Reds (Bolsheviks):
- Political Ideology: The Reds were inspired by Marxist and Socialist ideals, aiming to create a communist society. They believed in social equality, state control of the economy, and the abolishment of private property.
- Leadership: The Red Army was led by prominent Bolshevik leaders, including Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and other military commanders like Mikhail Tukhachevsky and Semyon Budyonny.
- Social Support: The Reds drew their strength from the working class, peasants, and marginalized groups who felt oppressed under the previous Tsarist regime.
- Control: The Reds controlled major industrial centers and cities like Moscow, Petrograd, and many parts of central Russia.
- Military Tactics: The Red Army used a combination of conventional military tactics and guerrilla warfare to fight the Whites. They focused on mobile forces and mass conscription of troops.
Whites (Anti-Bolshevik Forces):
- Political Ideology: The Whites were a diverse group that included monarchists, liberals, conservatives, and socialists who opposed the Bolshevik regime. They favored a non-communist, multi-party democratic system and wanted to restore private ownership.
- Leadership: The White Army had no unified command and was divided into several regional armies led by different generals, including Anton Denikin, Aleksandr Kolchak, and Pyotr Wrangel.
- Social Support: The Whites found support among the former Tsarist military officers, nobles, Cossacks, and anti-communist peasantry.
- Control: The Whites initially controlled various regions in southern Russia, Siberia, and the far eastern parts of the country, but their territories were often fragmented.
- Military Tactics: The White Army relied on conventional military tactics and discipline but struggled with logistical issues and a lack of coordination due to internal divisions.
The Russian Civil War was marked by brutality and violence on both sides, resulting in millions of casualties. Ultimately, the Reds emerged victorious in 1922, consolidating Bolshevik control over Russia and establishing the Soviet Union.