Civil War Victory Flashcards
(36 cards)
What were the overarching reasons for the victory of the Reds in the Russian Civil War?
- Divisions between the whites
- Lack of appeal of the whites
- Strengths of Red Army
- Use of Force and Terror
- Bolshevik Leadership
- Weak foreign involvement
Where were the various armies located? (not united)
Kolchak - north-east
Denikin- south
Yudenich- west
Why did many members of the Czech legion want to return home?
Because Czech independence was granted in November 1918 and hence the Czechs had less reason to keep fighting
Why were the Kadets less supported by the Ukrainians and Caucus regions?
Since they still believed in the Russian empire and hence their politics went against the national determination which these areas strived for
What white policy was not favoured by many peasants? What proportion of them deserted Kolchak over the course of his campaign?
Conscription
80%
Which faction within Denikin’s army carried out pillaging, raping, stealing and Jewish pogroms which forced non-Cossack peasants to turn to the Reds?
The Cossacks
What other policy by Denikin turned peasants against the Whites (especially after the Decree on Land by the Bolsheviks)?
He returned land he overtook to the landowners
What did the Generals in the White army remind many of?
Those from the tsarist army which they had wanted to get rid of
What were some examples of indiscipline noted in the army at Omsk?
- Weapons were sold on the black market, including those provided by foreign powers
- Officers were often to be found drunk and doing drugs in brothels
What move ultimately ended the threat of the Whites in the civil war?
The evacuation of them all during 1920, specifically from Crimea
How many soldiers died from typhoid and typhus in 1920?
1m
When was the Red army of Workers and Peasants set up?
January 1918
How did Trotsky overcome the lack of experienced officers in the Red Army?
50,000 Former high-ranking officers from the time of the Tsar and leading party members were appointed to lead the army
What was assigned to each regiment to ensure commanders carried out duties in line with Bolshevik expectations?
A loyal military commissar
How large was the Red army by 1920? What proportion of these had volunteered? Were party members?
5m men. 1/6 had volunteered. 300,000 were party members.
How many men failed to answer their call up to the red army?
2m
What was a major organisational advantage of the Red army over the Whites?
It was centrally organised under one command instead of several. This meant troop movements and attacks could be coordinated.
What policy eventually caused green army opposition to fizzle out?
NEP
What were the main messages of propaganda from the Bolsheviks? What brutal policy did this help make seem of less brutality?
• The whites would take away land from the peasants
• Foreign invaders were supporting the Whites
• Reds offered a new society favourable to the peasants and workers
This made War Communism seem like a lesser evil
Who were given priority of rations with War Communism?
Workers and soldiers
When was military conscription introduced?
29th May 1918
What was war communism?
Policy measures introduced by Lenin to help Red victory in the Civil War
- Banned private trade and the money economy
- Nationalised industry under the control of Vesenkha
- Enforced grain requsitioning
- Introduced internal passports to factories and fines for absenteeism and lateness.
- Prioritised food resources for workers and soldiers
What were the major drawbacks to War Communism?
- It didn’t stop the migration out the cities
- Grain requsitioning made the party unpopular and encouraged subsistence farming
- The banning of private trade and nationalisation of industry brought shortages and inefficient and uneven supply. A black market emerged.
Despite War communism, how much did the urban proletariat decrease by between 1917 and 1919?
Decrease from 3.6m to 1.4m
