why did the bolsheviks win the Russian civil war

Question 1

strengths of bolsheviks

Answer 1

-army discipline: introduced conscription in 1918, red army numbers reached 5 million by 1920, lenin and trotsky employed a number of qualified and experienced ex-tsarist officers
-role of trotsky: very good leader in civil war, went around to the front lines, encouraging troops and boosting morale
-they were unified: one ideology so were fighting for one cause
-they had control of Petrograd and Moscow: densely populated areas and centralised control
-they had control of railways and factories

Question 2

problems with the whites

Answer 2

-they were supported by the allies: after world war they had no support as allies were no longer interested in fighting for the cause. the bolsheviks used it as propaganda
-they were not unified: there were divisions and were not fighting for a specific cause
-geographical position: scattered geographically so no centralised control, less densely populated areas and communications were impossible
-no army discipline: desertion

Question 3

impact of government and centralisation in civil war

Answer 3

-they used the Cheka: eliminated opponents I bolshevik controlled areas, discipline reinforced by shooting deserters
-lenin’s centralised power: was effective, opposed communist ideology, used later to defend the revolution