and transform these fraternisations into a means of carrying the Revolution from Russia into Germany."
Meanwhile the Generals—Gurko, Brusiloff and others—gave orders to the artillery to shoot at sight any groups of soldiers who were seen to leave the trenches for fraternisation. In fact a large number were killed in this way, and there was a bitter conflict between the infantry and the artillery, the latter being less infected with the revolutionary impulse. But this was unable to stop the fraternisation. It came to an end only when the people realised that fraternisation and cessation of hostilities at the front were liberating large numbers of German troops for the Western front. They began to call it a separate truce, and they saw that it led to no positive results. It lost its ideal significance, and only then, being really discredited in the minds of the people, it died a natural death.
It is difficult at present to give a true estimate of the total results of fraternisation. Only the future historian will be able to estimate its true significance. But at the time all elements in Russia, including the Generals, who regarded it as unmitigated treason, realised that apart from its effects on the Russian army it had a very considerable positive effect in undermining the discipline and organisation of the German army. Early in May, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Russian armies, General Alexeiev, said, in an interview which was published in all the Petrograd newspapers: "Without however shutting our eyes to the immense harm done by this practice of fraternisation, we cannot help coming to the conclusion that it has had a powerful effect on the ranks of the enemy, and that things are not all well with them." General Dragomirov, in an interview published in the "Den" of May 5th, said: "Undoubtedly fraternisation, while having a demoralising effect on our armies, is not without effect on the mood of the German soldier either." Kerenski himself, who referred to the fraternisation as a most deplorable practice which must be arrested at all
