Causes Of The Civil War Flashcards
The start of the civil war
There was no declaration of civil war but fighting broke out in the summer of 1918. Peace between Russia and Germany but ww1 still going on the western front
Several other countries got involved with their own reasons for fighting the bolsheviks eg opposition to Russias withdrawal from the war, fear that bs were a threat to their own giv as they aimed to spread international revolution and opposition tot he bolsheviks repudiation of tsarist debts and nationalisation of foreign owned industries
Bolsheviks had seized power by force in Moscow and petrograd in 1918
Opponents on the right could claim could claim the Bs had no right to rule Russia
Those in the centre said they has not submitted to popular elections
Those on the left that they had largely ignored the soviet which had helped place them in power
Bolshevik ideology alienated some groups
Particularly true of the aristocrats and bourgeoisie who stood to lose the most but was also true of some of the left like mensheviks
On the right some still wanted the Tsarist regime
Didn’t necessarily want tn2 back on the throne. Included army officers, some of whom objected to the peace treaty with Germany. Also people who stood to lose land, money and businesses from bs economic and social policies
On the left both the moderates and SRs resented the bs.
Lenin had forced the kadets and right wing SRs out of government, ignored the electorates wishes in the constituent assembly and expelled left SRs from gov after they opposed peace with ger- 2 assassination attempts on Lenin from left
National Minorities
Had been part of the old Russian empire eg Georgians were uncertain that bs promises to grant self determination were true. These groups saw an opportunity in the chaos and uncertainty to fight for independence
Those of limited allegiance to any political party
Used the situation as an opportunity to win old battles and play out local rivalries
Bolsheviks inability to solve economic problems
Loss of Ukraine in the treaty of brest litovsk March 1918 threatened to add to the food shortages that were already exacerbated by distribution problems. There were severe rationing of essentials and the initial euphoria of the collapse of the tsardom had been replaced by a sense of disillusionment