The civil war Flashcards
causes and course; the role of Trotsky; the murder of the Tsar; the reasons for the Red victory; government and control in wartime
5 causes of the civil war
Legitimise power
Independence
Brest-Litovsk
Remove opposition
Change of government
How would the civil war legitimise power
Many of the Socialist Revolutionaries thought they were the rightful leader of Russia as they won the Constituent Assembly elections
By defeating them the Bolsheviks would legitimise their power
How would the civil war remove opposition
Bolsheviks thought it better to have a short struggle in a civil war than be fighting opposition for many years
How did Brest-Litovsk cause the civil war
Withdrawing from WW1 meant more German troops would be transferred to the Western front so foreign intervention in the civil war was to get Russia back into WW1
Many people thought Brest-Litovsk was a shameful peace
Why did national minorities get involved in the civil war
They saw it as an opportunity to gain independence
Why did the government cause the civil war
Many people were unhappy with the Bolshevik government with some wanting a democracy of socialist parties while others wanted a return to Tsardom
Who came close to Petrograd in the civil war and when was it
October 1919 Yudenich
Who came close to Moscow and when was it
Denikin 1919 offensive came 320km from Moscow
Who besieged Tsaritsyn and when
Denikin
1918 to try and link armies with Kolchak but was defended by the Red army
How did Trotsky raise morale
Travelled the front lines in his armoured train providing arms and uniforms as well as using special troops to prevent retreat
How did Trotsky turn the Red army into a fighting force
Brought in 50,000 ex-tsarist officers to command and train the soldiers
Discipline e.g. death penalty for desertion and cowardice
How did Trotsky ensure political correctness
Every unit had a political commissar to ensure the troops were fighting for Bolshevik values
How did Trotsky make the Red army bigger
conscription
How many people were in the Red army by the end of the civil war
5 million
When was the Tsar murdered
July 1918
Who murdered the Tsar
Group of radical Bolsheviks in Yekaterinburg in the Urals
Lenin claimed innocence
How may the murder of the Tsar helped the Reds
Removed a figurehead for the whites who were fighting for a return to Tsardom
Who was in Denikin’s army
Kadets and army officers
Who was in Kolchak’s army
Rightists and supporters of a military dictatorship
Why did Kolchak’s army fall
Socialist Revolutionaries staged revolts
Internal quarrels
Red counter-attacks
What 5 factors helped the Reds to win the Civil War
Geography
Unity
Leadership
Support
Propaganda
How did geography help the Reds to win the Civil War
The Reds held the central parts of Russia e.g. Moscow and Petrograd
These areas had the largest populations, the most railways (Moscow was the central railway hub) and the factories which provided armaments
How did unity help the Reds to win the Civil War
They were all fighting for the same cause “peace, land and bread” and to protect the revolution
How did Whites geography hinder them in the Civil war
The different armies were separated by distance making communication and co-ordination of attacks impossible (messages had to be delivered on horse-back)
Held the least populated areas with little resources
How did unity hinder the Whites in the Civil War
The armies were all fighting for different aims e.g. Kolchak’s army wanted military dictatorship while the Komuch wanted a socialist elected government
How did leadership help the Reds to win the Civil War
There was a single command structure with Trotsky as the single leader
Could communicate between fronts and co-ordinate attacks
How did leadership hinder the Whites in the Civil War
Some White officers were extremely harsh causing desertion
There was very little discipline within White armies e.g. Kolchak’s men sold the unform and weapons they were given by foreign armies on the black market
How did support help the Reds win the Civil War
Had peasant support because of the decree on land
Had workers support because of 8 hour working day and decree on workers control of the factories
Had support of the national minorities
Core support of workers and soldiers
How did support hinder the Whites in the Civil War
Did not have support of peasants and many wanted land returned to owners e.g. Kolchak gave land to landowners who had not even owned the land previously
Did not have the support of national minorities as some wanted a return to pre-1917 borders
How did propaganda help the Reds to win the Civil War
Showed Whites as taking the land from the peasants
Showed the Reds as creating a new society for peasants and workers
How did propaganda hinder the Whites in the Civil War
The Reds used the foreign armies of intervention as propaganda
What happened to the government during the Civil War
Increased centralisation
greater party control of the government
How did centralisation and party control of government increase
1917 Sovnarkom gave power exclusively to a small group of Bolsheviks
1919 Politburo became the supreme policy making organ of the government with 7-9 members of the Bolshevik party
What was the role of party congress and how did it diminish
Discussed and voted on the general party programme
after the creation of Politburo in after the 1921 ban on factions policy was very difficult to discuss so its influence decline
What was the role of the central committee and how did it diminish
Debate and vote on party policy
After the creation of Politburo in 1919 its powers were delegated there
How did party obedience increase
500,000 party officials fought in the Civil War making them used to complete obedience and using force
How did general obedience increase
central controls brought in to manage the economy and food shortages
How was terror used
To enforce measures and eradicate opposition
