After the second Revolution of October/November 1917, the Civil War took place (1918)-1921). Explain why the Bolsheviks won the Civil War.

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After the second Revolution of October/November 1917, the Civil War took place (1918)-1921). Explain why the Bolsheviks won the Civil War.

     After the many failures and blunders of the Provisional Government, Vladimir Lenin, along with his party, the Bolsheviks, became massively popular across Russia. Using the popularity of the Soviets and some Bolshevik-led protests, along with a sense of desperation across Russia, support for the Bolsheviks shot up. They gained control of Russia through a well organised coup d'état. There was little resistance and soon the Bolsheviks starting consolidating their power. They already had many problems facing them and set off gaining political control and support over the country. Mistakes came early, when Lenin was forced to agree with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918. Russia lost 34% of its population, 32% of its agricultural land and 54% of its industry. The Socialist Revolutionaries had a clear majority in the free elections that were held as their stronghold was in the countryside.

   

      His actions during 1917-1918 were bound to make him enemies and in August 1918 he shot 3 times by a Social Revolutionary agent but luckily survived. In December, Lenin set up the Cheka, a ruthless secret police force made to crush his opponents. A collection of anti-Bolshevik groups united against the Bolsheviks and became known as ‘The Whites’, a contrast to the Bolshevik red. The Whites were made up of Socialist Revolutionaries, Mensheviks, supporters of the Tsar, the Czech Legion and others who had lost out in the revolution.

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     The civil war when the Czech Legion seized control of a large section of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Bolsheviks stronghold was mainly in the west and much of that had been taken over by Germany as part of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty. Soon three separate White armies were marching towards the Bolshevik controlled region. Generals Yudenich and Denikin marched to Petrograd and Moscow, while Admiral Kolchak marched on Moscow from central Southern Russia. The Whites were also supported for part of the war from foreign troops from the USA, Japan, France and Britain. They were sent by their governments ...

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