The Two Sides in the Civil War

Some Russians refused to support either the REDS or the WHITES
In the Ukraine, the courageous peasant leader, Nestor Makhno fought against the REDS and the WHITES. He wanted the peasants to be able to run their own lives. Eventually he had to flee overseas and went to live in France.
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In charge of the Red Army
In charge of the White Army
Leon Trotsky
Admiral Kolchak
General Yudenitch
General Deniken

The Civil War :Advantages and Disadvantages
Controlled the main industries
Controlled the railways
Red army was under unified control of Trotsky and followed Bolshevik ideas
Communication among the Reds was relatively easy
Did not control any of the main industries
Only controlled a section of the trans-Siberian railway
White army disunited under several different leaders with different aims and ideas
Communication among the Whites was very difficult

The Whites had assistance from the Allies who sent troops to help
USA
FRANCE
JAPAN
UK

Why did the Allies intervene on the side of the Whites?
To prevent supplies that they had sent to Russia from falling into German hands.
To help the Whites to continue the war against Germany
To try to prevent the Bolsheviks from winning the Civil War and spreading Communism

The Fate of the Royal Family
The Tsar and his family were taken captive by the Bolsheviks and moved to Ekaterinburg under house arrest
By July 1918, Admiral Kolchak and his army were close to Ekaterinburg. They would soon be in a position to rescue the Tsar

The Bolsheviks decided to kill the Tsar and all of the royal family. Tsar = symbol of old empire = reason to unite the Whites.
“We decided it here. Vladimir Ilyich (Lenin) believed that we shouldn’t leave the Whites a live banner to rally round”
(Sverdlov. Secretary of the Communist Party talking to Trotsky in 1918
The Tsar and his family were killed by members of the local CHEKA but the order seems to have been given by LENIN

Reasons for the Bolshevik victory
Reasons for the Whites’ defeat
Trotsky creates efficient and
well organised Red army
Reds united behind Bolshevik
Ideas
Reds have strategic advantages
(industrial cities and railways)
Communication was easier in the Red controlled area
Allied support for Whites allows the Reds to be seen as ‘patriots’
Poor leadership and lack of organisation in the White army
Whites were divided and disunited and were associated with the Tsarist government which was hated by the vast majority of Russians.
Whites controlled few industries and only a small section of railway
Communication was difficult in the huge White controlled area
The Whites seen as unpatriotic because of Allied support for them.

The Policy of War Communism.
During the Civil War, Lenin introduced the policy of War Communism in Russia
There were two reasons for this policy:
War Communism
Wartime control of the economy
Introduction of Communist ideas into Russia

Nationalisation of
Industries
Private Trade forbidden
WAR COMMUNISM
Rationing introduced
Transport taken over
by the Government
Labour controlled
by the Government
Food requisitioned
from the peasants

The Failure of War Communism
The Policy of War Communism failed to improve the Russian economy.
During the period of War Communism, the production of grain declined and only recovered after 1923

The fall in Grain production led to food shortages and starvation
Scenes like this were common in many Russian villages during the civil war

During the period of War Communism, industrial production also declined.
Coal
Oil
Steel
Bricks
From 29m to 9m tons
From 9.3m to 3.8m tons
From 4.3m to 0.2 m tons
From 2.1m to 0.1m tons

The Kronstadt Rebellion
The policy of War Communism became very unpopular
In March 1921 there was a rebellion against Lenin by the sailors of the Kronstadt Naval base near St Petersburg
Troubles ? Kronstadt sailors active supporters of revolution.
Many participated in October revolution

Demands of the Kronstadt Sailors
Elections to the Soviets by secret ballot
Freedom of speech
Freedom for Trade Unions
Release of all political prisoners
End to requisitioning of grain from
the peasants

The Kronstadt Naval Base is attacked by the Red army over the frozen ice
Although Lenin crushed the rebellion, he realised that he would have to change the policy of War Communism or risk being overthrown.

The New Economic Policy (NEP)
Lenin decided that there was so much opposition to the policy of war communism that it had to be changed.
He wanted the change to be temporary: he would re-introduce communism when the time was right.
In 1921, he decided to replace War Communism with…… the New Economic Policy (NEP)
We’ll take one step back, but later make two ahead

The NEW Economic Policy (NEP)
The New Economic Policy helped Russian agriculture and industry to gradually improve.
Grain Production increased after NEP was introduced
Iron Production increased after NEP was introduced
NEP
Coal and Oil production also increased as a result of NEP
Railway transport was also improved

The success of the NEP
The success of the NEP helped to keep Lenin and the Bolsheviks in Power.
The Peasants supported the end of grain requisitioning and began to grow more grain and sell the surplus. More food was now available in the towns and cities.
Private businessmen and traders were happy with their right to set up their own shops and businesses
The workers in the industrial towns and cities supported NEP because it helped to increase the supply of food and also helped to increase the number of jobs available in industry