The main anti-Soviet myths about the Civil War

The civil war of 1917-1922 was "overgrown" with numerous myths, where the Bolsheviks were accused of unleashing it, and the October Revolution was called an event disastrous for Russia. However, if you look, then far from everything that anti-Soviet propagandists so diligently present is true.


For example, one of the most common myths is that the Germans paid the revolution. For the first time, such accusations against the Bolsheviks were voiced back in 1917. True, then the investigation did not find any evidence and the trial did not take place. Then the counterrevolutionaries tried to use the Brest Peace as an enslaving argument for Russia. But the reason for its signing was by no means collusion, but the banal tiredness of the army. And finally, the last argument in the “union” of the Bolsheviks with the Germans was Sisson’s widely circulated documents, which ultimately turned out to be a fake created by the Polish journalist Ossendowski.

Even today it is often said that the people at that time did not support the Bolsheviks. This statement is based on the results of the elections to the Constituent Assembly, where the Bolsheviks gained only about 24% of the vote. But, firstly, the petty bourgeoisie and counter-revolutionary parties were involved in the preparation of this event, which ultimately led to numerous violations. And, secondly, the Soviets were then the real power in the country. And there the Bolsheviks won the elections in most regions of Russia, which is vivid proof of popular support.

False is the accusation of the Soviet government in starting the Civil War. Despite the relatively peaceful transition of power to the Soviets, the counter-revolution responded with the rebellions of Kerensky-Krasnov, the cadets in Petrograd and Kaledin to the Don, the Bolsheviks showed exceptional tolerance for their opponents. However, the bourgeoisie managed to significantly strengthen anti-Soviet sentiment after the signing of the "Brest Peace", which ultimately led to the rise of counter-revolutionary activity and the outbreak of the Civil War.

The assertion about a strong exaggeration of the role played by the help of the foreign allies of the White Guard was fundamentally false. Interested in the war within Russia and economic depending on the latter, the former allies of the Entente provided material and financial support to the White Guards. For example, by the end of 1919, the total debt of the army of Denikin to England amounted to more than 40 million pounds. At the same time, Kolchak’s army received no less help.

And, finally, the fallacy is that the White Guard fought for a single and indivisible Russia. In fact, the counter-revolution pursued only two goals "paid" by foreign states: the overthrow of the Soviet government and the occupation, and then the division of Russia into spheres of influence. At the same time, there was no unity among the White Guards themselves, where each faction saw the future of the country in its own way.