The Russian Civil War

Tactics, results, the Tenth Party Congress

When was the Civil War?

1918- 21

Who was the war against?

Reds vs Whites

Who were the ‘white’ opposition?

Range of political groups- those who wanted to see the return of the Tsar, supporters of the provisional government (liberals), military leaders unhappy with the pulling out of the war, national minorities wanting independence, and members of the SRs and Menshevik

Which army area also rebelled against the Reds, and why?

The Czech Legion, part of the Austro- Hungarian Army stranded in Russia as prisoners of war

Who did the whites receive help from?

Allies in the first world war

What happened to the opposition after the signing of the Brest- Litovsk Treaty?

the opposition to the party mounted which resulted in a series of military campaigns

Who was the first attack on the reds let by, and where did it take place?

the forces of General Kransov at Pulkovo Heights near Petrograd

Area that the Bolsheviks owned before the CW

From Moscow stretching to Petrograd in the NW

Disadvantages of the Whites: (4)

• Only united by their desire to rid of the Bolsheviks- cooperation was limited

• Different military techniques

• Long front they were fighting on

• Failed to put help from Russia’s former allies in WW1 into effect

What had happened by the end of 1920?

All of the White strongholds had been defeated and Bolshevik rule was extended across the country

Who became the commissar for war in 1918?

Leon Trotsky

Who was in the red army?

Red guard units and pro- Bolshevik elements of the old Tsarist armed forces

What was introduced to swell the number of people in the army?

How many people joined the army by the end of the war?

• Conscription

• Over 5 million

How did they ensure resources were organised and deployed effectively?

What was the policy which allowed this?

• the extension of governmental direction over the economy

• war communism

What happened to allow for adequate supplies for the RA and food for the peasants?

Large- scale nationalisation of industry and the grain was requisitioned

What kind of system the experience of the civil war had encouraged the Bs to adopt what?

a highly authoritarian and centrally controlled

Along with organisation, what was another advantage for the Bs?

A degree of active support for what they stood for, especially from the workers who saw them as having the best ability to get what they wanted from the revolution

What did their victory deal a serious blow to?

any realistic chance of enemies within Russia threatening the new Bolshevik government

3 key results of the CW?

• The Bolshevik state had become highly centralised due to the demands of the CW- required quick decision making and direction of resources by the government

• Bolsheviks use of extensive terror over political opponents- set tone for development of the Party after the CW

• The supporters of the Bs had been through a formative experience that had affected them deeply- therefore reinforced militaristic values in the population- they didn’t buckle under pressure or think twice about using force or terror

Summary of the results of the CW

the results were highly influential in the moulding of the system of government established

When was the Tenth Party Congress?

March 1921

What was the growth in the Party from 1917 to 1921?

What did this pose a threat to?

• 300,000 to over 730,000

• Party stability

What did Lenin ban at the 10th Party Congress of 1921?

What was this called?

• Factions

• ‘On Party Unity’

What was the punishment for breaking the ban on faction?

expulsion from the Party

Which 2 events happened in 1921 that proved that the Bs shouldn’t take their position for granted?

• The Kronstradt Mutiny- a revolt by sailors previously loyal to the Bolsheviks

• Tambov Rising- major peasant uprising

What was the slogan of the Kronstadt sailors?

What did they want?

How did the uprising end?

• ‘soviets without Bolsheviks’

• Soviet elections and freedom of speech

• 60,000 RA troops crushed the uprising

What was the Tambov uprising triggered by?

What did they form to give themselves strength?

What did it take to put down the revolt?

How long did it last?

• Bolshevik units arriving to requisition the grain for use in the cities and in the army

• A green army

• over 50,000 troops

• Aug 1920 to summer of 1921