Revolutions and war Modern history

national flag of soviet union.

the russian revolution series of revolutions in russia in 1917, destroyed tsarist autocracy , led creation of soviet union. following abdication of nicholas ii of russia, russian provisional government established. in october 1917, red faction revolution occurred in red guard, armed groups of workers , deserting soldiers directed bolshevik party, seized control of saint petersburg (then known petrograd) , began immediate armed takeover of cities , villages throughout former russian empire.

another action in 1917 of note armistice signed between russia , central powers @ brest-litovsk. condition peace, treaty central powers conceded huge portions of former russian empire imperial germany , ottoman empire, upsetting nationalists , conservatives. bolsheviks made peace german empire , central powers, had promised russian people prior revolution. vladimir lenin s decision has been attributed sponsorship foreign office of wilhelm ii, german emperor, offered latter in hopes revolution, russia withdraw world war i. suspicion bolstered german foreign ministry s sponsorship of lenin s return petrograd. western allies expressed dismay @ bolsheviks, upset at:

in addition, there concern, shared many central powers well, socialist revolutionary ideas spread west. hence, many of these countries expressed support whites, including provision of troops , supplies. winston churchill declared bolshevism must strangled in cradle .

the russian civil war multi-party war occurred within former russian empire after russian provisional government collapsed , soviets under domination of bolshevik party assumed power, first in petrograd (st. petersburg) , in other places. in wake of october revolution, old russian imperial army had been demobilized; volunteer-based red guard bolsheviks main military force, augmented armed military component of cheka, bolshevik state security apparatus. there instituted mandatory conscription of rural peasantry red army. opposition of rural russians red army conscription units overcome taking hostages , shooting them when necessary in order force compliance. former tsarist officers utilized military specialists (voenspetsy), taking families hostage in order ensure loyalty. @ start of war, three-fourths of red army officer corps composed of former tsarist officers. end, 83% of red army divisional , corps commanders ex-tsarist soldiers.

the principal fighting occurred between bolshevik red army , forces of white army. many foreign armies warred against red army, notably allied forces, yet many volunteer foreigners fought in both sides of russian civil war. other nationalist , regional political groups participated in war, including ukrainian nationalist green army, ukrainian anarchist black army , black guards, , warlords such ungern von sternberg. intense fighting took place 1918 1920. major military operations ended on 25 october 1922 when red army occupied vladivostok, held provisional priamur government. last enclave of white forces ayano-maysky district on pacific coast. majority of fighting ended in 1920 defeat of general pyotr wrangel in crimea, notable resistance in areas continued until 1923 (e.g., kronstadt uprising, tambov rebellion, basmachi revolt, , final resistance of white movement in far east).

in 1917, china declared war on germany in hope of recovering lost province, under japanese control. new culture movement occupied period 1917 1923. chinese representatives refused sign treaty of versailles, due intense pressure student protesters , public opinion alike.

the may fourth movement helped rekindle then-fading cause of republican revolution. in 1917 sun yat-sen had become commander-in-chief of rival military government in guangzhou in collaboration southern warlords. sun s efforts obtain aid western democracies ignored, however, , in 1920 turned soviet union, had achieved own revolution. soviets sought befriend chinese revolutionists offering scathing attacks on western imperialism. political expediency, soviet leadership initiated dual policy of support both sun , newly established chinese communist party (ccp).

the flag of kuomintang, 1 canton of flag of republic of china.

the policy of working kuomintang , chiang kai-shek had been recommended dutch communist henk sneevliet, chosen in 1923 comintern representative in china due revolutionary experience in dutch indies, had major role in founding partai komunis indonesia (pki) – , felt chinese party small , weak undertake major effort on own (see henk sneevliet s work comintern).

in 1927, kuomintang-ccp rivalry led split in revolutionary ranks. ccp , left wing of kuomintang had decided move seat of nationalist government guangzhou wuhan. chiang kai-shek, northern expedition proving successful, set forces destroying shanghai ccp apparatus , established anti-communist government @ nanjing in april 1927.