Russian civil war

The whites

broad term for any anti bolshevik group

Tsar supporters

Mensheviks

The Czech legion

Socialist revolutionaries

Foreign groups also supported, to force Russia back into the war

Japan

France

Britain

USA

They did this to keep Germany pre occupied, and to keep their borders safe.

The reds

Formed in 1918

Led the actual takeover of Petrograd and Moscow

Part of the Bolsheviks

Organised by Trosky

Most of the members were peasants keen to protect the new government

Commissar for war

Not united front

The whites caused more suffering to the peasants than the reds

Limited Russian support

How propaganda was used

Reds propaganda was better as the message was more consistent

Trotsky used the railway network, most of which was controlled by the Reds, to send out travelling cinemas which showed propaganda films local people as well as the red army

Fight to protect the rights of workers and fight to get rid of the foreign invaders who want to reestablish aristocratic rule

Trotsky himself toured around making frequent speeches to raise moral

How did the Bolsheviks win

Good propaganda

united front

Kept strict control over the heartlands in western Russia

they took over factories in Moscow and Petrograd so that they were able to supply their armies