Russia 1917 - 1924: Civil War

The Russian Civil War

In the Civil War, the Whites opposed Lenin and his newly named Communist Party. The Communists, nicknamed the Reds were led by Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Lenin focused on political matters, while Trotsky was to deal with military problems. The Whites were an accumulation of many different groups who opposed Lenin: Social Revolutionaries, former supporters of the Tsar, Provisional Government backers, landlords and industrialists.  The Whites were helped by the Allied powers (Britain, France, US and Japan who sent troops, supplies and money because they wanted Russia to continue to fight in the First World War.

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The Military Conflict

The Red Army was led by Trotsky and they only controlled the centre of Russia at the beginning of the Civil War. This territory included the important cities of Petrograd and Moscow, along with the main industrial areas and best quality farmland.  The Red Army received attacks on all fronts but managed to defeat each attack in turn:  The Siberian Army led by General Kolchak Southern Volunteer army under General Denikin North-Western army under General Yudenich

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Siberian Army

From the East, the Communists were threatened by the Czech Legion (group of people who wanted Russia to return to fighting in the war) and Siberian Army led by General Kolchak.  The White Army managed to take control of the Trans-Siberian railway and advanced towards Moscow through the Ural mountains. Lenin feared that this attempted advance would led to the release of Tsar Nicholas II and his family. Therefore, they were executed.  Kolchak was defeated and executed by the Reds in February 1920.

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Other Conflicts

The South:  General Denikin led the White Army from the south, attacking from the Ukraine and Crimea in July 1919. He was accompanied by another General, Wrangel, and 150,000 troops. His troops came within 250 miles of Moscow, which became the capital of the Soviet Union. Yet, they were defeated.

The North-West:  Yudenich attacked from the direction of the Baltic states towards Petrograd. He received 16,000 men, tanks and the offer of 100,000 Finnish troops.  He managed to reach the suburbs of Petrograd in 1919. However, resistance from the Reds and the leadership of Trotsky led to his defeat.

Allied Intervention

The Allies landed in numerous locations at the beginning of the Civil War. They got involved for a number of reasons: They wanted Russia to participate in the war again They were afraid of the spread of Communism in the West The execution of the Tsar shocked Allied forces They did not want the nationalisation of foreign-owned businesses by Communists The Allies provided troops as well as arms and ammunition that allowed the Whites to fight for a prolonged period of time. The First World War ended in November 1918 and the Allies interest in Russia deteriorated. Therefore, they gradually withdrew the help they had provided. By the beginning of 1920, Trotsky has been able to further strengthen the power of Red Army. 

The War Within a War

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The Russo-Polish War, 1920-21:  The Civil War became more complicated by the intervention of Poland. It was the peace treaties at the end of the First World War created the state of Poland. The eastern border between Russia and Poland at that time was known as the Curzon Line.  Pilsudski, who was the leader of Poland, realised that a preoccupied Russian government opened up an opportunity to obtain greater territory for Poland. Moreover, the Polish leader wanted to establish an independent Ukraine under Polish leadership. Pilsudski advanced into Kiev in 1920 and took control.  The Red Army managed to regroup at this time and defeat the Poles. Peace negotiations eventually came about and the Treaty of Riga was signed in March 1921 to establish peace. Poland managed to gain territory from Russia.

Defeat

General Wrangel made a last ditch effort for the White Army in Crimea but was defeated in November 1920. The Civil War soon finished after this. Why did Lenin and Trotsky win the Civil War? Trotsky and the Red Army: Trotsky disciplined the army well and was a skilled strategist. By 1920, the Red Army was five million strong and trained better than the Whites. Weakness of the White Armies: the Whites were disunited, poorly led and uncoordinated. Their soldiers were also prone to drunkenness and looting.  War Communism: Lenin established policies that equipped the army well with food and weapons. Propaganda: Communists frightened peasants with the idea that Tsarist rule would return with the victory of the Whites. Peasant Attitudes: The peasant population were more concerned about the Whites rather than the Communists. Allied Withdrawal: With the loss of interest in Russia, Allied forces gradually withdrew. Weapons supply dried up and the Whites became less effective.

Results of the War

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The Red Army had defeated the White Army, but at what cost? 10 million people died for various reasons in the Civil War 2 million of these people died of typhus 5-7 million died due to the famine in 1921 As seen from the graph on the right, factory production was one-fifth of 1913 output level, and food production halved