September, continued their advance into Russian territory. By the close
of 1917 peace negotiations were in progress between Russia and her
enemies. Russia under Bolshevik control had definitely deserted her
allies.

THE BRITISH IN MESOPOTAMIA.--It will be remembered that the Allied war
plans in 1916 had included the junction of Russian armies operating from
the Caucasus with British troops advancing north from the Persian Gulf.
After the disaster at Kut-el-Amara the British still held the territory
about the mouth of the Tigris. In January, 1917, they began a new
advance up the river in the direction of Bagdad. This time their efforts
proved successful. In February, Kut-el-Amara was retaken from the Turks,
and on March 11 the British entered the city of Bagdad. They also
continued their advance a considerable distance along the Bagdad Railway
and occupied much of the Euphrates valley.

Still more important victories would probably have resulted from this
campaign had it not been for the outbreak of the Russian revolution.
This had the effect of weakening Russian military coöperation, and
finally of removing Russia entirely from the war, leaving to Great
Britain alone the task of dealing with the Turkish armies in Asia. But
the British kept their hold on the city of Bagdad, thus checkmating the
German scheme of a Berlin-Bagdad railway and protecting India from any
offensive on this side.

THE PALESTINE CAMPAIGN.--The year 1917 witnessed still another
military success for the British in Asia. The Turks had made several
attempts to seize the Suez Canal and so inflict a serious blow against
the communications of the Allies with the Far East. To remove, if
possible, the danger of further threats against this vital spot, the