- The Bolsheviks (Reds): They gained control of Petrograd in November 1917 and established a communist state. Their color was red, which symbolized revolution, progress, and the shedding of blood in the fight for change.
- The Mensheviks (Whites): They were the moderate socialist faction and opposed the Bolsheviks' radical policies. Their color was white, which represented order, tradition, and the restoration of the monarchy.