Russian Civil War & Foreign Intervention

Question 1

Why did the SRs oppose the Bolsheviks?

Answer 1

Right SRs - infuriated by the dissolution of the CA, they fought for power and the reinsitution of Russia’s democratic institutions set up Konuch 500 miles east of Moscow

Left SRs - although many of them aligned themselves with the Bolsheviks, many played an active role in the green armies

Question 2

Why did the white armies oppose the Bolsheviks?

Answer 2

• political conservatives, beloved on property rights (alienating the peasantry)
  Hated Bolsheviks, many received foreign aid
• monarchists

Question 3

Why did the Bolsheviks win the civil war?

Answer 3

• Supported by the peasants and workers
• Trotsky — imposed command structure backed by party hierarchy, used his own skills to drill the red army into an recent organisation (compulsory military service May 1918)
• March 1918 Trotsky invited back ex tsarist officers who were experienced in combat

Question 4

What was the population of the red army?

Answer 4

1 million in the end of 1918, but 5 million in 1921

Question 5

What parts of Russia did the Bolsheviks control?

Answer 5

Controlled the central, north and western areas across Russia including major cities
Had the job of the railway communications, so troops and supplies could quickly be moved
Red areas had main armament factories, tsarist supply depts and artillery parks

Question 6

What was the population of the reds?

Answer 6

70 million

Question 7

What was the amount of tsarist stockpile owned by the reds?

Answer 7

2.5m rifles
12,000 artillery
28m shells

Question 8

What was the geography of the white army?

Answer 8

Whites were scattered around the central area and strategically in weak areas
Isolated from means of manufacturing and relied on foreign supplies
Lacked communication links to messagers on horse were used

Question 9

Total population of the whites?

Answer 9

20 million

Question 10

What were the flaws in the white leaders?

Answer 10

General Kolchack — poor
administrator, thin-
skinned, Had a force of 150,00 men – pushed the Red Army back 250 miles. Summer 1919 – his forces were broken &
driven back. By early 1920, he was
defeated

Denikin — Had a force of 150,000, Summer-autumn 1919 his forces advanced to within 250 miles from
Moscow, March 1920 – his forces were pushed back so he resigned