6.3 Reasons For Bolshevik Victory Flashcards
How did the leadership of Lenin help them win
Centralised and unified leadership of Lenin and Trotsky
Inspirational
Political Leadership
Ruthless in conducting the war
What role did war communism
War communism:
- discipline in factories
- food rationing — largest rations going to red army
- all resources went to army
What role did the Cheka play
They terrified ordinary people
Anyone helping the whites would have no mercy
What role did Trotsky play in their win
Trotsky was the only commander - he was commissar of war
Inspiration, restored discipline into the red army- bought back death penalty
Restored conscription to get a large army
Reintroduced traditional officer structure — bought back tsarist officers — to ensure their loyalty, their family was kept hostage
Promoted talented soldiers - these were the best generals
Bolshevik commissar in each army to ensure they followed the party line
Provided support where fighting was fiercest
Decided their strategies
How did control of the central area and railways help them win
Most of the population lived in central areas — easier conscription
Central area had main armaments factories
Trains could move materials quicker
Tsars old arsenal contained lots of ammunition for the Bolsheviks
How did support from the peasantry help them win/ why did they support the Bolsheviks
They supplied soldiers. They supported the Bolshevik because: - decree on land - whites would give land back to nobles -Bolsheviks were lesser of 2 evils
What influence did red/bolshevik propaganda have what propaganda did they use
They fought for a cause - the preservation of the October revolution
This means higher morale and dedication
Whites would take land away from peasants
Foreign invaders would control Russia
How did the lack of unity in the white armies help the Bolsheviks succeed / why was there lack of unity
Whites made up of many political parties — no common cause - no trust
Low morale
Generals would not work together - no coordinated strategy
Lost support of nationalist groups - wanted Russia to be the same as before with boarders
Poor leadership of the white army
They were cruel — little loyalty from soldiers + desertions
High levels of indiscipline
Why was foreign intervention a weakness of the white army
French soldiers didn’t want to fight and mutinied
Japenese wanted territory
This gave Bolsheviks a propaganda opportunity.
They could present themselves as defenders of Russian soil
Why was the whites location a weakness
They were around the edges of the central area
Communication was difficult
Hard to coordinate attacks if the various armies
Thin population - hard for conscription
Didn’t control the railways — had to use poor roads — no telephone links
