Russian Civil War Overview

War Communism and the Russian Civil War

• Lenin's economic policy of War Communism controlled food production and manufacturing to supply the army.
• The Russian Civil War was fought between 1918 and 1921 between communist (Red) and anti-communist (White) forces.

Reasons for the Whites' Defeat

• The Whites were reliant on foreign assistance for supplies and money, portraying them as an invading army.
• Lack of planning and unity among the Whites, with multiple leaders and goals.
• Communication and geographical distance issues hindered the Whites' efforts.
• The Whites did not control key areas of industry, population, or transport links.
• As a result, their army was smaller and less well supplied.

Consequences of the Russian Civil War

• The Bolsheviks consolidated their control over the country economically and politically.
• The policy of War Communism left the country economically ruined, with collapsed food production and manufacturing.
• Unrest led to strikes, peasant uprisings, and the Tambov and Kronstadt uprisings.
• Approximately eight million people died.
• The Bolshevik Party centralized control over the country and the party.

The Russian Civil War

• The war was triggered by opposition to the Bolsheviks from various groups, including monarchists, anti-communists, and nationalities seeking independence.
• The war was fought between the Red Army (Bolsheviks), the White Army (nationalists and monarchists), and the Green Army (peasants).

Causes of the Russian Civil War

• The Russian Empire's collapse led to nationalist movements seeking independence.
• Political opposition grew towards the Bolsheviks from various groups, including the Social Revolutionaries and the Constituent Assembly.
• The Allies opposed the Bolsheviks' withdrawal from World War I and the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
• Law and order broke down, leading to unrest and opposition.
• Food requisitioning by the Bolsheviks angered the peasants, leading to the formation of the Green Army.

Consequences of the Russian Civil War on International Relations

• The war increased the Soviet Union's suspicion of the capitalist West.
• Lenin pursued a policy of worldwide communist revolution to protect the USSR from future foreign interference.
• This led to a 'Red Scare' in 1920s America, as many feared the spread of communism.

Key Events of the Russian Civil War

• Trotsky became the Commissar for War and took charge of the Red Army in March 1918.
• The Czech Legion rebelled against the Red Army in May 1918.
• Tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed in Yekaterinburg in July 1918.
• Trotsky increased discipline in the Red Army, shooting one in every ten soldiers who retreated.
• The Bolsheviks suffered a setback during the Eastern Front Offensive but eventually forced the Whites to retreat.
• The Red Army stopped General Yudenich's advance on Petrograd and General Denikin's advance on Moscow.
• The Bolsheviks fought a war with Poland between April and October 1920.
• The Whites were finally defeated at the Battle of Perekop in November 1920.
• The Green Army was finally defeated in the Ukraine and Tambov in 1921.

Why the Bolsheviks Won the Russian Civil War

• The Bolsheviks controlled the industrial heartlands and transport links, giving them a strategic advantage.
• They had a strong propaganda machine, using art, posters, and entertainment to spread their message.
• The Bolsheviks introduced conscription, growing their army to five million soldiers by 1921.
• Trotsky introduced harsh military discipline, recruited experienced officers, and used agitprop trains to spread propaganda.
• The Red Terror undermined opposition to the Bolsheviks, executing 50,000 enemies, including the tsar and his family.