The Russian civil war 1918-1920

Given the ideology espoused by the Bolsheviks it was perhaps no surprise that they faced
severe opposition from the more conservative elements within Russia. Yet the groups that
supported the so-called Whites against the forces of the Bolshevik Reds encompassed
rather more than just the conservatives. The Treaty also provided a necessary spur to those
who wished to fight against the Bolsheviks, known as the Whites , because it offered the
promise of foreign help. The Allied powers of Britain, France, the USA and Japan were
anxious to keep Russia in the First World War and were willing to provide arms, money and
troops to those who would ensure Russia rejoined the fight.

This ‘White’ opposition included a range of political groups. There were those who wished to
see the return of the Tsar; liberals, including supporters of the Provisional Government;
military leaders unhappy with Russia pulling out of the First World War; national minorities
seeking independence from Russia; and members of the Menshevik and SR parties who
had been denied an involvement in the government. The Czech Legion, part of the The
Austro-Hungarian Army, stranded in Russia as prisoners of war, rebelled against the Reds.
The Whites also received aid from the Allies in the First World War.

Although initial opposition from the conservatives in Russia was limited, the Bolsheviks were
attacked by the forces of General Krasnov at Pulkovo Heights near Petrograd immediately
after the October Revolution. The Reds won this first encounter, but it was merely the
prelude to the civil war. After the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, opposition to the
Bolsheviks mounted, resulting in a series of military campaigns. It was not until the end of
1920 that the Bolsheviks had defeated the Whites and secured communist rule over the
country

How did the bolsheviks win the war

At the beginning of the civil war, the situation looked bleak for the Bolsheviks. The area
directly under Bolshevik control was limited to a central core based on Moscow, stretching to
Petrograd in the north-west. They were surrounded on all sides by White forces.
Nonetheless, it was the Bolsheviks who emerged victorious. This victory was largely
achieved due to the better organization of the Reds, in military, economic and political terms.

In contrast, the Whites were an amalgam of different groups united only by their desire to get
rid of the Bolsheviks. These divisions were reflected in the military strategy of the Whites.
Co-operation was limited and was not helped by the long front on which the Whites fought.
The Whites did receive help from Russia's former Allies in the First World War but, through
corruption and inefficiency, they failed to put this to good effect.
By the end of 1920, all of the White strongholds had been defeated and Bolshevik rule had
been extended across the country. The Bolsheviks’ military strategy had been more
coherent than that of the Whites and a lot of the credit for this must go to the invaluable work
of Leon Trotsky. Trotsky, who became Commissar for War in early 1918, turned the Red
Army into an effective fighting machine. The army was formed from the Red Guard units and
pro-Bolshevik elements of the old Tsarist armed forces. Conscription was introduced to swell
the number of soldiers to over 5 million by the end of the war.

The Bolsheviks had also been able to extend government direction over the economy to
ensure resources were organised and deployed effectively through the imposition of policies
known as War Communism. Large-scale nationalisation of industry ensured adequate
supplies for the Red Army (if not for civilians) and food supplies were requisitioned from the
peasants. This latter policy was deeply unpopular with the peasants, but it did provide
enough food to keep the Red Army going. In this respect, the experience of the civil war had
encouraged the Bolsheviks to adopt a highly authoritarian and centrally controlled system.

Nevertheless, it was not just better organisation that resulted in the Bolshevik victory.
There was also a degree of active support for what the Bolsheviks stood for, especially
from the workers who saw the Bolsheviks as the best guarantors of their gains from the
Revolution. The peasants did not like all aspects of Bolshevik rule, but the Land Decree of
1917 had guaranteed a distribution of land in their favour. Thus, the Bolsheviks did not
neglect the political dimension of the war. Their victory dealt a serious blow to any
realistic chance of enemies within Russia, threatening the new Bolshevik government.

By the end of 1920, all of the White strongholds had been defeated and Bolshevik rule had
been extended across the country. The Bolsheviks’ military strategy had been more
coherent than that of the Whites and a lot of the credit for this must go to the invaluable
work of Leon Trotsky. Trotsky, who became Commissar for War in early 1918, turned the
Red Army into an effective fighting machine. The army was formed from the Red Guard
units and pro-Bolshevik elements of the old Tsarist armed forces. Conscription was
introduced to swell the number of soldiers to over 5 million by the end of the war.

The Bolsheviks had also been able to extend government direction over the economy to
ensure resources were organised and deployed effectively through the imposition of policies
known as War Communism. Large-scale nationalisation of industry ensured adequate
supplies for the Red Army (if not for civilians) and food supplies were requisitioned from the
peasants. This latter policy was deeply unpopular with the peasants, but it did provide
enough food to keep the Red Army going. In this respect, the experience of the civil war had
encouraged the Bolsheviks to adopt a highly authoritarian and centrally controlled system.

Nevertheless, it was not just better organisation that resulted in the Bolshevik victory. There
was also a degree of active support for what the Bolsheviks stood for, especially from the
workers who saw the Bolsheviks as the best guarantors of their gains from the Revolution.
The peasants did not like all aspects of Bolshevik rule, but the Land Decree of 1917 had
guaranteed a distribution of land in their favour. Thus, the Bolsheviks did not neglect the
political dimension of the war. Their victory dealt a serious blow to any realistic chance of
enemies within Russia, threatening the new Bolshevik government.
 The results of the civil war

It had a disastrous effect on the Russian people who were already starving and destitute
after 4 years of WW1.

Many civilians were killed by both the Red and White terror – there were 21 million deaths
between 1914 – 1921.

The fighting seriously effected agriculture and industry – which led to starvation. Only 50% of
the land was being farmed due to the war and steel production was down to 5%.

Starvation, dirt, poor hygiene led to disease - which led to death as there were very few
doctors.

In 1921 there was a serious famine – 5 million deaths. People were living on 30 grams of
bread a day. People fled to the countryside to find food – leaving more factories with no
workers.

The fact that the Reds (communists) had only just won always left the Communists fearful of
foreign countries wanting to return to Russia to take over. This suspicion led to years of
mistrust.

Russia’s civil war, together with the devastation and division caused by the First World War,
had a long-term impact on Russia and the Bolshevik state that had been established in its
wake.

• The Bolshevik state had become highly centralised due to the demands of the civil war.
Fighting a war required quick decision-making and direction of resources by the government.
Power was now firmly in the hands of the government(Sovnarkom ) and party leadership
(politburo) based in Moscow.

• The civil war had resulted in the Bolsheviks making extensive use of terror against their
political opponents. This set the tone for the development of the Party after the civil war.

The supporters of the Bolsheviks had been through a formative experience that must have
affected them deeply. This experience seemed to reinforce militaristic values in the
population. Those who fought in the war were a generation who did not buckle under
pressure and who did not think twice about using force and terror. These results were to bb
highly influential in moulding the system of government established by the Bolsheviks.