Lesson 13 Why did the Bolsheviks win

Slide1: 

“Learning to Lead our Lives” Why did the Bolsheviks win the Civil War? Skill: Knowledge and Understanding, Problem Solving NGfL: Russia 1900-1924

What is happening in this picture? : 

What is happening in this picture? Why has this happened? http://www.greenleft.org.au

What is ‘Civil War’?: 

What is ‘Civil War’? Which countries have experienced a civil war? For what reasons can civil war break out?

Russia in 1917…: 

Russia in 1917… Lenin and the Bolsheviks have declared victory and control over Russia. But some people do not agree with this takeover. Which groups of people were enemies of the Bolsheviks? Tsar Army officers Local peasants and villagers Socialist Revolutionaries, Mensheviks The Allies fighting in the First World War http://www.sozialistische-klassiker.org/index.php Free documentation licence WHY? What reason might spark a civil war?

Who were the leaders in the civil War?: 

Who were the leaders in the civil War? www.mrxists.org creative Commons Licence Lenin Trotsky Denikin Yudenich Kolchak www.nestormakhno.info no copyright www.mrxists.org creative Commons Licence Courtesy of the David King Collection, London REDS! WHITES!

Where were the Red and White armies?: 

Where were the Red and White armies? Moscow Petrograd French and British troops British and American troops Yudenich Kolchak Denikin

Which side has the potential to win the Civil War?: 

Which side has the potential to win the Civil War? Red Advantages: White Advantages

Russian Civil War Top Trumps. Play the game.: 

Russian Civil War Top Trumps. Play the game. Following slides are cards… Rules: The Object of the game is to reduce your opponents cards to zero! Pick a category that you think might compare favourably and if you have a higher value, you win the opponents card. Values are from 0 (weakest) to 10 (strongest). If you lose, you lose the card and your opponent gets to choose the next category. Won cards are placed at the bottom of your deck. A draw results in the drawn cards being placed in a stack to be won on the next card. The winner of the next comparison gets to choose.

Slide9: 

LENIN GENERAL KOLCHAK REDS WHITES

Slide10: 

WHITES REDS GENERAL YUDENICH Thousands of loyal ex-Tsarist officers

Slide11: 

REDS WHITES COMMISSAR FOR WAR TROTSKY GENERAL DENIKIN

Slide12: 

WHITES REDS The Allies (America, Britain, France) Alexandra Kollontai

Why did the Reds win?: 

Why did the Reds win? Red Advantages: Main problems facing the Whites Unified and disciplined leaders Trotsky was personally courageous Single aim: to stay in power The Reds held the central area of western Russia, which was where most large industries were Controlled train and communication lines, so the Reds could act quickly Scattered around central Russia, hundreds of miles between armies Communication was difficult Rivalry between generals Different aims amongst the Whites Lacked good leaders Whites fought amongst themselves and didn’t trust each other

Slide14: 

Exam style question: ‘It was inevitable that the Bolsheviks would win the Civil War’. Is this a valid interpretation? In your answer you must use exam technique and evidence from your own knowledge.

Slide15: 

Test your partner… Describe the following events in the Russian civil war to your partner, but without using the actual words! See how many they get right, then swap over. Lenin Trotsky Reds Whites Allies War Communism Socialism Peasants Tsarist officers Civil war