Why was there a Russian Civil War?

Allies- France and UK
1. Unhappy, wanted second front to ease pressure on them- this argument ends November 1918
  1. Fear of communism spreading, troops were sent in 1919
    1. Bolsheviks cancelled vast debts to Allies
      1. Allies fought civil war to get money back
Requisitioning
1. Soldiers and Cheka sent into country to forcibly collect grain
  1. From hoarding Kulaks
    1. Some peasants like Communists, some hate them, some hate them but love Lenin
    2. Depends who is classed as kulak
    3. "These blood-suckers have grown rich on the hunger of the people" Lenin
2. Petrograd, 50g of bread a day
  1. Ukraine, breadbasket, independence.
Political opposition
1. SR's, Mensheviks and Kadets
2. Dissolution of the Constituent Assembly means there was no other platform for opinion/criticism
Divisions
1. Left communists believed that war should have been fought to push Germany out of Russia, thus consolidating the revolution
Nationalists unhappy at collapse of empire
1. November 1917 Decree on Nationalities
  1. Territories free to leave
    1. Ukraine January 1918
    2. Finland December 1917

Resource summary

	Created by Declan Wiseman over 8 years ago