Russian Civil War (1918–1921) NOTES PDF

Russian Civil War (1918–1921) Background 1918: Collapse of the tsarist empire. o Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania declared independence. o Armed resistance to Bolsheviks led to the Civil War. Key Factions 1. Reds (Bolsheviks): Socialist revolutionarie...

Russian Civil War (1918–1921) Background 1918: Collapse of the tsarist empire. o Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania declared independence. o Armed resistance to Bolsheviks led to the Civil War. Key Factions 1. Reds (Bolsheviks): Socialist revolutionaries. 2. Whites: Russian nationalists, monarchists, and conservatives opposing the Bolsheviks. 3. Greens: Peasant militias and anarchists, fought both Reds and Whites. 4. Nationalists: Groups in Finland, Georgia, etc., seeking independence. Causes of the Civil War Opposition to Bolshevik policies: o Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (perceived betrayal). o Social reforms and redistribution of land. o Abolishment of the Constituent Assembly. Monarchists sought to restore the tsar. Middle-class fears of wealth and influence loss. Discontent among left-wing groups (e.g., Mensheviks). Role of the Czech Legion ~40,000 Czech soldiers captured during WWI. Aimed to fight Austrians and Germans with Allied forces. Conflict with Bolsheviks (1918): o Seized control of the Trans-Siberian Railway. o Encouraged anti-Bolshevik forces, supported by Britain and France. Key Events and White Armies 1. Admiral Kolchak (Ural Mountains and Siberia): o Success initially but defeated by a Red counterattack (Summer 1919).  2. General Denikin (Southern Russia): o Advanced near Moscow (~240 km) but defeated by 1920. o Replaced by Baron Wrangel; remnants evacuated from Crimea. 3. General Yudenich (Northwest): o Attempted to capture Petrograd (October 1919); defeated by Trotsky-led Reds. Bolshevik (Red) Strengths 1. Geographical Advantage: Central control, shorter supply lines, population centers. 2. Military Power: o Red Army (over 5 million by 1920) through conscription. o Unity, discipline, and Trotsky’s leadership. 3. Industrial and Transport Control: Railways and factories in central Russia. 4. Propaganda: o Agitprop (plays, films, posters). o Positioned Whites as backward-looking and anti-reform. 5. Strategic Alliances: Temporary truces with Greens and others. Trotsky’s Leadership Mobilized workers and peasants to form the Red Army. Employed ex-tsarist officers under strict supervision (commissars, hostages). Enforced discipline: o Deserters executed; retreating units faced decimation. Political and literacy education for soldiers. Introduced the Socialist Military Oath and Red Banner medal. Weaknesses of the Whites 1. Geographically dispersed; longer supply lines. 2. Limited resources and manpower (~250,000 soldiers). 3. Fragmented leadership; no unified vision. 4. Alienated support: o Poor treatment of peasants.  o Plans to reintegrate non-Russian regions under Russian control. o Perceived as reactionary, threatening worker/peasant gains. Foreign Intervention Support from Britain, France, USA, and Japan. o Provided weapons and troops to Whites (~1919). Withdrew by mid-1919, weakening the Whites. Bolshevik advantage: Used foreign support to rally nationalist sentiment. Outcomes Victory for the Reds: o Strengthened Bolshevik confidence and reliance on force/terror (e.g., Cheka). o Accelerated centralization and destruction of political opposition. Human and Economic Costs: o Millions died; cities depopulated due to food shortages. o Economy severely damaged. Peasant Unrest: o Grain seizures and repression led to widespread protests. o Events like the Kronstadt Mutiny highlighted discontent. Legacy Russia left exhausted, with uncertainty about its future. Bolshevism and Dictatorship in Early Soviet Russia Key Terms Show Trial: A trial conducted to spread a political message. Deported: Forced removal from a country. Totalitarian: Complete control by one organization, e.g., Bolsheviks in post-1917 Russia. Counter-revolutionary: Someone opposing or spreading ideas against the revolution. Restriction of Freedoms December 1917: Non-Bolshevik newspapers banned; Kadet Party outlawed, leaders arrested. June 1918: Arrests of Socialist Revolutionaries (SRs) and Mensheviks. 1921: All political parties except Bolsheviks banned. 1922: Show trial of SR leaders; deported instead of executed to avoid international backlash. The Cheka (Secret Police) Established: December 1917; full name: "Extraordinary Commission to Combat Counter-Revolution, Sabotage, and Speculation." Role: Arrested opposition, ran political prisons, executed perceived enemies (e.g., nobles, priests, middle-class). Evolution: o 1922: Renamed GPU. o 1923: Became OGPU. Tactics: Single-bullet executions, political repression, and running labor camps (later known as the Gulag). Policies and Key Events ‘The Socialist Fatherland is in Danger’ Decree February 1918: Enabled forced labor for those targeted and execution of resistors. The Red Terror Timeline: September 1918 – February 1919. Actions:  o Mass arrests and executions (50,000–140,000 victims). o Concentration camps established (e.g., Solovetsky Islands). Trigger: Civil War and an assassination attempt on Lenin (August 1918 by SR Fanya Kaplan). Legacy: Continued arrests and executions even after its official end. The Kronstadt Mutiny (March 1921) Cause: Sailors protested Bolshevik dictatorship and “War Communism.” Demands: o Secret elections, free press for left-wing parties, trade union freedoms. o End to commissars in the military, grain requisition squads, and trade restrictions. Response: Mutiny crushed by Red Army (led by Trotsky) and Cheka; hundreds executed or sent to camps. Impact: Revealed dissatisfaction and influenced Lenin to alter policies in 1921. Centralized Bolshevik Power From Bolsheviks to Communists March 1918: Bolsheviks renamed "Russian Communist Party (of Bolsheviks)." Vision: Establish a socialist state; resulted in a dictatorship. Lenin’s Role Position: Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars (Sovnarkom). Impact: Centralized power under Communist Party control. Soviet Power Shift Initial Claim: Bolsheviks ruled for soviets. Reality: Power centralized in the Communist Party. Rubber Stamp Soviets: Soviets agreed to Communist decisions without real input. Government Structure Communist Party Hierarchy: o Party Congress → Central Committee → Politburo (key decision-makers like Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin).  Soviet Government: o Local Soviets → All-Russian Congress of Soviets → Council of People's Commissars. Creation of the USSR 1924 Constitution: o Formed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). o Initially included RSFSR (Russia), Byelorussian SSR, Ukrainian SSR, and Transcaucasian SSR. o Centralized control under Communist Party; regions forcibly integrated by Red Army. 1925: Communist Party renamed "All-Union Communist Party (of Bolsheviks)." Nationalisation, War Communism, and the New Economic Policy (NEP) Nationalisation and 'State Capitalism' (1917-18): Lenin's Aim: To create a planned economy controlled by the government. Initial Challenges: o Factories taken over by workers, some loyal to Lenin, others not. o Government issued decrees (Dec 1917, Jan & Apr 1918) to regulate takeovers. o By Aug 1918, 30% of factories were shut, economy faltering. State Capitalism: o Nationalised major industries, banks, and railways; middle-class managers retained for efficiency. o Result: Economy continued to decline, leading to War Communism. War Communism (1918-21): Reasons for War Communism: o Civil War needs: Ensure food and goods production for Red Army. o End capitalism: Abolish money, free market, and social classes. o Food shortages: Loss of Ukraine (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk) and areas controlled by White armies. o Urban population fled to countryside due to food scarcity. Measures and Consequences: 1. Fixed grain price: Peasants hoarded grain; Cheka requisitioned forcibly, executing hoarders. 2. Food rationing: Workers received food; middle-class excluded. 3. Nationalisation of industries: Production targets set; factory committees abolished; bourgeois specialists employed as managers. 4. Abolition of money: Payments in kind; inflation rampant in uncontrolled areas. 5. Labour conscription: Strict worker discipline; strikes illegal; unions under Communist control. 6. Housing redistribution: Large homes split among poor families; Communist officials controlled allocations. 7. Free public transport: Easier access to work for workers. 8. Private trade banned: Black market thrived for scarce goods. Famine (1921): Starvation widespread; cases of cannibalism reported. The Crisis of 1921: From War Communism to the NEP Economic Collapse: o Peasants destroyed crops to avoid requisition. o Widespread famine and consumer goods shortages. Political Unrest: o Tambov Rebellion (1920-21): Large-scale peasant uprising against grain requisition. o Kronstadt Mutiny (1921): Sailors protested Bolshevik dictatorship; suppressed by Red Army and Cheka. o Workers’ Opposition: Within the Communist Party, criticized lack of worker involvement. o Factory worker strikes; protests over poor living standards. Result: o Communist Party arrested protestors but increased food rations to reduce unrest. o War Communism ended, replaced by the New Economic Policy (NEP).