20/20 essay on question: How far do you agree with the view that it was the weaknesses and mistakes of their opponents, rather than Red strengths, which caused victory for the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War?
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How far do you agree with the view that it was the weaknesses and mistakes of their
opponents, rather than Red strengths, which caused victory for the Bolsheviks in the
Russian Civil War? (20)
The Russian Civil war is a topic under a considerable amount of historical dispute, it is often argued that it was
simply the weaknesses and mistakes of the White army that lead to the Red victory and others argue that it was
the overwhelming strength that allowed the armies to endure the conflict. In this essay I will examine Both
arguments and find the degree to which both points were more pivotal in the Bolshevik victory of the civil war.
The Bolsheviks, although not in volume, had a considerable advantage over the White armies in geographical
terms. From the start of the civil war the Bolsheviks already controlled many of the major city’s such as St
Petersburg, Moscow, Kaluga, and Astrakhan. These would prove to be of massive strategical advantage to the
Bolsheviks as it gave them access Both to the railway network as well as the large working populations of the
city’ Who were able to run the main armament factories in Russia. The Bolsheviks could carry on producing
war materials and existing arms like Much of the artillery, rifles and other military equipment of the old Russian
army fell into Bolshevik hands and amounted to 2.5 million rifles, 12,000 artillery pieces and 28 million shells.
Giving a Huge advantage over the handouts from foreign aid that the whites needed to rely on. Because the
Bolsheviks hold the most densely populated parts of Russia from 1918-19, Bolshevik-held territory contained
some 70 million people compared with around 20 million in the White-controlled areas. This mattered, because
the Bolsheviks and the Whites both relied on compulsory military service to raise their armies. The Bolsheviks
had a larger pool of manpower available to them than the Whites meaning that in major battles, the red army had
a significant numerical advantage over the whites. The whites on the other hand were not in nearly of good as a
position that the red army was in. although controlling a much larger part of Russia it consisted of mainly the
peasant population and was very sparsely populated. They lacked means of production and so could only fight if
they were supplied from nations that were already reluctant to intervene while they were fighting their own
wars. They lacked the Rail network which would allow the Red army to outflank and outmaneuver the white
army’s as well as allow for far better communication as well as transportation of supplies from the cities. From
the geography alone of both sides we can see that the white army was at a massive disadvantage from the start
of the war not controlling what could be seen as the heart of Russia. From the onset the White army were reliant
on foreign powers unable to produce its own arms. From this it could then be concluded that the red army
, victory could have been attributed to both the weaknesses of the white army’s territories and the strength of the
red army’s placement.
Unity and organization of the sides follows a similar trend, Bolshevik organization and Unity was far greater
than that of the various white armies. This is demonstrated at a fundamental level of the aims of the red army as
well as its organization / command structure. The aims of the Bolshevik armies as simply to consolidate the
power of the Bolshevik and to unify and regain control of Russia. For most white army forces aims and goals
were different. Yudenich's North western army or Kornilov’s southern volunteer’s army had the aim of
removing the Bolsheviks from power as something they had In common but neither army’s had any real idea for
how Russia could move forward but simply wanted to restore what had already failed. Although the name of the
white army is given to the opposition of the Bolsheviks it should be viewed as more of an umbrella term rather
than indicating that in some way the whole group was operating with coordination or to a united goal. It is often
the case that white army units simply spontaneously formed in response to local conditions and events, a far
more reactionary force. Indeed, these piecemeal formations of Anti-Bolshevik Militias was sparked by an army
that had no interest in the Bolshevik’s or the white army’s but just wanted to join the western front. The
Czechoslovak Legion was fighting the Bolsheviks not because it was Loyal to the Tsarist regime or strongly
against its policies but for its own interests in leaving Russia. As for the organisation of the army’s there was
very little communication between the groups, there are many points in the war at which coordination between
the army’s of the white army could have resulted in possible huge strategic gains for the whites. Generals of the
white army had little trust for one another and so any kind of joint efforts often failed. When General Yudenich
was attempting to take Petrograd he likely could have been able to take the city with the help of the Monarchist
General Pavel Bermondt-Avalov and the 50,000 men at his disposal. Instead Bermondt-Avalov was more
interested in fighting the newly independent Latvia and Lithuania. From this it can be seen that Again the
Weaknesses compared with the competence of the Red forces. The lack of Unity in the white army in
comparison to the Bolsheviks as well as the lack of Organisation of the White forces would favour a coupling of
Red strengths as well as white weaknesses as a reason for the Bolshevik victory.
Leadership and discipline were Something both sides struggled with to an extent during the civil war. Both
Sides suffered with desertions. The Reds due to the high amounts of Tsarist loyal officers that it had appointed.
Shortly after taking over as war commissar, Trotsky conscripted thousands of ex-officers and former NCOs
from the Imperial Army. The new nation had no time to train and educate new officers, Trotsky argued. It
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