The Civil War, 1918 - 21

Question 1

which political groups formed the Whites

Answer 1

Nationalists
Monarchists

Question 2

who were the Greens

Answer 2

Armed peasants + anarchists who fought the Reds and Whites
- particularly active in Siberia (where allies of SRs were) and Ukraine (where many anarchists were)
- at times supported by the SRs

Question 3

what is anarchism

Answer 3

Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that opposes all forms of authority. It seeks to abolish these institutions

Question 4

what were the 6 reasons for the Civil War

Answer 4

• huge territorial loss from treaty appalled many Russians
• Nationalists + Conservatives opposed + had everything to lost from Bolsheviks’ plans for social change : worker’s influence on industry, peasant seizure of land from landowners
• Left wing groups - Mensheviks + moderate SRs - opposed Bolsheviks dictatorship and abolishing Constituent Assembly - wanted it back
• **Bolsheviks made enemies of the ‘Czech Legion’: 40,000 Czech soldiers controlling the Trans-Siberian Railway
• Nationalists within old Russian Empire wanted to break away from Russian control
• Monarchists wanted to reinstate the Tsar

Question 5

how did the Bolsheviks make enemies of the Czech Legion and how was this a reason for the Civil War

Answer 5

• 40,000 Czech soldiers, from Austro-Hungarian army, captured in WW1
  
  • switched to fight for Russia against Austria and Germany - in hopes to become independent
  • planed to use Trans-Siberian Railway to fight against Germany on the Western Front
  • Bolsheviks didn’t trust Czechs –> tried to take away their weapons
  • Czechs fought back and found themselves controlling the Trans-Siberian Railway

Question 6

who were the 3 White Army Generals

Answer 6

• Kolchak
• Denikin
• Yudenich

Question 7

where was General Kolchak situated during the Civil War

Answer 7

• East: Urals Mountains + Siberia

Question 8

where was General Denikin situated during the Civil War and what were his his military actions

Answer 8

Southern Russia
led the Armed Forces of Southern Russia
1920 :
- led White army close to Moscow (within 240 km) before being forced to retreat by Red Army

Question 9

where was General Yudenich situated during the Civil War and what were his military actions

Answer 9

North-West , based in Estonia
October 1919:
- army almost captured Petrograd, but defeated by Red Army , led by Trotsky

Question 10

what effects did the civil war have on the Bolshevik

Answer 10

• Elimination of opponents- once captured enemy area, Cheka hunted them down
• harsh discipline to ensure **obedience: Red Army deserters were shot. If army retreated = 1in 10 every ten executed
• Ideological victory - strengthened Bolshevik belief in their revolution
• Centralised control - strength belief in highly organised control from centre
• Raised awareness of foreign opposition/risk of invasion - involvement of former allies Britain, France

Question 11

what were the Bolshevik strengths in the Civil war

Answer 11

• War Communism - tackled economic crisis
• Control of central Russia - shorter distances to supply armies
• Good population control - most of Russian population could be conscripted into Red Army
• Good industry control - for weapons + railways
• Good soldier loyalty + discipline - severe punishment
• Effective Propaganda - constant message that Bolsheviks will look after ordinary Russians
• Huge army - 5 million soldiers

Question 12

What were the roles and impacts of Trotsky had on the war?

Answer 12

Organization of the Red Army
- Realised Red Army needed ex-tsarist officers –> held ex-tsarist officers’ families hostage to ensure loyalty
- Commissars Kept strict discipline of troops + spread Bolshevik propaganda
- encouraged soldiers to learn to read and write and taught them Bolshevik principles
- Socialist Military Oath - Red Army swear on oath –> encouraged loyalty

Question 13

How did foreign intervention impact the war

Answer 13

• British, French, US, Japanese soldiers sent to help the White armies + defend allied weapons dumps that were originally sent to help Russia in WW1
• made whites seem stronger than they were
• Bolsheviks use foreign intervention as propaganda :
  -Whites weren’t patriotic
  
  • help Red Army prevent foreign invasion

Question 14

What were the whites main weaknesses

Answer 14

• Far fewer soldiers - 250,000 vs 5 million
• No single military leader
• no shared aims/unity ; monarchists, liberals , left wingers all disagreed in how Russia would run
• Unpopular with workers + peasants
• No Industrial area Control - supplying armies difficult
• Geographically spread out armies - supplying armies difficult