VCE History: Unit 3 Civil War

Revolution… now what? Lenin and Trotsky believed that a worldwide communist revolution was ‘inevitable’ … they were wrong. Immediately following the revolution they were challenged by separate anti-Bolshevik forces, the Whites and the Greens. There was also an external threat in 1918 and 1919 with several nations pressuring Russia to re-join the war with Germany. Faced by this threat the Bolsheviks had to adapt.

Look out Lenin… it’s Fanny Kaplan! On 30 August 1918 Lenin was due to make two speeches in Moscow. After the second he was approached by a group of women and shot by Fanny Kaplan three times, with a hit to the left shoulder and into the base of his neck. A bullet was lodged near his spine, causing the rest of his life to be filled with severe headaches and migraines. It was seen as a major threat to the Bolshevik’s, leading to the ‘Red Terror’ policy being increased. Lenin’s leadership and demeanour also changed. Fanny Kaplan is a bad ass!

The Whites As early as December 1917 General Kornilov (yes him again) was gathering a volunteer army from the Cossack region. The White armies were led by the conservative forces including officers of the former Russian army, landowners and businessmen. They were joined by anti-Bolshevik political groups including the Social Revolutionaries. Were unhappy with the Brest-Litovsk treaty. They aimed to seize power from the Reds. Admiral Kolchak General Denikin

Threats A range of threats were faced by the Bolsheviks, with the following being ongoing and significant: General Denikin in the south ( ) Admiral Kolchak in the east ( ) General Miller in the north (Sep 1918) General Yudenich in the north-west (Oct 1919) Miller established a Socialist Revolutionary government in the North, which was quickly overthrown by General Wrangel, who opposed any form of revolutionary, socialist government. This demonstrates the lack of unity amongst the White forces. Gen. Miller Gen. Yudenich, perhaps the greatest moustache of all Gen. Wrangel

The Greens The Green armies were not a unified group but rather a collection of peasant armies seeking ‘local autonomy’ and who rebelled against the requisitioning of food by local Communists. At the Tenth Party Congress in March 1921 warned that the peasant forces were ‘far more dangerous’ than the White generals. The Green armies operated in the outer provinces and supported movements for national independence with success by Antonov in the Tambov (west) and Mohkno in the Ukraine (also west). Where Tambov is… Unfamiliar with the modern comb-over hairstyle, Antonov successfully controlled the Tambov region until mid-1921

A three-way battle

Foreign intervention Lenin’s decision to abandon the war, to stop paying foreign debts (as of 18 Jan 1918) and to confiscate foreign-owned property was understandably unpopular. The foreign powers supported the Whites, though they were rarely involved in the fighting. However, several nations mounted campaigns against the Bolsheviks including Britain, France, Japan, the U.S.A, Czeckoslovakia and Poland. Mayakovsky’s poem describes how the Bolshevik’s defeated them all… ‘they got their heads bashed in’

Why the Bolshevik’s won The Red Army was formed in January Workers and peasants were conscripted into the army meaning that they needed the support of the proletariat. As leader Trotsky recruited 50,000 former tsarist military officers to lead the Red Army, along with loyal Bolsheviks to watch them. The Red Army

The Cheka The Cheka, along with the Red Army, were significant instruments of terror. They enforced compliance with the Communist government and invoked fear by attacking opponents (including wives and children). They were given rights of trial and execution and used these to a great extent (140,000 killed compared to 14,000 by the Okhrana in a longer period of time). Bukharin ‘one cannot make omelettes without breaking eggs’ Felix Dzerzhinsky

Unity of Purpose Divided in purpose and strategy Bolsheviks Whites Greens Shared Marxist ideology Centrally located Strong leadership Conservatives & revolutionaries Varied attacks/foreign support Different ideas Cossacks and peasants Scattered forces Local interests Lack of leadership

Defending a central location Whites controlled majority of Russian soil Reds controlled key cities of Petrograd and Moscow and therefore the industrial strongholds for equipment, ammunition, war supplies and the hub of the railway system. Greens controlled local areas where they had won battles.

Lack of Propaganda Whites were unable to capitalise on the despair of peasant communities. They did not present themselves as a better alternative, resulting in less commitment and more desertions. Whites also relied on the practical support of Allies (foreign nations), triggering Lenin’s declaration that they ‘merely puppets of foreign enemies’.