The White Armies had outnumbered the Red Armies but the Red Army still managed to win the Civil war. How did that happen? The Bolsheviks had some advantages which led them to their success while the Whites who had some disadvantages had led them to their fall. One of the advantages of the Bolsheviks from the Whites is that they are united and disciplined by Lenin and Trotsky. Trotsky, who was in control of the Bolsheviks by that time, had magnificently handled them.
Yet, by the start of 1921, the Bolsheviks had defeated their enemies and gained a complete victory. This victory can be credited to the party’s aims, leadership, geography, and support. The Bolsheviks, more commonly known as Reds, were all situated within the central western area of Russia, the areas which were occupied by the Reds, contained the majority of Russia’s industrial centres, so they were easily able produce munitions and war supplies. Due to their location they also had complete control of the railway line that connected Petrograd and Moscow, and the rest of the country. To have power of the railway lines meant that they could send soldiers and artillery to any place in the battle area.
A standard way that the Emperors used their power was for military purposes. Because Rome was a large and thriving empire; a strong army was needed for equally attacking and defending against opposition. Emperors could effortlessly find new recruits for enlistment to the Roman legions. This would provide the advantage of larger numbers of soldiers in a battle. This benefit allowed tactics such as the ‘wedge’ to be executed as more soldiers could reinforce the wedge from behind, which would consequently break the enemies’ formation (Roman Empire.net 2012).
Assess the reasons for the Bolshevik victory in the Russian civil war Bolshevik victory in the Russian Civil War of 1918 -1920 would not have been certain without the strong, determined and intelligent leadership provided by Trotsky and Lenin. The fact that the Bolsheviks were led by two individuals, who combined had tremendous political, social and military skills had a direct result on the outcome of the war. There were other significant contributing factors that led to the Bolshevik victory, in particular their supreme political policies that completely offered the Russian people what they wanted. For me the main reason why the Bolsheviks did so well and won was due to the Whites were incompetent, disorganised and highly inefficient. The success of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War was due to Lenin, Trotsky and their combined political, social and military capabilities as they were experts.
This would lead to a civil war that would last from February 1918 until November of 1920. The Reds emerged victorious from this war over the anti-Bolshevik Whites, a feat that would serve to contribute to the consolidation of Soviet power. This essay will examine several of the most notable reasons for this victory. Perhaps the most decisive factor in this war was a Red army that was vastly superior to the Whites in numbers as well as weaponry. The Reds relentlessly employed superior military technique, but also were able to win over a far greater number of people through their innovative and attractive land policies.
This meant that Trotsky could co-ordinate his forces much better, and fight his enemies one at a time. The second reason was Trotsky, who was a brilliant war leader and strategist, so the Red Army had good tactics. A third reason was belief. Many Russians were Communists,
Who were the Mongols? What accounted for the formation and rapid expansion of the Mongol empire in Eurasia (c. 1200-1400 CE)? Eurasia was an important region of the world in centuries past due to its trade routes and its involvement in the interaction of Eastern and Western cultures. This area became a hotspot for growing empires and the domination of Eurasia was never more apparent than when the Mongols reigned supreme. The empires of the time “showed remarkable resilience, providing a strong focus for the numerous groups under their rule.” (Prof. J. Duindam, Leiden University) The Mongols through excellent military cunning and having one of the greatest leaders in history, allowed them to become a major force in Eurasia.
Also writers, artists and musicians were made to produce works or realism glorifying soviet achievements. This appealed to patriotism and made the legacy of the Stalinist system strong[2]. Also the fact that Stalin succeeded in galvanising the nation meant the Stalinist system was well suited to the demands of total war as it was already centrally planned[3]. This advantage led to Stalin being a successful leader of the USSR in those years. Stalin’s economic strategies led to the successful growth of industrialism and modernisation of the USSR.
How accurate is it to say that Lenin’s leadership was the most important reason for the Bolsheviks’ success in the revolution of October 1917? The Bolshevik party on 25th October 1917 seized control of Russia with Lenin viewed to many as the icon of the revolution since his policies were quickly widespread amongst the people of Petrograd and his impressive leadership skills mobilized his ideas and the Bolshevik planned events to gain power. However, many would disagree, arguing that Lenin is not as significant because other leading Bolsheviks, such as Trotsky, were far more effective than Lenin in carrying out the revolution. Secondly, the weaknesses and underlying issues of the Provisional Government proved that they were destined to fail regardless of their attempts to keep power through repression, already placing the Bolsheviks in a good position for taking control. Finally the failures of the Provisional Government made them vulnerable which coincidentally worked to advantage the Bolsheviks.
The main reasons for why the Reds won the Civil War the geographical factors affecting the war, support for the Bolsheviks and the Red Army and crucially were the leadership of Trotsky. The first reason why the Reds were able to win the Russian Civil War was down to the superior leadership skills of Trotsky compared to the Whites. Using strategic propaganda tactics and superb military leadership, he commanded the Red Army into victory. The first reason why the Reds had such a better leader was the way he chose and commanded his army. This was firstly by very strict military discipline.