The Primary Cause Of The Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War
Basic Work Rough Draft
Intro
The primary cause of the Russian Civil War was the breach between the Bolsheviks and non-Bolsheviks. This breach was caused by a number of events, one of them being the Russian Revolution, which occurred throughout 1917. The Russian Revolution consisted of two parts, the first part being the February Revolution, where Tsar Nicholas II was forced out of his position and the Russian monarchy was replaced by a provisional government. Most Russians opposed Tsar Nicholas II’s leadership and lost faith in his abilities since government corruption was widespread and uncontrollable during his reign. Although the people’s opposition against the Russian monarchy was the long term cause of the Russian …show more content…
Revolution, Russia’s participation in World War I served as the spark that flamed the revolution.
Russia’s participation in World War I was disastrous for the nation’s economy, army, and, evidently, government. Russian casualties were greater than those sustained by any nation in any previous war as a result of the country’s lack of industrialization and development, as opposed to Germany’s highly industrialized society. In addition, the costly war took a major toll on the nation’s economy. Because of the effects of World War I on Russia, the people who were already unhappy with the nation’s government and its participation in the war were driven to rebel, causing the Russian Revolution.
The second part of the Russian Revolution was known as the October Revolution, where the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, overthrew the recently established provisional government and formed a new government with Lenin at its head.
This occurred in November of 1917 soon after the February Revolution, which took place in March of 1917. One of Lenin’s first acts as leader was halting Russia’s participation in World War I. In March of 1918, Russia formally ended its participation in World War I with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. It was signed by the newly Bolshevik government of Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman …show more content…
Empire.
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk required Russia to give up large portions of its territory to Germany and Austria-Hungary. Russia lost a majority of its oil, coal, and iron deposits, one-third of its population, and much of its industry that came along with the territory. However, the treaty also contributed in causing a separation between Bolsheviks and the Left Socialist Revolutionaries, who were a splinter group of the Socialist Revolutionary Party. The Socialist Revolutionary Party, or the SR, was split into two parts: the Left Socialist Revolutionaries, or the LSR, who supported and joined a coalition government with the Bolsheviks; and the Right Socialist Revolutionaries, or the RSR, who supported the provisional government. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk caused major disagreements between the Left Socialist Revolutionaries and the Bolsheviks because it was so destructive to the interests of Russian workers and the economy. These disagreements led to the LSR leaving the coalition government, which allowed for the government to entirely fall in the hands of the Bolsheviks, including the Constituent Assembly.
The Constituent Assembly was an elected body created in order to write a constitution and create a form of government for Russia after the revolution. The Socialist Revolutionary Party won a majority of the seats in the assembly, gaining 40% of the popular vote of the people; the Bolsheviks won 25% of the popular vote; and the other parties only won a small number of delegates. The Bolsheviks were extremely unhappy with this outcome, especially since the majority of the Constituent Assembly did not support the program of the new Soviet Government. As a result, in 1918, Lenin dissolved the Assembly and all non-Bolsheviks, including the SR, were isolated from the government.
Lenin and the Bolsheviks had made a large amount of opponents by 1918, which is when the Russian Civil War started. These anti-Bolsheviks, who were collectively known as the Whites, had created an operational formation of forces known as the Volunteer Army. This organization was one of the main forces of the White movement and was comprised solely of volunteers. Although it had initially gone through some hardships, the Volunteer Army grew to become a useful fighting force by April of 1918 when General Anton Denikin was appointed to lead it. Although the Left Socialist Revolutionaries were not considered to be a part of the Whites, some still opposed and fought against the Bolsheviks while the rest joined the Bolshevik party.
The most climactic cause of the Civil War, which drove many anti-Bolsheviks over the edge, was the revolt of the Czechoslovak Legion. During the time when Russia was still fighting in World War I, the Russian government allowed Czech and Slovak deserters of Austria-Hungary’s military to form their own units and used them to fight against Austria-Hungary. These units were referred to as the Czechoslovak Legion and consisted of more than 60,000 soldiers. However, since they were no longer needed after Russia’s exit from World War I, the Legion was sent to the Russian Far East by the Trans-Siberian Railroad. In May of 1918, after some violent incidents took place during the evacuation, the Czechoslovak Legion was ordered to give up their arms. However, they refused, defeated the attempts of the local soviets to disarm them, and assumed control over the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
The action that the Czechoslovak Legion took against the local soviets caused the Bolshevik government to crack down heavily on non-Bolsheviks.
It was made sure that they were completely expelled from the government, and that they would not partake in any organized political activity. Eventually, in September of 1918, the government established a campaigned known as the Red Terror. The Red Terror was a campaign of mass killings, torture, and oppression against people who did not agree with the Bolshevik ruling, the anti-Bolsheviks. It was initiated due to a Socialist Revolutionary attack on Lenin and other Soviet leaders. It is estimated that between 10,000 and one and a half million people were killed during the Red Terror.
It is said that the Russian Civil War officially began in June of 1918, a few months before the Red Terror was established. Among many of the early victims of the war was Tsar Nicholas II, the head of the Russian monarchy before it was overthrown, and his family. Because of the development of anti-Bolshevik troops in Siberia, which was near the area that the former tsar and his family were hiding, the soviets feared that him and his family were going to be freed. In order to prevent this from happening, all members of the family were shot in July of
1918.
The Bolsheviks were able to assemble their own army, which was known as the Red Army, in order to oppose the military groups of their opponents. The Red Army consisted of former officers of the army during the reign of Tsar Nicholas II. By 1921, around 50,000 of former imperial officers served in the Red Army; however, not all of them were politically reliable. Political advisors were appointed to watch over the army units and carry out political propaganda among the troops. Their goal was to produce a military that not only reliable on the battlefield, but also politically.
On the other hand, the anti-Bolsheviks were training a new army under the command of Aleksandr Kolchak. Relations between Kolchak and the Socialist Revolutionaries, who made up a major part of the anti-Bolsheviks, deteriorated significantly as Kolchak and his officers disliked their political views. This resulted in Kolchak conducting a coup that separated his army from the Socialist Revolutionaries.
The Red Army was able to invade Ukraine in early 1919, while the remaining Socialist Revolutionary troops, headed by Symon Petlyura, joined forces with Ukrainian nationalist troops. For the next few months, Ukraine was controlled by a variety of different groups: the SR and Ukrainian nationalist alliance controlled parts; bands of anarchists controlled other areas; and the Bolsheviks controlled the main cities.
Because Russia was a part of the Allied Powers, all of the important nations in that alliances needed to choose their position in the Russian Civil War. They needed to balance the political and moral aspects of the war in order to make their decisions. For example, because pre-Bolshevik Russia had aided and remained loyal to the Allied Powers previously, the Allies were morally bound to help them. In addition, from a political point of view, if the Bolsheviks succeeded, the threat of communism consuming the entire world would increase significantly.
The French and Italian governments gave the anti-Bolsheviks support in the form of supplies and weapons in the beginning of 1919; however, the British and United States governments were not quick to take sides. Instead, they hoped to reconcile the warring parties, which did not succeed in the end. After many failed peace proposals and attempts at armistices, they eventually provided their support to the anti-Bolshevik armies. The Allied Powers’ support did not help the anti-Bolshevik troops in a significant way since there was a limited amount of troop and many of them were quickly withdrawn.
The defeat of the Whites slowly and surely approached as the Russian Civil War went by. All throughout the beginning of 1919, up until April, Kolchak’s army had achieved great success; however, the Red Army’s counterattacks soon began. Kolchak and his army were forced to retreat so that by summer of 1919, they had been defeated. He attempted to set up an administration following his defeat, but it was overthrown by the Socialist Revolutionaries. He was eventually handed over to the Bolsheviks.
Ukraine, on the other hand, was completely under control of the Whites, which included Denikin’s army, by summer of 1919. They began to invade Moscow and Petrograd, but both of these attempts were refuted by Red Army counterattacks. The armies were driven back and the remaining soldiers were evacuated. Ukraine was soon under control of the alliance between Ukrainian nationalists and the Polish leader Jozef Pilsudski, which eventually resulted in the Russo-Polish War.
Although most troops of the Whites were driven out by the Red Army, in 1920, an organized White force headed by Pyotr Wrangel was still present in Crimea. They saw success for quite some time, but 150,000 soldiers and civilians were forced to evacuate due to the Red Army’s attacks. Not only did this mark the end of the Russian Civil War, in November of 1920, but it also established the victory of the Bolsheviks; a victory that led to the world’s first Communist state.
Conclusion
Basic Work Rough Draft
Intro
The primary cause of the Russian Civil War was the breach between the Bolsheviks and non-Bolsheviks. This breach was caused by a number of events, one of them being the Russian Revolution, which occurred throughout 1917. The Russian Revolution consisted of two parts, the first part being the February Revolution, where Tsar Nicholas II was forced out of his position and the Russian monarchy was replaced by a provisional government. Most Russians opposed Tsar Nicholas II’s leadership and lost faith in his abilities since government corruption was widespread and uncontrollable during his reign. Although the people’s opposition against the Russian monarchy was the long term cause of the Russian …show more content…
Revolution, Russia’s participation in World War I served as the spark that flamed the revolution.
Russia’s participation in World War I was disastrous for the nation’s economy, army, and, evidently, government. Russian casualties were greater than those sustained by any nation in any previous war as a result of the country’s lack of industrialization and development, as opposed to Germany’s highly industrialized society. In addition, the costly war took a major toll on the nation’s economy. Because of the effects of World War I on Russia, the people who were already unhappy with the nation’s government and its participation in the war were driven to rebel, causing the Russian Revolution.
The second part of the Russian Revolution was known as the October Revolution, where the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, overthrew the recently established provisional government and formed a new government with Lenin at its head.
This occurred in November of 1917 soon after the February Revolution, which took place in March of 1917. One of Lenin’s first acts as leader was halting Russia’s participation in World War I. In March of 1918, Russia formally ended its participation in World War I with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. It was signed by the newly Bolshevik government of Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman …show more content…
Empire.
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk required Russia to give up large portions of its territory to Germany and Austria-Hungary. Russia lost a majority of its oil, coal, and iron deposits, one-third of its population, and much of its industry that came along with the territory. However, the treaty also contributed in causing a separation between Bolsheviks and the Left Socialist Revolutionaries, who were a splinter group of the Socialist Revolutionary Party. The Socialist Revolutionary Party, or the SR, was split into two parts: the Left Socialist Revolutionaries, or the LSR, who supported and joined a coalition government with the Bolsheviks; and the Right Socialist Revolutionaries, or the RSR, who supported the provisional government. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk caused major disagreements between the Left Socialist Revolutionaries and the Bolsheviks because it was so destructive to the interests of Russian workers and the economy. These disagreements led to the LSR leaving the coalition government, which allowed for the government to entirely fall in the hands of the Bolsheviks, including the Constituent Assembly.
The Constituent Assembly was an elected body created in order to write a constitution and create a form of government for Russia after the revolution. The Socialist Revolutionary Party won a majority of the seats in the assembly, gaining 40% of the popular vote of the people; the Bolsheviks won 25% of the popular vote; and the other parties only won a small number of delegates. The Bolsheviks were extremely unhappy with this outcome, especially since the majority of the Constituent Assembly did not support the program of the new Soviet Government. As a result, in 1918, Lenin dissolved the Assembly and all non-Bolsheviks, including the SR, were isolated from the government.
Lenin and the Bolsheviks had made a large amount of opponents by 1918, which is when the Russian Civil War started. These anti-Bolsheviks, who were collectively known as the Whites, had created an operational formation of forces known as the Volunteer Army. This organization was one of the main forces of the White movement and was comprised solely of volunteers. Although it had initially gone through some hardships, the Volunteer Army grew to become a useful fighting force by April of 1918 when General Anton Denikin was appointed to lead it. Although the Left Socialist Revolutionaries were not considered to be a part of the Whites, some still opposed and fought against the Bolsheviks while the rest joined the Bolshevik party.
The most climactic cause of the Civil War, which drove many anti-Bolsheviks over the edge, was the revolt of the Czechoslovak Legion. During the time when Russia was still fighting in World War I, the Russian government allowed Czech and Slovak deserters of Austria-Hungary’s military to form their own units and used them to fight against Austria-Hungary. These units were referred to as the Czechoslovak Legion and consisted of more than 60,000 soldiers. However, since they were no longer needed after Russia’s exit from World War I, the Legion was sent to the Russian Far East by the Trans-Siberian Railroad. In May of 1918, after some violent incidents took place during the evacuation, the Czechoslovak Legion was ordered to give up their arms. However, they refused, defeated the attempts of the local soviets to disarm them, and assumed control over the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
The action that the Czechoslovak Legion took against the local soviets caused the Bolshevik government to crack down heavily on non-Bolsheviks.
It was made sure that they were completely expelled from the government, and that they would not partake in any organized political activity. Eventually, in September of 1918, the government established a campaigned known as the Red Terror. The Red Terror was a campaign of mass killings, torture, and oppression against people who did not agree with the Bolshevik ruling, the anti-Bolsheviks. It was initiated due to a Socialist Revolutionary attack on Lenin and other Soviet leaders. It is estimated that between 10,000 and one and a half million people were killed during the Red Terror.
It is said that the Russian Civil War officially began in June of 1918, a few months before the Red Terror was established. Among many of the early victims of the war was Tsar Nicholas II, the head of the Russian monarchy before it was overthrown, and his family. Because of the development of anti-Bolshevik troops in Siberia, which was near the area that the former tsar and his family were hiding, the soviets feared that him and his family were going to be freed. In order to prevent this from happening, all members of the family were shot in July of
1918.
The Bolsheviks were able to assemble their own army, which was known as the Red Army, in order to oppose the military groups of their opponents. The Red Army consisted of former officers of the army during the reign of Tsar Nicholas II. By 1921, around 50,000 of former imperial officers served in the Red Army; however, not all of them were politically reliable. Political advisors were appointed to watch over the army units and carry out political propaganda among the troops. Their goal was to produce a military that not only reliable on the battlefield, but also politically.
On the other hand, the anti-Bolsheviks were training a new army under the command of Aleksandr Kolchak. Relations between Kolchak and the Socialist Revolutionaries, who made up a major part of the anti-Bolsheviks, deteriorated significantly as Kolchak and his officers disliked their political views. This resulted in Kolchak conducting a coup that separated his army from the Socialist Revolutionaries.
The Red Army was able to invade Ukraine in early 1919, while the remaining Socialist Revolutionary troops, headed by Symon Petlyura, joined forces with Ukrainian nationalist troops. For the next few months, Ukraine was controlled by a variety of different groups: the SR and Ukrainian nationalist alliance controlled parts; bands of anarchists controlled other areas; and the Bolsheviks controlled the main cities.
Because Russia was a part of the Allied Powers, all of the important nations in that alliances needed to choose their position in the Russian Civil War. They needed to balance the political and moral aspects of the war in order to make their decisions. For example, because pre-Bolshevik Russia had aided and remained loyal to the Allied Powers previously, the Allies were morally bound to help them. In addition, from a political point of view, if the Bolsheviks succeeded, the threat of communism consuming the entire world would increase significantly.
The French and Italian governments gave the anti-Bolsheviks support in the form of supplies and weapons in the beginning of 1919; however, the British and United States governments were not quick to take sides. Instead, they hoped to reconcile the warring parties, which did not succeed in the end. After many failed peace proposals and attempts at armistices, they eventually provided their support to the anti-Bolshevik armies. The Allied Powers’ support did not help the anti-Bolshevik troops in a significant way since there was a limited amount of troop and many of them were quickly withdrawn.
The defeat of the Whites slowly and surely approached as the Russian Civil War went by. All throughout the beginning of 1919, up until April, Kolchak’s army had achieved great success; however, the Red Army’s counterattacks soon began. Kolchak and his army were forced to retreat so that by summer of 1919, they had been defeated. He attempted to set up an administration following his defeat, but it was overthrown by the Socialist Revolutionaries. He was eventually handed over to the Bolsheviks.
Ukraine, on the other hand, was completely under control of the Whites, which included Denikin’s army, by summer of 1919. They began to invade Moscow and Petrograd, but both of these attempts were refuted by Red Army counterattacks. The armies were driven back and the remaining soldiers were evacuated. Ukraine was soon under control of the alliance between Ukrainian nationalists and the Polish leader Jozef Pilsudski, which eventually resulted in the Russo-Polish War.
Although most troops of the Whites were driven out by the Red Army, in 1920, an organized White force headed by Pyotr Wrangel was still present in Crimea. They saw success for quite some time, but 150,000 soldiers and civilians were forced to evacuate due to the Red Army’s attacks. Not only did this mark the end of the Russian Civil War, in November of 1920, but it also established the victory of the Bolsheviks; a victory that led to the world’s first Communist state.
Conclusion