Civil War 1917 whites. Red whites: Soviet political terms in historical and cultural context

The 20th century for Russia was a time of turmoil and dramatic changes caused by the fall of the era of autocracy, the rise of the Bolshevik Party on the political Olympus, participation in a bloody fratricidal war, of course, we should not forget about the two world wars, which became a difficult test for the state, especially World War II. We should not, of course, forget about the tense relations between the USSR and the USA, framed within the framework of the Cold War, perestroika, and the fall of the great USSR.

Civil War phenomenon

The modern scientific world is plagued by doubts and contradictions when it comes to the Civil War in Russia. Historians still cannot agree among themselves and conclude the past war period within a certain time frame, as a result of which dates such as October 25, 1917 to July 16, 1923 are considered to be the approximate dating for such an event.

This event is essentially a series of armed conflicts that took place between various state entities and groups, divided in turn by ethnic, social and political nature. The war was formed from conflicts on the territory of what was by then the Russian Empire during the Bolshevik Party’s rise to power in October 1917.

The civil war was the final outcome of the crisis that arose during the revolutionary actions. This event is not only a consequence of political contradictions: the life of the common people in Russia has always been overshadowed by a difficult plight, the people were driven to extremes by the tsarist regime, class inequality, and participation in the First World War.

Transformations in the state could not pass without a trace; against the backdrop of a change of power and the establishment of new orders and rules, there must have been people who were not at all happy with the innovations; they showed with all their appearance that the old life was closer to them in spirit than the Soviet cardinal transformations.

Causes

Just as scientists do not have accurate information related to the specific chronology of military operations, there is also no consensus regarding the reasons influencing the outbreak of hostilities.

However, many historians are inclined to believe that the war could have arisen as a result of:

1. Dispersal of Kerensky and his supporters (members of the Constituent Assembly) by the Bolsheviks. The tsarist regime was overthrown, a new government had already established itself in its place, which the Bolsheviks, in turn, hastened to overthrow; of course, such a course of events could lead to similar actions. Instantly, the old nobility began to appear, which was faithful to the ideals of the imperial family; they dreamed of restoring the former regime and expelling Lenin and his associates from the state with their forcibly imposed new ideals.
2. The aspirations of the new owners of Russia (Bolsheviks) to do their best to stay in their new position. Naturally, the adherents of Lenin’s teachings wanted to firmly take root in the field they occupied, so they tried as best they could to propagate the Soviet teachings, accompanying it with various slogans. These people, for their bright ideas, were ready to kill their enemies so that socialism could come.
3. Readiness to fight between whites and reds. During the Civil War, both opposing camps had a huge number of supporters who tried to achieve ideal living conditions for themselves.
4. Nationalization of enterprises, food, banks, and the business sector. Under the tsarist regime, many people lived freely, this applies to factory owners, manufacturers, and merchants (especially the 1st guild). In an instant, the oxygen of their work activity is cut off for them; these people, of course, did not put up with the new regime, they sharply criticized Bolshevism.
5. Distribution of land to the poor and disadvantaged. Although the serfdom was abolished in the 19th century, few peasants had their own land; they continued to work for the masters. Lenin ordered that lands be actively confiscated from rich people and distributed to those in dire need. Against this background, state and collective farms began to form, which also began to include selected land. The agrarian question could be the sharpest stumbling block between the Bolsheviks and their opponents and lead to a civil war, since it was closely connected with the dispossession of wealthy peasants and landowners.
6. The signing of the humiliating Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which did not suit the population of the Russian Empire (a large amount of land was lost).

Stages of military operations

Traditionally, the Civil War is usually divided into 3 stages, enclosed within a certain chronological framework.

• October 1917 – November 1918. This stage began even when the entire civilized world was taking a direct part in the First World War. During this time period, the formation of opposing forces and the formation of main fronts of armed clashes between them took place. As soon as the Bolsheviks were at the helm of the government ship, immediately in opposition to the party an opposition arose for them in the person of the White Guards, whose ranks included officers, clergy, Cossacks, landowners and other other wealthy people who, for personal reasons, did not want to voluntarily part with their money funds and property.
  Since this stage was associated with actions taking place in Europe, it is clear that an event of such a scale simply could not attract the attention of the participants of the Entente and the Triple Alliance.
  The Civil War itself began with the opposition of the ruling new political regime to the old one in the form of local skirmishes, which over time grew into theaters of military operations.
• November 1918 – end of March/beginning of April 1920. During this time period, the most important, and at the same time the most significant, military battles took place between the workers' and peasants' Red Army and the White Guard movement. The First World War is over, Russian troops are returning to their homeland, where a new event awaits them - a civil war.
  Initially, fortune showed its favor and sympathy to the whites, and then it also attracted the reds, which by the end of the second stage of hostilities were able to spread throughout almost the entire territory of the state.
• March 1920 – October 1922. The struggle at this stage is already taking place on the very outskirts of the country. From this moment on, Soviet power was established everywhere; from now on, nothing threatens this political system.

The main participants in the hostilities: red versus white

Many people, of course, know who the “reds” are and who the “whites” are, and what the Civil War itself was like.

Where did these two opposing politicized camps come from: In fact, everything is very simple: whites are adherents of the old regime, faithful servants of the monarchy, terrible owners of land and all kinds of wealth that are so necessary for the common people, and reds are essentially there are the common people themselves, workers, Bolshevik deputies, peasants. Such information is available in every history textbook, regardless of who is the author of the textbook, and in former times a lot of films were made on this topic.

In fact, the White Guards were not monarchists as such. Emperor Nicholas II had already abdicated the throne, his brother Mikhail himself refused the bequeathed throne, so the entire White Guard movement, which once had a military obligation to the royal family, was deprived of it, because there was no one to swear allegiance to. Due to the fact that the officers and Cossacks were exempt from the oath, in fact, although they supported the royal power, they were opponents of the Bolshevik system and fought first of all for their own property, and only then for the idea.

Color difference is also a very interesting fact that took place in history. The Bolsheviks really had a red banner, and their army was called red, but the White Guards did not have a white flag, only their uniform corresponded to the name.

Great revolutionary events have already shaken the world before, what is the French Bourgeoisie worth? It was then that the king’s followers carried a white cloth with them everywhere, symbolizing the flag of the monarch. The opposing force, consisting of the bourgeoisie, peasantry, and ordinary plebs, having seized some object, having previously recaptured it from the French military, supporters of the revolution hung a red canvas under the window, indicating that this building was supposedly already occupied.

It is by this similar analogy that it is customary to distinguish between the two opposing forces that acted in Russia during the Civil War.

In fact, the Bolshevik political machine was opposed by supporters of the Provisional Government, wealthy people, and other political parties represented by anarchists, democrats, Socialist Revolutionaries, and Cadets.

The term "white" was applied to the main enemy of the Bolsheviks in the Civil War.

Background to military operations

In February 1917, a Provisional Committee was formed on the basis of the State Duma and the Petrograd Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. The simultaneous appearance of two powerful government forces on the political arena of the state could only mark a brutal confrontation in the form of dual power.

The following events happened like this: on March 2, the emperor, under pressure, abdicated the throne, and his brother Mikhail, to whom power was supposed to come as a result of a personal decision (naturally under pressure from certain individuals), also did not show much interest in the throne and hastened to abandon it.

The Provisional Committee, together with the executive committee of the Petrograd Soviet, is in a hurry to form a Provisional Government, which was supposed to concentrate the reins of government in its own hands.

Alexander Kerensky tried to take his strong place in the political field by trying to ban the activities of the Bolshevik Party. Naturally, Ilyich’s associates did not tolerate such an attitude towards themselves and began to rapidly develop a plan to disperse the Provisional Government. As soon as the Bolsheviks began their movements, in the south of Russia, a White Guard army began to form in opposition to them, led by the famous officer Lavr Kornilov, an infantry general.

Czechoslovaks

The uprising of the Czechoslovak Corps at the first stage of the war became the starting point of paramilitary actions directed against Bolshevism.

The poor Czechoslovaks, scattered throughout almost the entire Trans-Siberian Railway, were peacefully heading to the Far East, so that from there they could head to France to fight the Triple Alliance. However, they were unable to get there without problems. Foreign Minister G.V. Chicherin, under pressure from the German government, was forced to stop the legionnaires’ journey. They, in turn, decided that the Russian government, instead of the promised shipment, would begin to hand them over to the enemy. Of course, the Czechoslovakians were not attracted to a fate of this nature; they responded to such a decision with an uprising, subsequently undermining Bolshevik authority. The actions of the legionnaires led to the formation of organizations opposition to the Bolsheviks (the Provisional Siberian Government and so on).

History of the war

This event is a confrontation between one political force and another. A huge number of people were involved on the sides of both opponents, and both armies were controlled by talented military leaders.

The outcome of these battles could be absolutely anything: up to the victory of the White Guards and the possible establishment of a monarchist system. However, the Bolsheviks won, and new orders began to be established in the state.

Reasons for victory

A huge number of Soviet historians were inclined to believe that the Bolsheviks were able to win for the reason that they were actively supported by the oppressed classes who were trying to find their place in society.

Despite the fact that there were also quite a large number of White Guards, their fate turned out to be extremely sad. The same simple people opposed the landowners, the rich and the usurpers, who just yesterday mocked the peasants and the working class, forcing them to work to the fullest for meager wages. Therefore, in the territories captured by the whites, they were mostly greeted as enemies, and they tried with all their might to expel the whites from the occupied territories.

The White Guards did not have a unified discipline in the army, there was no main leader of the army. The generals fought with their troops throughout Russian territory, primarily defending their personal interests with their soldiers.

The Red Army soldiers went into battle with a clearly defined goal; they fought for common views and ideas, defending the rights not of an individual person, but of the entire oppressed and disadvantaged people.

Consequences of the war

The civil war in Russia became a very difficult test for people. In many sources, historians call it “fratricidal.” Indeed, hostilities captured people in such a way that in one family there could be adherents of both the Bolsheviks and the White Guards, then often brother went against brother, and father against son.

The war claimed a large number of human lives; it also caused the destruction of the economic system in the state. People from cities began to return en masse to villages, trying to survive and not die of starvation.

Red and white terror

One has only to watch a few films about the Civil War, and one can immediately draw the following conclusion from their plot: the Red Army are the true defenders of their Fatherland, they are fighters for a bright future, led into battle by S. M. Budyonny, V. K. Blucher, M V. Frunze and other commanders, and all that kind of stuff, but the White Guards, on the contrary, are extremely negative heroes, they live by old remnants, trying to plunge the state into the darkness of the monarchy and so on.

“White terror” in Russian history is usually called a number of measures aimed at suppressing the activities of the Bolshevik Party; it includes repressive legislative acts and radical measures, which in turn were aimed at:

• representatives of the Soviet government,
• people who sympathized with the Bolsheviks.

In modern Russian historiography there is the concept of “white terror”, but in fact this phrase is not even a stable term in its essence. White terror is a collective image; it was used by the Bolsheviks to designate White Guard policy.

Yes, in the White Guard army, although scattered (since there was no single commander in chief), there were brutal measures to combat the enemy.

1. Revolutionary political sentiments had to be destroyed in the bud.
2. The Bolshevik underground and along with them representatives of the partisan movement were to be killed.
3. People who served in the Red Army were subjected to exactly the same fate.

However, in fact, the White Guards were not such cruel people, or rather, the degree of their cruelty is comparable to the cruelty of the Red Army soldiers and their leaders.

And L. G. Kornilov, and A. D. Denikin, and A. V. Kolchak tried to establish strict discipline in the armies of their subordinates, which did not tolerate any deviations from the regulations they established - violations were often punishable by death.

The Red Terror is an equally cruel policy of the now Bolsheviks, aimed at destroying the enemy. Just look at the execution of the royal family in July 1918. Then not only members of the royal family were brutally killed, but also their faithful servants, who wished to remain near their masters and share their fate.

The Bolsheviks who came to power denied religion, which had been an integral part of the state for a long time. With the advent of Bolshevism, religion ceased to be valued in human society; almost all clergy were subjected to persecution and repression by the new government. Clubs, reading rooms, libraries, and Komsomol headquarters began to be set up in the buildings of churches and temples. The country was going through terrible times, housewives in rural areas were having a hard time with the gap between power and religion, they, as before, secretly continued to read prayers and hid icons. Being a religious person during the Civil War was extremely dangerous, as one could easily get into trouble for such beliefs.

The scope of the Red Terror also included the forcible confiscation of bread from wealthy peasants, whom the Bolsheviks called kulaks. These operations were carried out directly by punitive food detachments, which, in case of disobedience, could even kill a person who disobeyed them.

Both whites and reds caused the death of a huge number of people who died not from a bullet or bayonet in a military clash, but who died due to insubordination and disobedience to one or another opposing force.

Green Army soldiers

The army of Nestor Makhno, which was called the green army, stands apart in the Civil War. Makhno's supporters became an opposing force, opposing the White Guards and Red Army soldiers, as well as their sympathizers. The army consisted of peasants and Cossacks who evaded general mobilization into the ranks of the White Guard or Red Army troops. The Makhnovists (Greens) advocated a state without a monarchy, but under the supervision of an influential anarchist (Nestor Makhno belonged to this particular political movement).

Bottom line

The civil war in Russia was a catastrophic shock for people. Until recently, they fought on European territory with the Triple Alliance, and today, having returned to their homeland, they were forced to take up arms again and go to fight a new enemy. The war split not only Russian society, it split many families, in which some supported the Red Army, while others supported the White Guards.

The war to establish their personal interests was won by the Bolsheviks thanks to the support of exclusively ordinary people who dreamed of a better life.

Why did the Reds win the Civil War? This question is asked by everyone who is interested in Russian history of the early 20th century. Let's try to figure it out.

Civil War

After this victory, supporters of the monarchy no longer had any great successes, although the Civil War continued for another three years. However, from now on they only had to defend themselves. No serious operations or breakthroughs were carried out, no one seriously threatened the Red troops, the advantage was now completely on their side.

Reflecting on why the Reds won in the Civil War, in the reasons for this, there are three main factors that played a decisive role. Without them, the Bolsheviks would not have been able to win either the Oryol-Krom operation or the Civil War as a whole. At least, this is the opinion held by most historians.

Peace with Germany

One of the factors why the Reds won the Civil War is that in the spring of 1918 it became known that the Bolsheviks had concluded a separate peace with Germany in the First World War. After this, their Entente supporters wanted to take revenge on the Bolsheviks for their betrayal. And these were serious opponents: France, England, Italy, Japan and the USA. They decided to launch an intervention right on the territory of their former ally.

At the same time, formally everything was covered up with good intentions, which, as we know, most often pave the road to hell. Russia's recent allies in the Entente responded to the call from the white movement. In fact, this became a betrayal of the ideals and interests of the opponents of Bolshevism, who exchanged for mythical support in the fight against Vladimir Lenin and his closest associates.

Mercenaries in the Red Army

It is noteworthy that Soviet historians have always tried in every possible way to avoid the issue of the participation of military formations from other countries on the side of the Red troops. At the same time, they constantly tried to stick out feigned internationalism. Talking about how a soldier and officer of any nationality and religion could find themselves under the red banner.

At the same time, it is known for certain, documentary evidence has been preserved, that entire detachments and formations were formed as part of the workers’ and peasants’ Red Army, made up of Chinese, Baltic and other volunteers from a variety of countries. All of them were on the side of Bolshevism. True, in reality, they willingly agreed to fight for Lenin and his supporters not for ideological reasons, but for a generous reward from the rich tsarist treasury, which as a result of the October Revolution ended up in the hands of the Reds. Almost none of these foreign legionnaires were ideological communists. At the same time, they truly committed atrocities during the Civil War on the territory of another country, of which a lot of documentary evidence has been preserved.

Commanding staff

When understanding why White could not defeat Red, we should not forget about another important factor. Its roots go back to the autumn of 1917, when the Bolsheviks had just seized power. At that time, this came as such a surprise to them that they had no specific plans for the old leadership, other than its complete destruction. There was no developed management system.

When the Germans openly ceased to comply with the terms of the Brest Peace Treaty concluded with them, the most pressing issue became the creation of their own combat-ready army. In addition, a full-scale Civil War was beginning in the country with a dangerous and strong enemy, which was the white movement in 1918. Therefore, the Bolsheviks considered it necessary to devote all their resources to solving this problem.

They began to implement it as follows. To begin with, workers began to be recruited into the Red Army, as well as sympathizers and, of course, communists loyal to the party and Lenin. Political workers and commissars became commanders in small military units at that time. Moreover, this happened even if they had no military experience. The Reds paid more attention to political literacy and the ability to conduct effective propaganda than to military skills.

Urgent change

This method did not justify itself; it soon became obvious that it led to catastrophic consequences. Military units with such leaders could not conduct full-fledged combat operations, since most of the soldiers and their commanders had no idea about military affairs. In clashes with well-organized detachments of the white movement, the Bolsheviks often simply fled, often suffering offensive, annoying and even humiliating defeats.

Lenin's close ally Trotsky decided to radically change the situation. He decided to accept only former officers of the tsarist army as commanders. They, of course, were enemies of the emerging new system, but they knew how to fight competently and effectively. Only they could bring victory to the young Soviet state.

The turning point, which largely determined why the Reds won the Civil War, was the transition of the most talented commanders of the tsarist army to the side of the Bolsheviks. These are Bonch-Bruevich, Brusilov, Shaposhnikov, Egorov and many other lesser-known military leaders. As a result, almost half of the former tsarist general staff began to fight on the side of the Bolsheviks.

This leveled the situation in the confrontation with the white movement.

We will build a new world

Many today are trying to sum up the results of the Civil War. Why did the Reds win? This is one of the main questions that has yet to be answered. Obviously, another important reason was the banal belief in a new world.

Moreover, in the Soviet years it was unequivocally stated that all Red Army soldiers believed in the victory of communism, after which heaven on earth would begin. But after the collapse of the USSR, many began to argue the opposite. They say that the Reds won not by skill, but by numbers. Behind them were commissar barrage detachments that did not allow retreat even in the most hopeless situations, so they had nowhere to go. And the main thing was not socialist ideals, but the desire to gain unlimited power and satisfy their basest instincts.

But in reality, the idea played an important role at that time. The idea of ​​the Reds turned out to be stronger than what the White movement could offer its soldiers and officers.

>>History: Civil War: Reds

Civil War: Reds

1.Creation of the Red Army.

2. War communism.

3. "Red Terror". Execution of the royal family.

4. Decisive victories for the Reds.

5.War with Poland.

6. End of the civil war.

Creation of the Red Army.

On January 15, 1918, a decree of the Council of People's Commissars proclaimed the creation of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, and on January 29 - the Red Fleet. The army was built on the principles of voluntariness and a class approach, which excluded the penetration of “exploiting elements” into it.

But the first results of the creation of a new revolutionary army did not inspire optimism. The volunteer principle of recruitment inevitably led to organizational disunity and decentralization in command and control, which had the most detrimental effect on the combat effectiveness and discipline of the Red Army. Therefore, V.I. Lenin considered it possible to return to the traditional, “ bourgeois»principles of military development, i.e., universal conscription and unity of command.

In July 1918, a decree was published on universal military service for the male population aged 18 to 40 years. A network of military commissariats was created throughout the country to keep records of those liable for military service, organize and conduct military training, mobilize the population fit for military service, etc. During the summer - autumn of 1918, 300 thousand people were mobilized into the ranks of the Red Army. By the spring of 1919, the number of Red Army soldiers increased to 1.5 million people, and by October 1919 - to 3 million. In 1920, the number of Red Army soldiers approached 5 million. Much attention was paid to command personnel. Short-term courses and schools were created to train mid-level commanders from the most distinguished Red Army soldiers. In 1917 - 1919 the highest military were opened educational establishments: Academy of the General Staff of the Red Army, Artillery, Military Medical, Military Economic, Naval, Military Engineering Academies. A notice was published in the Soviet press about the recruitment of military specialists from the old army to serve in the Red Army.

The widespread involvement of military experts was accompanied by strict “class” control over their activities. For this purpose, in April 1918, the institute of military commissars was introduced in the Red Army, who not only supervised the command cadres, but also carried out the political education of the Red Army soldiers.

In September 1918, a unified structure for command and control of troops of the fronts and armies was organized. At the head of each front (army) was the Revolutionary Military Council (Revolutionary Military Council, or RVS), which consisted of the commander of the front (army) and two political commissars. All front-line and military institutions were headed by the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic, headed by L. D. Trotsky.

Measures were taken to tighten discipline. Representatives of the Revolutionary Military Council, endowed with emergency powers up to and including the execution of traitors and cowards without trial, went to the most tense areas of the front.

In November 1918, the Council of Workers' and Peasants' Defense was formed, headed by V.I. Lenin. He concentrated in his hands all the power of the state.

War communism.

Social-Soviet power also underwent significant changes.
The activities of the poor commanders heated the situation in the village to the limit. In many areas, the Pobedy Committees entered into conflicts with local Soviets, seeking to usurp power. In the village, “a dual power was created, which led to a fruitless waste of energy and confusion in relations,” which the congress of committees of the poor of the Petrograd province in November 1918 was forced to admit.

On December 2, 1918, a decree was promulgated on the dissolution of the committees. This was not only a political, but also an economic decision. The calculations that the poor committees would help increase the supply of grain did not materialize. The price of the bread that was obtained as a result of the “armed campaign in the village” turned out to be immeasurably high - the general indignation of the peasants, which resulted in a series of peasant uprisings against the Bolsheviks. Civil War this factor could be decisive in the overthrow of the Bolshevik government. It was necessary to regain the trust, first of all, of the middle peasantry, which, after the redistribution of the land, determined the face of the village. The dissolution of the committees of the village poor was the first step towards a policy of pacification of the middle peasantry.

On January 11, 1919, the decree “On the allocation of grain and fodder” was issued. According to this decree, the state communicated in advance the exact figure of its grain needs. Then this amount was distributed (developed) among provinces, districts, volosts and peasant households. Fulfillment of the grain procurement plan was mandatory. Moreover, surplus appropriation was based not on the capabilities of peasant farms, but on very conditional “state needs,” which in reality meant the confiscation of all surplus grain, and often necessary supplies. What was new compared to the policy of food dictatorship was that the peasants knew in advance the intentions of the state, and this was an important factor for peasant psychology. In 1920, surplus appropriation extended to potatoes, vegetables and other agricultural products.

In the field of industrial production, a course was set for the accelerated nationalization of all industries, and not just the most important ones, as provided for by the decree of July 28, 1918.

The government introduced universal labor conscription and labor mobilization of the population to carry out work of national importance: logging, road, construction, etc. The introduction of labor conscription influenced the solution to the problem of wages. Instead of money, workers were given food rations, food stamps in the canteen, and basic necessities. Payments for housing, transport, utilities and other services were canceled. The state, having mobilized the worker, almost completely took over his maintenance.

Commodity-money relations were virtually abolished. First, the free sale of food was prohibited, then other consumer goods, which were distributed by the state as naturalized wages. However, despite all the prohibitions, illegal market trade continued to exist. According to various estimates, the state distributed only 30 - 45% of real consumption. Everything else was purchased on black markets, from “baggers” - illegal food sellers.

Such a policy required the creation of special super-centralized economic bodies in charge of accounting and distribution of all available products. The central boards (or centers) created under the Supreme Economic Council controlled the activities of certain industries, were in charge of their financing, material and technical supplies, and distribution of manufactured products.

The entire set of these emergency measures was called the policy of “war communism.” Military because this policy was subordinated to the sole goal - to concentrate all forces for military victory over one’s political opponents, communism because the measures undertaken Bolsheviks the measures surprisingly coincided with the Marxist forecast of some socio-economic features of the future communist society. The new program of the RCP(b), adopted in March 1919 at the VIII Congress, already linked “military-communist” measures with theoretical ideas about communism.

"Red Terror". Execution of the royal family.

Along with economic and military measures, the Soviet government on a national scale began to pursue a policy of intimidation of the population, called “red terror.”

In the cities, the “red terror” took on widespread proportions from September 1918 - after the murder of the chairman of the Petrograd Cheka, M. S. Uritsky, and the attempt on the life of V. I. Lenin. On September 5, 1918, the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR adopted a resolution that “in this situation, ensuring the rear through terror is an immediate necessity”, that “it is necessary to liberate the Soviet Republic from class enemies by isolating them in concentration camps”, that “all persons related to White Guard organizations, conspiracies and rebellions.” The terror was widespread. Only in response to the assassination attempt on V.I. Lenin, the Petrograd Cheka shot, according to official reports, 500 hostages.

In the armored train on which L. D. Trotsky made his journeys along the fronts, there was a military revolutionary tribunal with unlimited powers. The first concentration camps were created in Murom, Arzamas, and Sviyazhsk. Between the front and the rear, special barrage detachments were formed to fight deserters.

One of the ominous pages of the “Red Terror” was the execution of the former royal family and other members of the imperial family.
Oktyabrskaya revolution found the former Russian emperor and his family in Tobolsk, where he was sent into exile by order of A.F. Kerensky. The Tobolsk imprisonment lasted until the end of April 1918. Then the royal family was transferred to Yekaterinburg and housed in a house that previously belonged to the merchant Ipatiev.

On July 16, 1918, apparently in agreement with the Council of People's Commissars, the Ural Regional Council decided to shoot Nikolai Romanov and members of his family. 12 people were selected to carry out this secret “operation”. On the night of July 17, the awakened family was transferred to the basement, where the bloody tragedy took place. Along with Nikolai, his wife, five children and servants were shot. There are 11 people in total.

Even earlier, on July 13, the Tsar’s brother Mikhail was killed in Perm. On July 18, 18 members of the imperial family were shot and thrown into a mine in Alapaevsk.

Decisive victories for the Reds.

On November 13, 1918, the Soviet government annulled the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and began making every effort to expel German troops from the territories they occupied. At the end of November, Soviet power was proclaimed in Estonia, in December - in Lithuania, Latvia, in January 1919 - in Belarus, in February - March - in Ukraine.

In the summer of 1918, the main danger to the Bolsheviks was the Czechoslovak corps, and above all its units in the Middle Volga region. In September - early October, the Reds took Kazan, Simbirsk, Syzran and Samara. Czechoslovak troops retreated to the Urals. At the end of 1918 - beginning of 1919, large-scale military operations took place on the Southern Front. In November 1918, Krasnov's Don Army broke through the Southern Front of the Red Army, inflicted a serious defeat on it and began to advance north. At the cost of incredible efforts, in December 1918 it was possible to stop the advance of the White Cossack troops.

In January - February 1919, the Red Army launched a counteroffensive, and by March 1919, Krasnov's army was virtually defeated, and a significant part of the Don region returned to Soviet rule.

In the spring of 1919, the Eastern front again became the main front. Here the troops of Admiral Kolchak began their offensive. In March - April they captured Sarapul, Izhevsk, and Ufa. The advanced units of Kolchak’s army were located several tens of kilometers from Kazan, Samara and Simbirsk.

This success allowed the Whites to outline a new perspective - the possibility of Kolchak’s march on Moscow while the left flank of his army simultaneously reached the junction with Denikin’s forces.

The current situation seriously alarmed the Soviet leadership. Lenin demanded that emergency measures be taken to organize a rebuff to Kolchak. A group of troops under the command of M.V. Frunze in battles near Samara defeated selected Kolchak units and took Ufa on June 9, 1919. On July 14, Yekaterinburg was occupied. In November, Kolchak's capital, Omsk, fell. The remnants of his army rolled further east.

In the first half of May 1919, when the Reds were winning their first victories over Kolchak, General Yudenich’s attack on Petrograd began. At the same time, anti-Bolshevik protests took place among the Red Army soldiers in the forts near Petrograd. Having suppressed these protests, the troops of the Petrograd Front went on the offensive. Yudenich's units were driven back to Estonian territory. Yudenich’s second offensive against St. Petersburg in October 1919 also ended in failure.
In February 1920, the Red Army liberated Arkhangelsk, and in March - Murmansk. The "white" north became "red".

The real danger to the Bolsheviks was Denikin's Volunteer Army. By June 1919, it captured the Donbass, a significant part of Ukraine, Belgorod, and Tsaritsyn. In July, Denikin's attack on Moscow began. In September, the Whites entered Kursk and Orel and occupied Voronezh. The critical moment had come for the Bolshevik power. The Bolsheviks organized the mobilization of forces and resources under the motto: “Everything to fight Denikin!” The First Cavalry Army of S. M. Budyonny played a major role in changing the situation at the front. Significant assistance to the Red Army was provided by rebel peasant detachments led by N. I. Makhno, who deployed a “second front” in the rear of Denikin’s army.

The rapid advance of the Reds in the fall of 1919 forced the Volunteer Army to retreat south. In February - March 1920, its main forces were defeated and the Volunteer Army itself ceased to exist. A significant group of whites led by General Wrangel took refuge in the Crimea.

War with Poland.

The main event of 1920 was the war with Poland. In April 1920, the head of Poland, J. Pilsudski, gave the order to attack Kyiv. It was officially announced that it was only about providing assistance to the Ukrainian people in eliminating the illegal Soviet power and restoring the independence of Ukraine. On the night of May 6–7, Kyiv was taken, but the intervention of the Poles was perceived by the population of Ukraine as an occupation. The Bolsheviks took advantage of these sentiments and managed to unite various layers of society in the face of external danger. Almost all the available forces of the Red Army, united as part of the Western and Southwestern Fronts, were thrown against Poland. Their commanders were former officers of the tsarist army M. N. Tukhachevsky and A. I. Egorov. On June 12, Kyiv was liberated. Soon the Red Army reached the border with Poland, which raised hopes among some Bolshevik leaders for the speedy implementation of the idea of ​​world revolution in Western Europe.

In an order on the Western Front, Tukhachevsky wrote: “With our bayonets we will bring happiness and peace to working humanity. To the west!"
However, the Red Army, which entered Polish territory, received rebuff from the enemy. The Polish “class brothers” did not support the idea of ​​a world revolution either; they preferred the state sovereignty of their country to the world proletarian revolution.

On October 12, 1920, a peace treaty with Poland was signed in Riga, according to which the territories of Western Ukraine and Western Belarus were transferred to it.

The end of the civil war.

Having made peace with Poland, the Soviet command concentrated all the power of the Red Army to fight the last major White Guard hotbed - the army of General Wrangel.

The troops of the Southern Front under the command of M. V. Frunze in early November 1920 stormed the seemingly impregnable fortifications of Perekop and Chongar and crossed the Sivash Bay.

The last battle between the Reds and Whites was especially fierce and cruel. The remnants of the once formidable Volunteer Army rushed to the ships of the Black Sea squadron concentrated in the Crimean ports. Almost 100 thousand people were forced to leave their homeland.
Thus, the civil war in Russia ended with the victory of the Bolsheviks. They managed to mobilize economic and human resources for the needs of the front, and most importantly, to convince huge masses of people that they were the only defenders of Russia’s national interests, and to captivate them with the prospects of a new life.

Documentation

A. I. Denikin about the Red Army

By the spring of 1918, the complete insolvency of the Red Guard was finally revealed. The organization of the workers' and peasants' Red Army began. It was built on old principles, swept aside by the revolution and the Bolsheviks in the first period of their rule, including normal organization, autocracy and discipline. “Universal compulsory training in the art of war” was introduced, instructor schools were founded for the training of command personnel, the old officer corps was registered, officers of the General Staff were brought into service without exception, etc. The Soviet government considered itself already strong enough to pour in without fear the ranks of their army are tens of thousands of “specialists”, obviously alien or hostile to the ruling party.

Order of the Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic to the troops and Soviet institutions of the southern front No. 65. November 24, 1918

1. Any scoundrel who incites retreat, desertion, or failure to carry out a combat order will be SHOOTED.
2. Any Red Army soldier who leaves his combat post without permission will be SHOOTED.
3. Any soldier who throws down his rifle or sells part of his uniform will be SHOOTED.
4. Barrage detachments are distributed in every front-line zone to catch deserters. Any soldier who tries to resist these detachments must be SHOOTED on the spot.
5. All local councils and committees undertake, for their part, to take all measures to catch deserters, organizing raids twice a day: at 8 o’clock in the morning and at 8 o’clock in the evening. Those caught should be taken to the headquarters of the nearest unit and to the nearest military commissariat.
6. For harboring deserters, the perpetrators are subject to SHOOTING.
7. Houses in which deserters are hidden will be burned.

Death to selfish people and traitors!

Death to deserters and Krasnov agents!

Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic

Questions and tasks:

1. Explain how and why the views of the Bolshevik leadership on the principles of organizing the armed forces in a proletarian state changed.

2. What is the essence of military policy?

Every Russian knows that in the Civil War of 1917-1922 there were two movements – “red” and “white” – that opposed each other. But among historians there is still no consensus on where it began. Some believe that the reason was Krasnov's March on the Russian capital (October 25); others believe that the war began when, in the near future, the commander of the Volunteer Army Alekseev arrived on the Don (November 2); There is also an opinion that the war began with Miliukov proclaiming the “Declaration of the Volunteer Army”, delivering a speech at the ceremony called the Don (December 27). Another popular opinion, which is far from unfounded, is the opinion that the Civil War began immediately after the February Revolution, when the entire society was split into supporters and opponents of the Romanov monarchy.

"White" movement in Russia

"Red" movement

Results of the Civil War

After almost a century, the events that unfolded shortly after the Bolsheviks seized power and resulted in a four-year fratricidal massacre receive a new assessment. The war of the Red and White armies, which for many years was presented by Soviet ideology as a heroic page in our history, is today viewed as a national tragedy, the duty of every true patriot to prevent its repetition.

Beginning of the Way of the Cross

Historians differ on the specific date of the beginning of the Civil War, but it is traditional to call the last decade of 1917. This point of view is based mainly on three events that took place during this period.

Among them, it is necessary to note the performance of the forces of General P.N. Red with the aim of suppressing the Bolshevik uprising in Petrograd on October 25, then on November 2 - the beginning of the formation on the Don by General M.V. Alekseev of the Volunteer Army, and, finally, the subsequent publication on December 27 in the Donskaya Speech newspaper of the declaration of P.N. Miliukov, which essentially became a declaration of war.

Speaking about the social-class structure of the officers who became the head of the White movement, one should immediately point out the fallacy of the ingrained idea that it was formed exclusively from representatives of the highest aristocracy.

This picture became a thing of the past after the military reform of Alexander II, carried out in the 60-70s of the 19th century and opening the way to command posts in the army for representatives of all classes. For example, one of the main figures of the White movement, General A.I. Denikin was the son of a serf peasant, and L.G. Kornilov grew up in the family of a cornet Cossack army.

Social composition of Russian officers

The stereotype developed over the years of Soviet power, according to which the white army was led exclusively by people who called themselves “white bones,” is fundamentally incorrect. In fact, they came from all walks of life.

In this regard, it would be appropriate to cite the following data: 65% of the infantry school graduates of the last two pre-revolutionary years consisted of former peasants, and therefore, out of every 1000 warrant officers in the tsarist army, about 700 were, as they say, “from the plow.” In addition, it is known that for the same number of officers, 250 people came from the bourgeois, merchant, and working class environment, and only 50 came from the nobility. What kind of “white bone” could we be talking about in this case?

White Army at the beginning of the war

The beginning of the White movement in Russia looked rather modest. According to available data, in January 1918, only 700 Cossacks, led by General A.M., joined him. Kaledin. This was explained by the complete demoralization of the tsarist army by the end of the First World War and the general reluctance to fight.

The vast majority of military personnel, including officers, pointedly ignored the order to mobilize. Only with great difficulty, by the start of full-scale hostilities, the White Volunteer Army was able to fill its ranks to 8 thousand people, of which approximately 1 thousand were officers.

The symbols of the White Army were quite traditional. In contrast to the red banners of the Bolsheviks, the defenders of the old world order chose a white-blue-red banner, which was the official state flag of Russia, approved at one time by Alexander III. In addition, the well-known double-headed eagle was a symbol of their struggle.

Siberian Insurgent Army

It is known that the response to the Bolsheviks’ seizure of power in Siberia was the creation of underground combat centers in many of its major cities, headed by former officers of the tsarist army. The signal for their open action was the uprising of the Czechoslovak Corps, formed in September 1917 from among captured Slovaks and Czechs, who then expressed a desire to take part in the fight against Austria-Hungary and Germany.

Their rebellion, which broke out against the backdrop of general discontent with the Soviet regime, served as the detonator of a social explosion that engulfed the Urals, the Volga region, the Far East and Siberia. Based on scattered combat groups, the West Siberian Army was formed in a short time, headed by an experienced military leader, General A.N. Grishin-Almazov. Its ranks were rapidly replenished with volunteers and soon reached 23 thousand people.

Very soon the white army, uniting with units of Captain G.M. Semenov, was able to control the territory stretching from Baikal to the Urals. It was a huge force, consisting of 71 thousand military personnel, supported by 115 thousand local volunteers.

The army that fought on the Northern Front

During the Civil War, combat operations took place throughout almost the entire territory of the country, and, in addition to the Siberian Front, the future of Russia was also decided on the South, North-West and North. It was there, as historians testify, that the concentration of the most professionally trained military personnel who went through the First World War took place.

It is known that many officers and generals of the White Army who fought on the Northern Front came there from Ukraine, where they escaped the terror unleashed by the Bolsheviks only thanks to the help of German troops. This largely explained their subsequent sympathy for the Entente and partly even Germanophilism, which often served as the cause of conflicts with other military personnel. In general, it should be noted that the white army that fought in the north was relatively small in number.

White forces on the Northwestern Front

The White Army, which opposed the Bolsheviks in the northwestern regions of the country, was mainly formed thanks to the support of the Germans and after their departure numbered about 7 thousand bayonets. Despite the fact that, according to experts, among other fronts this one had a low level of training, the White Guard units were lucky for a long time on it. This was largely facilitated by the large number of volunteers joining the ranks of the army.

Among them, two contingents of individuals were distinguished by increased combat effectiveness: sailors of the flotilla created in 1915 on Lake Peipus, disillusioned with the Bolsheviks, as well as former Red Army soldiers who went over to the side of the whites - cavalrymen of the Permykin and Balakhovich detachments. The growing army was significantly replenished by local peasants, as well as high school students who were subject to mobilization.

Military contingent in southern Russia

And finally, the main front of the Civil War, on which the fate of the entire country was decided, was the Southern Front. The military operations that unfolded there covered an area equal in area to two medium-sized European states and had a population of more than 34 million people. It is important to note that, thanks to developed industry and diversified agriculture, this part of Russia could exist independently of the rest of the country.

The White Army generals who fought on this front under the command of A.I. Denikin, were all, without exception, highly educated military specialists who already had the experience of the First World War behind them. They also had at their disposal a developed transport infrastructure, which included railways and seaports.

All this was a prerequisite for future victories, but the general reluctance to fight, as well as the lack of a unified ideological base, ultimately led to defeat. The entire politically diverse contingent of troops, consisting of liberals, monarchists, democrats, etc., were united only by hatred of the Bolsheviks, which, unfortunately, did not become a strong enough connecting link.

An army that is far from ideal

It is safe to say that the White Army in the Civil War failed to fully realize its potential, and among many reasons, one of the main ones was the reluctance to let peasants, who made up the majority of the Russian population, into its ranks. Those of them who were unable to avoid mobilization soon became deserters, significantly weakening the combat effectiveness of their units.

It is also important to take into account that the white army was an extremely heterogeneous composition of people, both socially and spiritually. Along with the true heroes, ready to sacrifice themselves in the fight against the impending chaos, it was joined by many scum who took advantage of the fratricidal war to commit violence, robbery and looting. It also deprived the army of general support.

It must be admitted that the White Army of Russia was not always the “holy army” so resoundingly sung by Marina Tsvetaeva. By the way, her husband, Sergei Efron, an active participant in the volunteer movement, wrote about this in his memoirs.

The hardships suffered by white officers

Over the course of almost a century that has passed since those dramatic times, mass art in the minds of most Russians has developed a certain stereotype of the image of a White Guard officer. He is usually presented as a nobleman, dressed in a uniform with gold shoulder straps, whose favorite pastime is drinking and singing sentimental romances.

In reality, everything was different. As the memoirs of participants in those events testify, the White Army faced extraordinary difficulties in the Civil War, and officers had to fulfill their duty with a constant shortage of not only weapons and ammunition, but even the most necessary things for life - food and uniforms.

The assistance provided by the Entente was not always timely and sufficient in scope. In addition, the general morale of the officers was depressingly influenced by the awareness of the need to wage war against their own people.

Bloody lesson

In the years following perestroika, there was a rethinking of most of the events of Russian history related to the revolution and the Civil War. The attitude towards many participants in that great tragedy, previously considered enemies of their own Fatherland, has radically changed. Nowadays, not only the commanders of the White Army, such as A.V. Kolchak, A.I. Denikin, P.N. Wrangel and others like them, but also all those who went into battle under the Russian tricolor, took their rightful place in people's memory. Today it is important that that fratricidal nightmare becomes a worthy lesson, and the current generation has made every effort to ensure that it never happens again, no matter what political passions are in full swing in the country.