1. The Russian Revolution
Essay 4 - Civil War

2. Potential Questions
How important was the use of terror by the Reds in allowing them to win the Civil War?
“The role of Trotsky was the main reason why the Reds won the Civil War.” How valid is this statement?

3. Superior Red resources and geography
Introduction
The Russian Civil War was to tear Russia apart for three years – between 1918 and The civil war occurred because after October 1917, many groups had formed that opposed Lenin’s Bolsheviks. These groups included monarchists, militarists, and, for a short time, foreign nations. Collectively, they were known as the Whites while the Bolsheviks were known as the Reds.
Ultimately, it was the Reds who were victorious. Russia remained Communist until 1991.
Factors
239
Superior Red resources and geography
Unity of the Reds, disunity of the Whites
Leadership of Lenin and Trotsky: organisation of the Red Army
Use of Terror
Ineffective foreign intervention

4. Factor 1 - Superior Red resources and geography

5. Factor 1 - Superior Red resources and geography
1) Describe the advantages that the Reds enjoyed in terms of the resources and the areas that they controlled.
2) Analyse why controlling these areas and resources may have helped the Reds to enjoy a military advantage.
3) Evaluation - Find a quote which would summarise the control of territory in deciding the Civil War.
132

6. Counter-Argument
Figes argues that the Red Army was too large to supply and train. Lenin described the poorly-fed and trained recruits as ‘bags of sand’. Instead, Figes suggests that for every active, effective soldier, there were 8 others who for lack of training, clothing, health or ammunition could not be deployed.

7. Richard Pipes believes that the Bolsheviks' control of territory and resources made their victory a 'foregone conclusion'. This suggests that it was a pivotal factor.
Orlando Figes believes that while control of Russia's railways was important in a mobile war, it was actually the Whites' political mistakes that were more significant. 'At the root of their defeat was a failure of politics'.

8. The Reds' control over central Russia gave them a number of advantages
The Reds' control over central Russia gave them a number of advantages. As they controlled the main cities, such as Moscow and Petrograd, they had access to far more manpower. These cities also housed the main armament factories, such as the Putilov factory in Petrograd. Moscow's status as Russia's main railway hub allowed the Reds control over the transport network. On the other hand, the Whites were scattered over a vast area and were therefore divided by geography. These advantages were vital to the Reds as it provided them with access to more weapons and more soldiers, both key requirements in winning a war. More importantly, these resources could be moved quickly and efficiently to where they were needed. However, it can be argued that having more men was not as clear as advantage as it appears. This was because it became increasingly difficult to feed, arm and train these men. It has indeed been suggested that only 1 in 9 potential soldiers were properly prepared for battle.

9. Factor 2 - Unity of the Reds, disunity of the Whites
1) Describe the way that the Reds had a single cause, and a common purpose. Contrast this with the Whites, who had a variety of different interests and motivations. Who would have appealed to ordinary workers and peasants more?
2) Analyse why this contrast would have aided the Reds in a military conflict.
4) Evaluation - Find a quote which supports an overall view of the factor.
241
132

11. Counter-Argument
It has been suggested that in fact, the Bolshevik army was dominated by conscripted peasants. This led to divisions as ‘most Bolsheviks saw the peasants as an alien and hostile social force’.

12. “The Reds had high morale and felt certain that they were making a new, better world” Robert Service
"It was practically impossible for the Whites to agree on policies. They did not even try." Orlando Figes

13. Factor 3 - Leadership of Lenin and Trotsky: Red Army organisation
1) Describe the ruthless leadership of both Lenin and Trotsky. You should mention War Communism, Trotsky's leadership of the Red Army and his inspirational rhetoric.
2) Analyse why this would have made the Reds a more effective, better supplied and more motivated fighting force.
3) Evaluation -Quote

14. Counter-Argument
There were mass desertions and only 40,000 of the 275,000 peasants who were initially called up actually appeared. During the course of the war 4 million men had deserted the Red Army.

17. 'The Bolsheviks had better organisation, and crucially, leadership
'The Bolsheviks had better organisation, and crucially, leadership. They had...an array of talent that was not matched by the White side' - David Marples
"With his dedication to the cause, Trotsky inspired uncertain officers and men, and his ruthlessness against waverers became legendary." Peter Oxley
‘Contrary to conventional wisdom, it [was the Whites] who had the superior generalship and morale. In the final analysis, they appear to have lost…because they faced insuperable handicaps.’ Richard Pipes

18. The Reds were efficiently and ruthlessly led during the Civil War
The Reds were efficiently and ruthlessly led during the Civil War. Lenin was the unchallenged leader of the Bolsheviks and devised a policy of War Communism. This meant that food and industrial products were diverted to the Red Army. This was crucial in helping the Reds to triumph as it meant that their army was well supplied, even at the cost of famine among the general public. The fact that Lenin was undisputed leader also meant that the Reds were united and not torn apart by squabbles. Trotsky was Commisar of the Red Army. He toured the troops using his personal train, giving inspirational speeches. He also devised a ruthless system of discipline, including summary execution of 'waverers' and kidnapping the families of suspect Tsarist officers. This proved vital as it inspired tremendous loyalty among the bulk of the soldiers of the Red Army. Furthermore, it ensured that those who were not inspired, were terrified into fighting loyally. In evaluation, Pipes' argument that resources were crucial, rather than leadership, seems valid. This is supported by the fact that the Red Army suffered 4 million desertions during the Civil War. This is certainly not the rate expected of a well-led, motivated army.

19. 1) Describe the actions of the Cheka.
Factor 4 - Use of Terror
1) Describe the actions of the Cheka.
2) Analyse why this was important in helping the Reds to win the Civil War.
3) Evaluation -Quote
243
129
131

20. Counter-Argument
It can be argued that the Terror actually lost support for the Bolsheviks. The terror gave rise to protests from all sections of society. Even within the Party there were critics of the excesses.

21. The ingenuity of the Cheka’s torture methods was matched only by the Spanish Inquisition. Each local Cheka had its own specialty. In Kharkov they went in for the ‘glove trick’ – burning the victim’s hands in boiling water until the blistered skin could be peeled off: this left the victims with raw and bleeding hands and their torturers with ‘human gloves’. The Tsaritsyn Cheka sawed its victims’ bones in half. In Voronezh they rolled their naked victims in nail-studded barrels. In Armavir they crushed their skulls by tightening a leather strap with an iron bolt around their head. In Kiev they affixed a cage with rats to the victims torso and heated it so that the enraged rats ate their way through the victim’s guts in an effort to escape. In Odessa they chained their victims to planks and pushed them slowly into a furnace or a tank of boiling water. A favourite winter torture was to pour water on the naked victims until they became living ice statues.

22. Stuart Finkel argues that the Cheka's importance has been overstated, claiming that they had 'a considerable tendency to exaggerate their extent and import'.

23. Factor 5 - Ineffective foreign intervention and propaganda
1) Describe the intervention by the Allied Powers during the Civil War, and the Reds' use of propaganda.
2) Analyse why this aid was ineffective in helping the Whites.
3) Evaluation -Quote
244

24. “Foreign intervention was often half-hearted and militarily ineffective.” Evan Mawdsley.

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