civil war

Question 1

Lynch on the reasons on civil war:

Answer 1

“The claim to absolute authority by the Bolsheviks made civil war unavoidable”

Question 2

Bol decrees on red army:

Answer 2

16th Dec: Decree on Election of Officers which abolished ranks. 23rd Feb 1918 Trotsky Commissar for war founds Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army.

Question 3

When is the Red Army founded?

Answer 3

23rd Feb 1918 Trotsky Commissar for war founds Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army

Question 4

How did Trotsky re-structure the army:

Answer 4

built a conventional army: placed former tsarist officers in command under supervision of political-military comissars (Bols) as military specialists (controversial decision!!) (families of these bros held hostage) (50,000 recruited),

Question 5

Red Army conscription:

Answer 5

29th May 1918 conscription come back bc only 360,000 men volunteered,
End of 1920: Red Army has 5million troops.
(4 million had deserted by 1921)

Question 6

What are the four groups of the white armies?

Answer 6

• Armed Forces of South Russia led by Denkin
• Kolchak’s Siberian Forces
• North-Western Army
• Foreign Intervention

Question 7

Information about white groups Armed Forces of South Russia led by Denikin:

Answer 7

largest white army w 150,000 men, stationed around important regions eg. the Don, Kuban, Causcasus and Ukraine.

Question 8

information about white army groups Kolchak’s Siberian Forces:

Answer 8

Kolchak the head of White movement and declared himself Supreme Ruler of the Russian State.

Question 9

Information about white army group North-Western Army:

Answer 9

small army of 14,400 at its peak formed in Oct 1918 in Estonia.

Question 10

Why foreign interventionists joined:

Answer 10

BR + FR + US because they want to support any group that promised to re-enter war against Ger. Capitalists concerned with communism. Japan had territorial ambitions in eastern Russia. US want to keep Japan in check + protect trans-siberian railway.

Question 11

Why were the green considered a big issue?

Answer 11

• Lenin: said they were far more dangerous than all the Denikins, yudeniches and Kolchaks put together.
• Fighting them meant an inherent threat to food production.

Question 12

When did the civil war unofficial start?

Answer 12

from beginning of coup, military opposition emerged
eg. Bols had to fight until 2nd Nov to take control of Moscow. Facing opposition from cossack regions of the Don, the Kuban, Ukraine.

Question 13

Battle of Pulvoko Heights: (good for Bols)

Answer 13

By end of oct 1917, Kerenksy had support from General Krasnov + his cossacks and prepared to march on P’grad…
30th Oct Krasnov forces defeated by Red Guards & Kronstadt sailors at eponymous battle
no chance of PG regain power and bolster the Bol belief a coalition is unnecessary + their dedication to protect rev.

Question 14

Why did the events of Czech legion happen>

Answer 14

Czech troops returning from Eastern Front across Russia via rail to get to Western Front to keep fighting Ger…
but fighting bw Czech soldiers and regional soviets…

Question 15

Events in civil war due to czech legion?

Answer 15

22nd May 1918 onwards: Czech Legion battles local milit forces and overthrows regional Soviet authorities
Est. a New SR-led govt, Komuch, in town Samara on 8th June 1918.
Est a People’s Army advanced against Soviet forces in Siberia and capture city of Kazan Aug 1918. (alternative source of government!!)

Question 16

How succesful was Kolchak?

Answer 16

March 1919 Kolchak menaced the Reds from the East, but a poor milit commander so suffered series of defeats. (yay bols!)

Question 17

Denikin white forces threat and defeated?

Answer 17

Nov 1919: Denikin White Forces came in 300km of Moscow but defeated in early 1920 bc outnumber and outstretched.

Question 18

Foreign interventionist events?

Answer 18

April 1918 Japan lands in Vladivostok…
BR + US join in Aug…
BR take control of Northern port cities and occupied oilfields in Azerbijan…
BR + FR navies support Denikin in the Black Sea.

Question 19

Tambov region?

Answer 19

1919-1920: large group of guerilla green fighters held the SE of Ukraine, Tambov became cut off from Bols until mid 1921. bad!!!

Question 20

Why did they sign the treaty of Riga?

Answer 20

Red army seen as invaders in Poland, faced a counter-offensive by Polish forces: defeated Red Army… eventually sign Treaty of Riga in March 1921.

Question 21

What were the conditions of the treaty of riga?

Answer 21

pay 30mil in gold roubles, large bits of Ukraine and Belarus land given to Poland, provision of material to make railways

Question 22

When was the treaty of riga?

Answer 22

march 1921

Question 23

Why did the Soviet-Polish war occur?

Answer 23

Poland declared independence early on and attempted to expand territory in April 1920 by invading Ukraine. Polish forces capture Kiev but forced back to Warsaw. Initial Bol success: Bols belive this could spark rev across Europe

Question 24

What did the Bolsheviks believe would come from the Soviet polish war?

Answer 24

Commander of the Red Army “across the corpse of White Poland lies the path to world conflagration [of socialism]”

Question 25

Impact of Soviet-Polish war?

Answer 25

Treaty allowed Soviets to focus on short-term concerns including Kronstadt uprising, peasant revolts in Ukraine and defeat last of Whites.
Lenin: “temporary sacrifice of a hard peace appeared to me preferable to a continuation of the war”
Mr. Pragmatism!…

Question 26

Reason for Bolshevik victory: (geography)

Answer 26

controlled European Russia ∴ have large population to draw conscriptions from.
Soviet controlled areas population was 70 mil vs Whites only had 8-10 mil.
Control major cities ∴ control of key factories and ammunition supplies.
Control Extensive railway system ∴ use network to move troops and equipment easily.

Question 27

Reason for Bolshevik victory: (weakness of white armies)

Answer 27

• White armies scattered around Russia ∴ difficult to supply and limited coordination of attacks and communication.
  eg. Kolchak and Denikin both launch offensives against Moscow but 5mon apart.
• Troops unmotivated and discipline fell way to corruption and drunkenness.
• too diverse and ∴ disagreements arise (split bw: monarchy ♡, CA ♡, milit dictatorship ♡).
• lack of unity did x inspire peasants or workers and propaganda was reluctantly used. Whites failed to offer an alternative to the Bols,
• unpopular: restore rights of landlords, brutally punish workers and peasants.

Question 28

Reason for Bolshevik success: (ideology)

Answer 28

have united sense of purpose and political vision than opponents.
effective use of propaganda, urging workers to fight
creating narrative civil war as class war + patriotic defence against foreign invaders

Question 29

Reason for Bolshevik success: (trotsky)

Answer 29

Implement harsh discipline.
He attached to each former tsarist officer would carry out the propaganda work, supervise commanding officer and ensure orders carried out.
Cheka also acted as an armed branch to force discipline thru threats of execution.
Also used reward to generate loyalty.
had a special armoured train to race across between battlefields and make quick decisions… galvanising effect as it boosted morale.
A brilliant speaker and inspiring leader so he commanded respect.
Left key decisions to military expertise.

Question 30

Who was in white armies?

Answer 30

Born out of a Volunteer Army recruited by General Alekseev in Dec 1917,
incl former tsarist & PG officers, kadet politicians, upper class, patriots, cossacks