The Civil War 1918-1921

Question 1

trigger of the civil war

Answer 1

• treaty of brest-litovsk

Question 2

factor for red victory

Role of Trotsky

3 points

Answer 2

• Energy, passion,organisational ability;travelled all across the front-trotskys train brought supplies and weapons restoring morale
• reintroduced discipline into the red army (death penalty) (anti-retreat troops) Reintroduced ranks, saluting and pay differences
• brought back tsarist offials and ensured their loyalty by holding their families hostage Turning the Red Army into an effective fighting force

Question 3

factor for red victory

Bolsheviks organisation

3 points

Answer 3

• centralisation: control of the population to ensure bolshevik victory eg Cheka murdered the romanovs to prevent any restoration of the monarchy and use of terror especially after assassination attempt on lenin in 1918 (cheka killed 1/2 million)
• propoganda: portrayed whites allied help as an ideological war against the capitalist invaision
• war communism : Grain requisitioning, nationalisation, private trade banned, labour discipline - all enabled the state to function during the war

Question 4

factory for red victory

opposition weaknesses

3 points

Answer 4

• foriegn intervention: Involvement was unenthusiastic and ineffective; minimal levels of financial/military support
• geographical: divided into 3 fronts with uncoordinated attacks meaning reds could pick their battles, did not have control of major cities so could not conscript
• policies/leaders: all had different aims and different leaders (white leader Kolchak, white leader Denkin, green leader Mahkno, black leader Yudenich) all had unpopular policies

Question 5

white leadership / issues

2 points

Answer 5

• Yudenich, Kolchak, Deniken and Wrangel. All wanted glory for themselves. While trying to defeat the Reds, they were also often in competition with each other.
• White Army forces often behaved with great brutality and cruelty in the areas they controlled. Towns were burned, property destroyed or stolen, and crops and livestock were taken by force. If civilians objected, they faced torture and execution.

Question 6

Who were attached to Red Army units to ensure loyalty to the Bolsheviks?

Answer 6

political commissars and anti-retreat troops

Question 7

1920 red army size

Answer 7

by 1920 red army was at 5 million