Another important factor in the Whites defeat was a lack of co-operation. The Whites did lack co-operation and commitment. Their mutual belief and their differing goals caused this. The White forces did not co-operate in their military planning, a reason for a lack of co-operation was the geographical position they held throughout within Russia. Their forces were scattered with higher distances between each another, thereby preventing any kind of joint action taking place. This made it relatively easy for the Red forces to defeat them one by one. Any military success they did have were not followed up. They experienced communication difficulties and had severe problems obtaining essential supplies. This proved success for Reds because of the strong geographical position they held. The Reds were situated in the central area of Western Russia. They controlled the Russian-speaking areas and Russia’s industrial centers. In addition, the Bolsheviks never lost control of Petrograd or Moscow. Unlike their opponents , they had access to transport and communication networks. They were able to use these to ensure troops and suppliers reached their destinations. They could communicate more effectively because their territory was continuous, allowing them to coordinate attacks against their enemies. They could produce more munitions than the White armies, who had to rely on foreign support.
Furthermore, foreign intervention in the civil war ultimately came to little. In theory the involvement of other major powers should have caused disaster and defeat for the Bolsheviks. At one point the Reds were fighting the forces of fourteen different foreign countries in addition to the Whites within Russia. However, the foreign powers were also disunited in their reason for involvement. The foreign powers seem ultimately uncommitted to their role in the Civil War, They were too exhausted and were concerned with the defeat of Germany and by 1919 they had left Russian land.
On the other hand, despite the fact that the weakness of their opponents was central to explaining the success of the bolsheviks in the Civil War. However, they were not the only reason in explaining bolshevik success, they won the Russian Civil War due to their own strengths aswell. The other factors ensuring victory was: Lenin’s political leadership was central to Bolshevik success. As the founder of the Bolshevik Party. Lenin had enormous personal authority. Lenin was able to keep the Bolshevik Party united. He was also ruthless in dealing with political opponents. Lenin set up ‘Cheks’ in December 1917 to root out political opposition. As a terror police force, Cheka was far more ruthless and effective than the Tsarist ‘Okhrana’. By establishing the Red Terror, Lenin ensured Bolsheviks had control over their own area. Lenin was also effective in dealing with potential threats to his leadership outside the Bolshevik Party. In July 1918, when White forces were closing in on Ekaterinburg it was Lenin who ordered the murder of the entire Russia Royal family. Lenin was determined that the royal family should not fall into White hands and become a figurehead for opposition to the Bolsheviks.
Another important aspect of Bolshevik victory was the introduction of War Communism in 1918. The Communists were extremely efficient and well coordinated in their approach to the war. Lenin ensured that war production was maintained and the towns and cities fed by the adoption of ruthless tactics. Groups of committed workers were used to maintain war production and reduce bottlenecks in production when they appeared. The Communists were able to maximise the production of weapons through the introduction of War Communism. Under this economic system the Communists conscripted people to work in factories and used threatening tactics, such as fear of imprisonment, to force workers to produce more weapons. The Communists took over war production and centrally controlled all economic activity. Besides, Lenin also used the method of ‘grain requisitioning. Lenin used Bolshevik supporters to take grain forcible from the peasants to feed the cities. However, Lenin was sensible enough to see the need for change when problems arose. Following the peasant uprising and naval revolt, Lenin abandoned War Communism and replaced it with the New Economic Policy to ensure that the Bolsheviks would stay in power in the latter stages of Civil War.
To conclude, there is much evidence to suggest that the view put forward in the essay is a valid one. The bolsheviks faced a divided and poorly organized enemy in the form of the Whites. Generals Deniken, Yudenich and Admiral Kolchak failed to coordinate their military forces, allowing the Bolsheviks to confront them individually. The Whites had a number of weaknesses, the most significant being their basic lack of unity, organisation and poor geographical position throughout the Civil War. While, Anti-Bolshevik forces contained those who wished to see the return of a Tsarist style regime to Liberals, Socialists and Social revolutionaries such disunity was an important factor in explaining Lenin’s success. However, we must be careful not to dismiss the strengths of the Bolsheviks entirely, particularly the assets and achievements of Trotsky. Therefore, while the success of the Bolsheviks would seem to have more to do with the weaknesses of their opponents, the Red’s did possess certain key strengths which are partly responsible for their success in the Civil War.
by
sairadrabu (student)
