How the Russian Civil War Ended

Vladimir Lenin had led the Bolshevik movement through the October Revolution and the Russian Civil War but by 1922 his health was failing and infighting among Bolshevik leadership caused friction. In the end Josef Stalin was able to prevail over Leon Trotsky and lead the newly founded Soviet Union until his death in 1953.

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» SOURCES
Безбородов А.Б. История Коммунистической партии Советского Союза (Москва: Политическая энциклопедия, 2013)
Молчанов В.М. Последний белый генерал. Устные воспоминания, статьи, письма, документы (Москва: Айрис-пресс, 2012)
Саблин И. Дальневосточная республика: от идеи до ликвидации (Москва: НЛО, 2020)
Хлевнюк О. Сталин. Жизнь одного вождя: биография (Москва: CORPUS, 2015)
Якутия: последние сражения Гражданской войны (поход генерала А.Н. Пепеляева в Якутию в 1922-1923 гг.) // Северо-Восточный гуманитарный вестник. 2018. №3. C. 34-43.
Smele, Jonathan. The ‘Russian’ Civil Wars 1916-1926 (London: Hurst, 2015).
Smele Jonathan D. Historical Dictionary of the Russian Civil Wars, 1916–1926 (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015)
Figes, Orlando. A People’s Tragedy. The Russian Revolution (The Bodley Head, 2017(1996))
Izvestiia, January 1, 1923.



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»CREDITS
Presented by: Jesse Alexander
Written by: Jesse Alexander
Director: Toni Steller & Florian Wittig
Director of Photography: Toni Steller
Sound: Toni Steller
Editing: Toni Steller
Motion Design: Toni Steller
Research by: Sofia Shirogorova, Jesse Alexander
Fact checking: Florian Wittig

Channel Design: Yves Thimian

Contains licensed material by getty images and AP Archive
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All rights reserved - Real Time History GmbH 2022

[FWMuscle]

While in Russian high school we were lectured about the beginning of Soviet union, we were told that there was Lenin and poof, Lenin died and Stalin rose to power, I was wondering how this happened, so I asked my history teacher. My question was ignored, I asked again, same ignorance. It only took me 4 years to find out, thank you <3

[johndoe]

Yakutians are based AF, they live in some of the most brutal conditions on earth and treat it like it's nothing to them. Genuinely incredible people.

[extrahistory]

The Return of the Russian Civil War. Man, it's been a while since the last video on this war, so I'm glad the that your continuing the series.

[Kilroy]

I'd like to see a video on Baron Ungern-Sterberg and the Mongol cavalry division. I heard Chita and was reminded of this. Its one of those weird stories from history that's stranger than fiction, and is part of the Russian Civil War.

[joiedevie]

Джесси! Я не знаю, что меня больше поражает: Ваши знания или ваш стиль. Вы фантастик!

[TheBora]

When talking about General Pepelyaev’s epic march on Yakutsk, it’s worth to mention his opponent-Red Army detachment commander Ivan Strod by name. He was of Latvian (Latgallian) origin and a great character. Yes, both were repressed. This last noble fight of Civil War was covered by Leonid Yuzevovich in his great “Winter Road” book, worth to read, not sure if translated to English but, for sure, to French.

[billkallas]

I signed up to Nebula a month ago, when you offered that "deal" on Nebula and Curiosity Stream. You can't beat the price.

[grindsetman]

This is why I love this channel the quality is always amazing

[volition]

Around 14 minute mark, I am assuming "Soviet power" was translated from "советская власть". This term also means "council government", as elected councils (soviets) of local/regional/national deputies had legal authority over their respective jurisdiction.

[konsyjes]

Nice fingerpointing there, Jessie :) You got it. Brought the image right back

[Sermoms]

Awesome video! Just wish the music was quieter :)

[Vraptor]

This is seriously one of the best videos relating to the Soviet Union I have ever come across. props to everyone who helped make this

[TheBoyer]

Would have been interesting to see what the world would look like today if Trotsky was the supreme leader after Lenin

[Optidorf]

Wow, just wow.

This is even better than many so-called professional productions.

[extrahistory]

All that's left to talk about the Civil War is the brief conflict the Soviets had with Finland in 1921 and the Mongolian Revolution.

[Judasmac]

Well done. I'd like to hear more about the policy and ideological divisions.

[edmundlubega]

It is a well narrated documentary and entertaining to watch though full of the usual Western anti Soviet talking points that are not back by primary source evidence. That said, Lenin's choice of Stalin as gen.sec. was logical not because Stalin was dumb but rather due to the fact that he was a safe, if not a competent, pair of hands. Lenin had worked with Stalin for the greater part of 2 decades, so he had ample time to study him and the latter had been loyal to Lenin throughout, despite a few open disagreements. Trotsky was a Johnny-come-lately to the Lenin train, so despite his very pivotal role in the revolution he was a bit of a gamble. Stalin agreed more with Lenin's vision, policies and practice than Trotsky did. Trivia: the DVR only came into existence after Lenin granted it independence - against the advice of some of his own supporters and indeed the DVR people themselves!

[jamesstaggs]

Power to the people! Unless they have stuff we want and won't give it to us. Then it's murder to rhe people.

[bogdandrugov]

I sincerely love the content you make guys and even share your vids with my students. But, there are several points that are really either misinterpreted or narrated in a not so optimal way, like talking about creating the Soviet Union itself, like Trostky is Leon, but Kamenev is Lev (even though they both were called by the same name); talking about "troika" before the creation of Soviet Union, but it was formed in opposition to Trotsky in 1923, when the USSR was already present... After that you continue talking about plans of creation the Union and call Stalin`s plan as "Russian Federation", when in fact his plan was about a non-federative Soviet Russia, about creating autunomies, it`s even called "autonomization", in comparison to Lenin`s federalization (!) plan of creating a union of semi-sovereign republics. There was also a plan of making a Soviet Confederation as well. So I`ve watched 7 minutes and have already this to say, and I repeat, as a fellow historian I love your work and you make AWESOME content. Maybe something is missed in translation, maybe you think of these facts as not so important, but as we all know, devil is in the details. So, once again, thanks for your work, but I feel that you`ve slightly missed a mark in this specific one. But I want to pay you a big respect for talking about these events to a wider, english-speaking audience.

[apuntes]

By the world war Germany had geopolitical integrity towards Poland and got split after it (now there is czechi etc) and the same happened to the URSS . This because both countries actually split poland in two during the war. Poland today maybe represents a reminder or even a compromise from the war (a harsh and igniting statement) about not making same mistakes again.