Causes of the Civil War
Not everybody accepted Bolshevik rule.
Lenin believed that conflict would destroy his opponents, and so was in support of it.
Would strengthen the communist state further.
Causes of foreign intervention
It was not the most popular of revolutions.
Few supported their extreme ideology.
An opposition to Russia's withdrawal from WWI.
A fear that the Bolsheviks would try to spread their revolution to their own countries.
An opposition to the Bolshevik's repudiation of tsarist debts together with the nationalisation of foreign-owned industries.
The formation of the Whites
they believed the Bolsheviks had no right to rule
those in the centres said they had not submitted to popular elections
the left said they had neglected the Soviet
Bolshevik ideology alienated both the right and the left
some of the right still wanted the old tsarist regime
army officers objected to the peace treaty with Germany
Russians with land, money or business would have lost everything under the Bolshevik regime
moderates and Social Revolutionaries resented the Bolsheviks
Lenin forced the Kadets and right-wing SRs out of his government
he ignored the electorate's wishes in the Constituent Assembly
he expelled the left-wing SRs from the government after they opposed his treaty with Germany
there were two assassination attempts on Lenin by the left
national minorities who had been part of the old Russian Empire were uncertain that the Bolsheviks would actually give them self-determination
they took this as an opportunity to fight for their independence
some who did not belong to a particular political group saw this as an opportunity to win old battles and fight old rivalries
some were alienated by the Bolshevik's apparent inability to resolve Russia's economic problem
the loss of the Ukraine in the Treaty of Brest Litovsk added to food shortages, which were already made worse by distribution problems
there was severe rationing of essentials
many organised themselves into armies led by former tsarist officers