20th Century Wars Flashcards
Economic Causes
Russian Civil War 1918-21) (4
Outdated Economy:
- Serfdom till 1861
- Lack of Technology
- 1.5% of the population owned 25% of land
- By 1916, inflation was at 200%
Economic Causes
Algerian War 1954-62) (4
- Pied Noirs owned 30% of arable land and dominated the agricultural industry
- 90% of wealth in hands of 10%
- 1 million unemployed Muslim Algerians
- Benjamin Stora: French had invested heavily into Algerian oil, mining and nuclear power
Political Causes
Russian Civil War 1918-21) (4
Treaty of Brest Litovsk (1918):
- Forced to renounce claims to Finland, Ukraine and Baltic States
- Lost 1 million miles, 50 million civilians (1/3 of population) and 27% of farm land
- Some joined the whites in protest of the treaty and the allies intervened
- Mawdsley: main cause for division
Political Causes
Algerian War 1954-62) (5
- WW1 Nationalist movement - 173.000 Algerians became exposed to democracy. Northern Star.
- The rejection of the Violette plan and the Manifesto of Algerian People (1943)
- VE celebrations in Setif (6,000 killed).
- Weak French government - 20 between 1945-54 and encouraged my Mao and Vietnam. UN and Atlantic Charter.
- French determined not to lose again
Social/Ideological Causes
Russian Civil War 1918-1921) (4
- The Bolsheviks closed the Provincial Government and the Assembly leading to anger from the Mensheviks and the Social Revolutionaries who were in control.
- Ban of all political parties
3 Fear of Communism - Execution of the Tsar in 1918
Social/Ideological Causes
Algerian War 1954-62) (4
- History of resistance e.g Abd al Qadir and not until 1897 that French in full control of coast and mountains
- Muslims treated as subjects (alien and inferior) rather than citizens
- Arabic replaced by French as the official language and French law replaced Islamic law. 75% of Muslim population illiterate
- Muslims held only eight out of more than 800 higher-level posts.
Importance of Technology
Russian Civil War 1918-21) (3
- Reds were also in charge of main railway hubs. Red’s could therefore move troops/ammunition from front to front rapidly.
- British engagements were some of the first engagements to coordinate land, sea, and air powers in combat while assaulting the battery at Mudyug Island.
- The Russian civil war was the birthplace of the Tachanka. A heavy machine gun mounted on a regular horse carriage, there vehicles brought an unequalled combination of mobility and firepower to the wide-ranging battles of the Russian civil war and the Russo-Polish war.
Importance of Technology
Algerian Civil War 1954-62) (3
- Helicopters enabled the French to transport and extract troops on a short notice rapidly e.g 120 helicopters moved 21,000 troops per month
Helicopters were also effective at reconnaissance - The Mourice Line consisted of an electrified fence, anti personnel mines, artillery and 80,000 soldiers at the Tunisian border. This prevented the FLN from obtaining supplies and led to French victory - ALN losing 3,200 per month compared to French’s 350
- Beau G. Rollie:“helicopters were decisive in achieving military superiority, but the advantages gained did not translate to strategic success”
Importance of Foreign Intervention
Russian Civil War 1918-21) (3
- Admiral Kolchak establishes relations with the Allies in order to receive aid but British (7,500) and French (15,000) leave by 1919 due to WW1 armistice.
- Allies set up a blockade and provided whites with superior equipment and weapons.
- Mawdsley: armistice was a turning point as allies no longer needed to support whites to win the war. ‘foreign intervention was half hearted and militarily ineffective.’
Importance of Foreign Intervention
Algerian Civil War 1954-62) (6
- Process of decolonisation around the world was accelerating which influenced De Gaulle’s decisions
- 42,000 terrorist attacks in France, claiming 2,800 civilian lives
- FLN received support from Morocco and Tunisia which had received their independence in 1956 and 1957. They also were supported by Egypt
- Limited impact of the Cold War (Suez Crisis)
- Kidnapping of Ben Bella from Moroccan aircraft provoked international criticism
- Beau G. Rollie: The will of the French people and the international community decided the outcome of the
conflict in Algeria. (FOREIGN INTERVENTION)
Importance of Propaganda
Russian Civil War 1918-1921) (4
- Reds were able to portray themselves as the patriotic party, fighting against the “puppets” of foreign invaders
- Foreign forces had just finished WWI, low morale, rarely involved in fighting. France left by April 1919
- Agitprop (agitation propaganda) trains, river steamers, and theatre
- Robert Service: Lenin portrayed as a hero
Importance of Propaganda
Algerian War 1954-62) (5
- Week of the Barricades and the OAS showed that the French had lost Algerian support
- FLN were able to gain international support from Arab, Asian and Communist nations
- Voice of Fighting Algeria Radio station and setup revolutionary schools
- Promised extensive reform
- Alexander M: emphasises the skilled use of media opportunities by the FLN
Importance of Economic and Human Mobilization
Russian Civil War 1918-1921) (6
- Red Army did not exist in March 1918, but by 1920 → 5 million members. Meanwhile the largest combined number of men the whites had was 500,000
Figes: This was the most important factor - White forces had many experienced officers but Trotsky hired 50,000 former Tsarists to help and ensured their loyalty with Bolshevik political commissars and kidnapping
- Despite Allied blockade Red Army had access to Russian ‘heartland’ with industry + large pop.
- White armies had to rely on Allies for most of their weaponry
- Reds were also in charge of main railway hubs. Red’s could therefore move troops/ammunition from front to front rapidly
- Leadership of Trotsky also helped: Trotsky essentially lived from front to front, traveling 65,000 miles during war while Whites were divided e.g Kolchak’s coup in 1918 against socialists (Swain: most important)
Importance of Economic and Human Mobilization
Algerian War 1954-62) (6
- 1956: French had 400,000 to FLN’s 30,000.
1960: French had 500,000. - Successful blockade by French navy. France was closely located to Algeria so was able to easily send supplies and men
- French implemented a successful quadrillage strategy through the Challe Plan 1959 (west to east)
- The FLN were able to hide amongst the civilian people and had the local knowledge of terrain
- 250,000 fled to escape refugee camps but many were later recruited by FLN
- Gilly: “It was the whole population” that defeated the French
Importance of the use of Repression
Russian Civil War 1918-1921) (6
- Cheka were set up 1917 Dec after Lenin’s assassination attempt In March 1918 → Cheka had 120 employees, by 1921 → 143,000
- Cheka not restricted by law, executed opponents w/out trial (killed 50,000 in 1918). Concentration camps/ Gulags set up in 1918 during civil war → opposition/suspects sent
- Opposition press was shut down → Pro-Bolshevik propaganda spread through media
- Tsar family executed at Yekaterinburg July 1918
- Harsh requisitioning of food through “War communism”/ May 1918: Food Dictatorship - peasants were forced to give up their food. Growth of greens
- Michael Melancon: “unnecessary violence that alienated much of the population”