the Soviet government." (SFP, pg. 76). The allies hoped that if the Whites overthrew the Soviet "Reds," Russia would continue the war against Germany.