The Russian Civil War Flashcards
What were the whites weaknesses?
Dried up support from Allies.
Portrayed as foreign interventionists.
Divided, fighting in different detachments.
Geographically scattered.
Deserters due to lack of discipline.
What were the red’s strength’s?
A disciplined fighting force of 5m strong. Leadership of Trotsky.
Presented as an ideological conflict.
Control of railways and industrial areas. Control of Petrograd and Moscow.
What was the term Bolshevik officially changed to?
In March 1918 the term Bolshevik was changed officially to the All Union communist party.
What did Lenin believe was the way to victory?
To centralise power, but this meant taking power away from the workers, peasants and soldiers. However, power never returned back to the grassroots despite victory.
When were the Tsar and his family murdered?
17th of July in Yekaterinburg. Lenin wanted the Romanovs to be wiped out so they would lose their figurehead.
How did Trotsky run the red army effectively?
Strict discipline, using political officers to ensure the loyalty of the army to the Bolshevik cause.
Why did Lenin fear the overrunning of Petrograd?
The reds controlled northern and central Russia and this advantaged them because this was the most industrialised and densely populated part of the country and with over 70 million people and the best railway network.
Why did a red victory not initially seem inevitable?
There was only Bolshevik presence in 20% of Russia.
How long did the civil war last?
The war lasted from mid 1918 until 1921.
