How Far Do You Agree That the Bolsheviks Won the Civil War of 1918-21 Because They Controlled More People and Had Access to More Weapons? Essay Example
I believe that the Bolsheviks controlling more people and having access to more weapons was a key factor in them winning the war. They controlled the industrial heart of Russia, which included Petrograd and Moscow, this also meant they had control of all the factories, and the railway lines. Control of the factories meant they were able to made more supplies, and control of the railway networks meant that they could transport troops and supplies around. Petrograd and Moscow alone were home to 60 million people. Controlling one big area which was joined together made it a lot easier for the Bolsheviks to operate.
Although everything above was very important to the Bolsheviks winning the war, there were other factors. The Bolsheviks also controlled the Soviet Secret police, created in 1917, they were known as the ‘Cheka’. The Cheka ensured terror in the people, their main aims were to ‘investigate and liquidate all attempts or actions connected with counter-revolution or sabotage, no matter from whom they may come, throughout Russia’, and ‘the handing over for trial by Revolutionary Tribunal of all saboteurs and counter-revolutionaries, and the elaboration of measures to fight them.’ They would ensure loyalty from the Red Army Generals by taking their families hostage.
Another few reasons which I believe were important in the Bolsheviks winning the war, other than controlling more people and having access to more weapons, would be the disunity of the opposition. Most opposition parties all had different aims, the Whites were tsarist supporters, the Greens wanted control for the peasants, and also the Ukraine’s fought both the white and the red. With all the opposition parties wanting different aims, it made it hard for them to come to agreements to try and overthrow the Bolsheviks, and sometimes they would seem like they were fighting other opposition parties more than they were the Bolsheviks, leaving the Bolsheviks to carry on without much interference.
Although everything above was very important to the Bolsheviks winning the war, there were other factors. The Bolsheviks also controlled the Soviet Secret police, created in 1917, they were known as the ‘Cheka’. The Cheka ensured terror in the people, their main aims were to ‘investigate and liquidate all attempts or actions connected with counter-revolution or sabotage, no matter from whom they may come, throughout Russia’, and ‘the handing over for trial by Revolutionary Tribunal of all saboteurs and counter-revolutionaries, and the elaboration of measures to fight them.’ They would ensure loyalty from the Red Army Generals by taking their families hostage.
Another few reasons which I believe were important in the Bolsheviks winning the war, other than controlling more people and having access to more weapons, would be the disunity of the opposition. Most opposition parties all had different aims, the Whites were tsarist supporters, the Greens wanted control for the peasants, and also the Ukraine’s fought both the white and the red. With all the opposition parties wanting different aims, it made it hard for them to come to agreements to try and overthrow the Bolsheviks, and sometimes they would seem like they were fighting other opposition parties more than they were the Bolsheviks, leaving the Bolsheviks to carry on without much interference.