History Chapter 3

How did Trotsky's leadership cause the Red army to win?

Between 1918-1920, he made at least 36 trips to areas where there was intense battle. He brought fresh supplies and pro officers which inspired the soldiers who were committed but terrified those who were reluctant to fight (motivation up!) The Cheka squads were used to ensure discipline and deserters were often shot. The block squad was introduced to shoot the soldiers who tried to retreat.

How did the Red army win due to strength in numbers

By 1920, there was about 5 million in the Red Army because in 1918, Bolshevik introduced conscription into the areas they controlled. Between 3-9 June was an amnesty week where Bolsheviks would not punish deserters if they returned (combat army desertion) This resulted in a large number of deserters returning to the Red Army where the figure rose to about 133,000.

How did the weaknesses of the white army about relying on the allies cause them to lose?

Initially, the Allied powers helped the White Army through resources, but after the Treaty of Versailles, the help ended because they did not want to continue fighting a war even though they did not support communism. In April 1919, the French withdrew their soldiers while the by 1920, the British and Americans withdrew their troops. (They were portrayed as imperialists in Bolshevik propaganda)

What did Lenin declare that caused regions to leave Russia? How did Russians respond?

Lenin had decreed in November 1917 that territories were free to leave Russia. Regions like Ukraine and Finland declared independence. By June 1918, there were 33 sovereign governments in Russia and many patriotic Russians wanted to stop the disintegration of their country and keep Russia one and indivisible.

What happened between the Bolsheviks and the Czech Legion that motivated the white army?

Leon Trotsky ordered the Legion be disarmed and arrested, but the Soviet officials themselves were seized and the well-organised, well-trained Czechs proceeded to seize and occupy all the main towns along the Trans-Siberian railway regions of Cheliabinsk. Their success encouraged the white armies.

How was the Russian volunteer army set up and by who? (National Sentiments)

Politicians from different parties joined each other. The Germans supported a conservative government in Cossack territory. Initially led by Kornilov, General Denikin succeeded him (Tsarist officer) They were joined by other politicians from the Kadets like Paul Miliukov, with junior officers making up the file of the white army.

How did the Bolsheviks use propaganda to win the war?

ROSTA Windows was a project by Russian Telegraph Agency that brought together artists who turned telegrams from Red Army soldiers into posters within hours of receiving them from the front lines. Soviet artists produced dozens of posters overnight and every morning ROSTA's posters were pasted in the empty storefronts and windows. This made the Red soldiers more committed to the Bolshevik cause.

Why did the allies stop supporting Admiral Kolchak?

The Allied powers did not support Kolchak's undemocratic rule and the Americans withdrew their support.

How did the allies support the white army?

The Bolsheviks allowed Germany to use raw resources located in Ukraine and Russia and this worried the allies. The allies were angry with the Bolsheviks (they signed the treaty) The Allies supported Admiral Kolchak who represented an authoritarian, all-Russian government in Siberia, against the Bolsheviks.

How did the Bolshevik get resources to win the war?

The Bolsheviks controlled Russian heartland where the most important industrial facilities which were crucial to supplying their army with weapons and ammunition were located. After nationalizing industries, they were also able to feed their soldiers.

What was the conflict between the Czechoslovakia Legion and Bolsheviks?

The Bolsheviks initially allowed them to continue their journey towards the Western Front, but relations between the two groups soon soured. The Bolsheviks feared that they would aid the anti-Bolshevik forces in the Civil War. The Legion, for their part, were increasingly hostile towards the Bolsheviks, as they saw them as a threat to their own safety and the safety of the Czech and Slovak populations in Russia.

How did the Red army's commitment help them win the civil war?

The Red Army composed of workers too who were fanatical supporters of the Bolsheviks and committed to their cause. The peasants were also committed to the red army as they feared the white army's victory would return land to landowners. Ethnic Russians in the army had strong will to stop the white army who had help from foreign powers.

Who did Russian civil war break out between?

The Red army (Bolshevik defenders) and the White armies (Bolshevik opponents, ex-tsarist officers, SR, others who did not like Bolsheviks)

Who wanted to regain political power and why?

The SR. They recognised themselves as the legitimate rulers due to winning majority support in the 1917 November Constitution but were marched out at gunpoint by the Bolsheviks. They opposed the signing of the Brest-Litovsk treaty and mass terror being unleashed. The left SR joined the other SR and created the Komuch. (opposing team)

How did the white army's lack of commitment cause them to lose?

The White Army soldiers lacked the commitment that the Red Army had because there was no strong leader to unite them under a common ideology. The soldiers were conscripted in the White Army and there were deserters in the White Army like the Red Army. White army was corrupt and the soldiers did bad things when they were drunk. They also did not have peasant support (afraid they would have to return land to landowners)

How did the peasants revolt against the Bolsheviks for greater autonomy?

The peasants resented the control from Moscow and attacked Bolshevik Commissars. They were led by anarchists Makhno, who believed that no authority should curtail an individual's freedom

How did the weaknesses of the white army about lack of unity cause them to lose?

The white armies had different ideologies and although there were many of them, they did not work together. The White Army lacked unity physically. Denikin, then Wrangel, were concentrated in the south while Admiral Kolchak was in the north-east. The distance was too far to cooperate, thus, they fought independently.

How did Trotsky introduce discipline into the army and how did this help them win?

Trotsky re-introduced ranks and military discipline. He enlisted the help of ex-Tsarist officers because the Bolsheviks lacked officers. He called them 'Military Specialists'. Discipline was also maintained through terror. They imposed strict controls in their areas and the Cheka ensured discipline and would shoot any deserters. The tsarist officers' families were held hostage to ensure cooperation if the officers dared to betray the army.

What were the results of the civil war?

White Armies were defeated, Kolchak (white leader) captured when he advanced to Moscow in early 1919. Denikin advanced from south of Moscow but had to retreat. In 1920, there was an invasion of Ukraine by Polish and French troops. Russians had to hand over part of Ukraine. Enormous cost in human lives and suffering because there was famine and deaths. Bolshevik regime even stricter.