To What Extent Was Trotsky the Single Most Important Factor in the Success of the Red’s During the Russian Civil War?

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To what extent was Trotsky the single most important factor in the success of the Red’s during the Russian Civil War? After the Bolshevik takeover in 1917, Lenin had moved to uphold the idea of a ‘people’s revolution’, something shown most evidently through the creation of workers committees within the factories and also the soldiers committees within the armed forces. These soldier committees would elect their own officers and govern their own regiments. Along with this, traditional elements of the forces had been pushed aside: discipline was non-existent, graded titles had disappeared and saluting was removed as an exercise. In 1918, this was all to change, with Leon Trotsky placed as the commissar for war. Trotsky moved to create a real fighting force, one that was able to challenge its aggressors and move to tackle foreign intervention, something that he greatly succeeded in doing. Whether or not his role was the single most important factor for the Red success is something that we must question alongside the other factors that contributed to both Red strength and White weakness. One key factor that contributed to the success of the Red’s during the civil war was the weaknesses that their opponents posted. The main issue with the regiments of the Whites were that they were completely independent and separate to one another; all fighting for different aims. This can be easily juxtaposed with the Red’s aim – which was simple – to win the war and secure Bolshevik control, or lose control completely and be consigned to the rubbish bin of history themselves. The White forces were deeply divided and failed to work together and surround the Red’s armies, this was a great help for the Reds who were able to take the White armies out one by one. The White regiments were composed of Liberals, former-Tsarists, Nationalists, SR’s and other moderates, an extremely wide
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