How Successful Was The Bolsheviks In The Civil War

The Bolsheviks had many advantages in the Civil War that brought them success. The Bolsheviks had a prime geographical position in central European Russia meaning they had access to their large population and control of their extensive train system. They made good use of their unified ideas and spread these effectively with propaganda. They also had Leon Trotsky who was a good leader that could boost morale: something that the White Army had a lack of, as well as discipline and support.
Firstly, the Bolsheviks were successful due to their prime geographical position in Europe. The Bolsheviks controlled central European Russia meaning they could draw troops from their massive population. Soviet Russia had 70 million troops whereas in the White …show more content…
They portrayed the conflict as a class war against the capitalist bourgeoisie and exploitative kulaks. They also portrayed it as a patriotic defence of the Socialist state against imperialism and spread this propaganda across the countryside. This united many people and increased morale to fight the ‘capitalist’ and ‘imperialist’ enemy.
Thirdly, the Bolsheviks were successful as they had Leon Trotsky as a leader who helped make the Red Army strong. He enforced harsh discipline policies, including the death penalty to keep the troops in line. A ‘socialist’ oath also had to be sworn that said troops must be loyal and obey commands otherwise suffer severe consequences. This meant that troops were better kept under control than the white armies.
Trotsky also helped bring success to the Bolsheviks as he could boost morale. He had good communications and relationships with political commissars and commanding officers and would praise those who did well. This earned him loyalty and respect. He could inspire people and lift spirits by making speeches and bringing tobacco to the war front. This kept troops motivated and willing to