Study Guides

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn about Karl Marx's theories regarding communism and the conduct and impact of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. They examine the Russian Civil War and Russian society in the 1920s and 30s, allowing them to judge the extent to which communism changed Russia.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain the course of events and impacts of the Russian Civil War.

Key Notes

• There was a civil war in Russia between 1918 and 1921.
• The Russian Civil War mainly involved fighting between the Reds and the Whites.
• Other groups such as national minorities (the Greens) and foreign powers also fought the Reds in the Russian Civil War.
• Methods such as War Communism and the Red Terror helped the Reds to win the Civil War.
• War Communism and the Red Terror led to the deaths of many ordinary Russians.

Vocabulary To Learn

• civil war: a civil war is a conflict between people from the same country
• minorities: minorities are small groups of people within a country who differ from the main population in race, religion, culture or language
• requisitioning: requisitioning is an act which involves officials taking something from others

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• People only died in the Russian Civil War as a direct result of the fighting.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Karl Marx and communism Study Guide
• Soviet Russia in the 1920s and 1930s Study Guide
• The Bolsheviks Study Guide
• The extent to which communism changed Russia Study Guide
• Tsarist Russia Study Guide