The Red Army Flashcards
What happened to the capital of Russia in 1918, and why?
Moved from Petrograd to Moscow - Moscow was more securely inside Red territory
Who fought the Reds in July 1918? How successful were they?
The SRs - an army of 2,000 troops was defeated
What did the Czech Legion do in 1918? What was the impact?
Moved across Russia east to Vladivostok - Trotsky ordered the Legion to be arrested and disarmed, but without success - they took control of Vladivostok and declared it as an allied protectorate on 6 July 1918
What does the experience of the Czech Legion reveal about the strength of the Red Army in 1918?
Too poorly trained to wage war - a professionalised Red Army was needed to secure the Bolsheviks
How successful was the Red Army in January and February 1919?
Completely unsuccessful - swept out of the North Caucasus by the Whites, with 50,000 prisoners taken
Why were the Whites more successful than the Reds at the start of 1919?
They had a more professional officer corps, battle-hardened cavalry (Cossacks), and ammunition, equipment, clothing and boots supplied by the British
How far did Trotsky travel by train during the Civil War?
65,000 miles
Who became the commander of the Reds in the south in August 1919?
Kamenev
What did the Bolshevik Central Committee declare about the Whites in September 1919?
“Denikin’s offensive is an attack on the very existence of the Communist Party”
What were the three main strands to Trotsky’s strategy for the Red Army?
1) Defend the Red Army’s internal lines of communication
2) Deny the Whites the opportunity to concentrate large forces in a single location
3) Prevent the Whites maintaining regular supplies
What did Trotsky use to carry out his strategy for the Red Army and how?
Railways - transport troops quickly and in large numbers to where they were needed
Why was the use of railways a success for the Reds?
They helped to exhaust the Whites and drive them back until they scattered or surrendered, and broke their supply lines
Who led the Red Cavalry? Why were they important?
Simeon Budenny (an ex-tsarist officer)
They rivalled the Cossacks and reversed Denikin’s Moscow Offensive
What was the population of Red-controlled areas in the Civil War? What was the population of White areas?
Reds: 60 million
Whites: 42 million
How did Trotsky ensure that ex-tsarist officers did not lead the Red soldiers astray with their political views?
Attached political commissars to the army, to report on the political correctness of the officers - no military order carried final authority unless a commissar counter-signed it
How did geography benefit the Reds in the Civil War? (Three ways)
They controlled the industrial centres, with access to munitions and resources denied to the Whites
They kept Petrograd, Moscow and the railway network in their hands throughout the war
They could transport their soldiers to wherever they were needed (whereas the Whites were divided)
How did Trotsky use discipline in the Red Army?
The death sentence was imposed for desertion or disloyalty
Officers were no longer elected, and soldiers’ committees were disbanded
What was the Red slogan and why was it so effective?
Everything for the Front!
Referred to the importance of the civil war for the survival of Bolshevik Russia - everyone had a role to play, even if they were not fighting
