What Role Did Trotsky Play In The Russian Civil War

Words: 1155
Pages: 5
Open Document
Trotsky played a vital role in being successful in the Russian Civil War as he provided strong, intellectual leadership to the Bolsheviks, however his success and the power of the Bolsheviks were also the result of many weaknesses from the Whites, in their preparation and ability. Ultimately helping the Bolsheviks securing the victory in the 1917 Russian Revolution.

Trotsky’s reorganisation of the Red Army was vital to Bolshevik success. In March 1918, Trotsky was given the job of creating a professional army. His task was enormous. He had the support of an army in the form of the red Guards, who had provided military backing from the Bolsheviks during and after the October revolution. However this wasn’t the large disciplined army Russia needed to win the …show more content…
He expressed the view that soldiers' committees could not lead regiments in time of war, instead he insisted that a return to military discipline was required and he demanded that the Red Army should have proper, central control. Administration of the Red Army forced Trotsky's attention to: recruiting centres, barracks, and supplies were needed. Under the slogan, "Work, Discipline and order will save the Soviet Republic" Trotsky sought full soviet support for the construction of a Red Army. After this recruitment began. There was no consistency in the quality of the early Red Army units, some were very well disciplined and effective, while others were little better than a rabble. Quality officers were at a particular premium, and Trotsky had to accept former Tsarist officers who were prepared to serve in the Red Army. Precautions were subsequently used during the Civil War to ensure that these officers would think twice about switching allegiance. For example, a register of their families was kept and Trotsky made it known that their families would be used as hostages if they deserted from the Red Army. In addition, a Communist commissar was placed at each officer's side to ensure
Show More

Related Documents: What Role Did Trotsky Play In The Russian Civil War

Old Major In George Orwell's Animal Farm

nothing but butterflies and fairy tales. Little did she know, this book has a total opposite meaning to it. The author George Orwell wrote this book off of his experience of the Spanish Civil War and wanted people to see the truth in what was actually happening behind closed doors. Animals that seem just like pigs, sheep, horses, and dogs are so much more in history, dig deeper and find the deeper meaning. It may seem that Old Major doesn’t have a big role in Animal Farm, but he is the reason for this…

Words 676 - Pages 3

Russian Civil War Essays

To what extent were the Reds victorious in the Civil War due to superior Resources? Introduction: It was 'not a matter of who was the stronger but,rather, who was less weak'. These were words from a histrian Victor Shklovskii. This simplistic view fails to incorporate the many factors which contributed to the ‘Reds’ victory over the ‘Whites’ but it establishes the essence of the argument. Both the Bolsheviks and the opposition White forces were ravaged by internal weaknesses and hugely influenced…

Words 1443 - Pages 6

Animal Farm Analysis Essay

Ali Diamond Max Gray English Comp. 102 May 6, 2013 The Hunger for Power and the Journey towards It George Orwell’s Animal Farm was written during World War II and had received an ample amount of controversy for its allegorical anti-Russia literary depiction, when it was published in 1945, because of its negative portrayal of the Russians. The novel is about a group of animals that devise and execute a revolution over the humans that own the farm of which they live. The animals accomplish their…

Words 2305 - Pages 10

Animal Farm Literary Analysis

were being treated by humans, but in the end they end up exactly like the humans. You would expect the opposite, because the animals had lived under the power of cruel farmer Jones for so long. They knew what it meant to feel neglected and abused. They knew that this system was corrupt, but then why did they allow themselves slip back into those old ways? “they had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn…

Words 1143 - Pages 5

How Far Do You Agree That The Bolsheviks Hold On Power

problems which made keeping their power complex. For Lenin and the Bolsheviks winning political power was relatively easy compared with retaining it. The Bolsheviks may have had a temporary majority in the All-Russia soviet in October 1917, but they did not have a majority following in the country as a whole . Russia was in chaos, politically and economically, and normal government had broken down in large areas. . yet lenin was able to overcome these problems and…

Words 1968 - Pages 8

Animal Farm Essay

pigs use aspects of propaganda, empowered by the forces of fear and love to manipulate the other animals into their own decisions and thoughts, as Stalin, Marx and Trotsky did in the Russian revolution in the 1930’s. After the death of old major who is symbolical for Karl Marx, Napoleon and Snowball, representing Leon Stalin and Leon Trotsky, fight to become the new leader, but soon develop a joint theory of Animalism. By controlling the basic forces of love and fear one has the ability to gain individual…

Words 719 - Pages 3

A Knowledge Of The Russian Revolution Is Needed To Truly Understand Animal Farm?

‘A knowledge of the Russian Revolution is needed to truly understand Animal Farm.’ To what extent do you agree? George Orwell’s Animal Farm – published in 1945 – is a satirical allegory on the Russian Revolution. Orwell explained in his preface that the novel was his method of, “exposing the Soviet myth,” which generated a great amount of controversy at the time. He states this piece was intended to clear all misconceptions of the Soviet ideals of ‘everyone being equal’ and exploited all its flaws…

Words 1332 - Pages 6

Romanov Dynasty Research Paper

and repression amongst the Russian people. Russia at the time was made mostly of peasants living in poverty, and made up 80% of the population of Russia and only had 20% of the nation’s wealth. The nobility and Tsar’s family had most of the nation’s wealth. The Tsar’s family and nobility, including the Orthodox church, shared a majority of the country’s wealth while the peasants made up most of the nation’s population but had little of the nation’s wealth. The Russian Orthodox church had a big influence…

Words 1697 - Pages 7

Essay on How Far Were The Divisions Among Its Opponents Responsible For The Survival Of The Tsarist Rule In The Years 1881

Lynch (2008) ‘From Autocracy to Communism: Russia 1894-1941’ David Evans and Jane Jenkins (2001) ‘Years of Russia and the USSR’ Chris Corin and Terry Fiehn (2002) ‘Communist Russia under Lenin and Stalin’ J.N Westwood (1987) ‘Endurance and Endeavour Russian History 1812-1986’ John Etty (2007) ‘Russia’s Climate and Geography’ http://www.historytoday.com/john-etty/russia%E2%80%99s-climate-and-geography John L.H. Keep ‘Pavel Nikolayevich Milyukov’ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/383169/Pavel-Nikolayevich-Milyukov#ref59698…

Words 2130 - Pages 9

1984: Nineteen Eighty-four and Orwell Essay

tell lies, that he shall say what he really thinks, what he really feels. The worst thing we can say about a work of art is that it is insincere. And this is even truer of criticism than of creative literature, in which a certain amount of posing and mannerism, and even a certain amount of downright humbug, doesn’t matter, so long as the writer is fundamentally sincere. Modern literature is essentially an individual thing. It is either the truthful expression of what one man thinks, feels, no intellectual…

Words 8315 - Pages 34