How did the Bolsheviks win the civil war? Flashcards
Who were the three different armies?
The Reds, the Whites and the Greens.
Who were the Reds?
The Red Army, formed in January 1918, was formed of Kronstadt Sailors and Red Guards, and those who volunteered.
Who were the Whites?
Liberals, former tsarists.
Wanted to see the Tsar back, but had a very broad aim of wanted rid of the Bolsheviks.
What was the main issue for the Whites?
They were deeply divided.
Not uncommon for White armies to fight each other.
Several leaders.
Yudenich, Kolchak, Denikin were examples of White leaders.
They all wanted individual glory and could not work together to defeat the Bolsheviks.
Who were the Greens?
Peasant armies, often made up of deserters from other armies.
Some fought for the Bolsheviks and some fought against them.
Give an example of a Green army.
Led by Nestor Makhno in the Ukraine.
He became an ally of the Bolsheviks.
His army was fighting for independence
What was the geographical advantage for the Reds?
Bolsheviks held the central areas of Russia, including Petrograd and Moscow.
Easier for them to transport men and munitions to battlefronts.
Contained the main armament factories which produced war materials.
Central areas were heavily populated, so high numbers of people were conscripted into the army.
How did their location cause issues for the Whites?
The Whites were scattered around the edge of central areas.
Separated by large distances.
Communications were difficult.
Struggled to move men and ammunition.
Struggled to coordinate attacks.
They had no telephone links and hd to use men on horseback to communicate and send messages.
How were the Reds organised?
Bolsheviks had a unified structure.
Trotsky organised the Red Army into an effective fighting force.
How were the Whites organised?
Whites were made up of different groups with entirely different aims.
Hard for them to cooperate.
Impossible to develop an organised strategy.
White generals did not trust each other, and many were suspicious of Kolchak’s intentions.
What as the leadership of the Red army like?
Trotsky was a superb leader, and able to inspire men.
Discipline was very tough, and the death penalty was frequently used.
What was White leadership like?
White leaders were cruel to their men and replicated the worst part of the tsarist regime so many soldiers deserted.
What was significant about peasant support?
Peasants were a huge fighting force due to supplying so many men.
They were inclined to support the Reds due to their promises on the land situation.
What did foreign intervention mean for the Whites?
Foreign intervention was half-hearted and largely ineffective.
Gave the Bolsheviks a propaganda source as they became the defenders of Russian soil against foreign forces.
How did the Reds use propaganda more effectively than the Whites?
The Reds showed:
Land being taken away from the peasants.
Foreign invaders supporting the Whites.
How they offered a wonderful new society for workers and peasants.
