In the history of each country, there are years that are considered crucial in the changing eras. They are characterized by a rapid change of events at almost all levels of public life, an acute crisis, and often the beginning of hostilities. That is how 1918 stood out in the history of Russia. We will talk about the most outstanding personalities of this period, the events that then unfolded on the territory of the country, and their significance for future generations.
On the eve of 1918
Before completely plunging into the maelstrom of the vicissitudes of 1918, in order to understand all their depth and causes, it is necessary to briefly describe what events preceded it.
First, it must be said that 1914-1918 in the history of Russia and the whole world is the period of the First World War. It was this event that served as the initial impetus for all the changes that occurred in our country, as well as in most European countries of that period. The Russian Empire, which began to rot, did not draw long military operations either militarily or economically. Actually, this could be predicted based on the results of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905.
The Romanov dynasty, ruling for more than 300 years, began to rapidly lose its former authority. The events of the unfinished revolution of 1905 were only the harbingers of the coming storm. And she soon broke out.
Of course, the most significant events in anticipation of the period described were the February and October revolutions of 1917. The first of these put an end to the autocracy of the Romanovs, and the second laid the foundation for a completely new model of statehood based on principles that had not been put into practice by anyone until then.
But how viable the new state was to show the turning point of 1918 in the history of Russia.
The first steps of Soviet power
Immediately after coming to power, the Bolshevik party began a chain of reforms in the country.
On January 26, 1918, a Decree was issued that announced the beginning of the calendar reform. Its essence was the transition from the Julian calendar used by the Orthodox Church, and until then was considered official in the Russian Empire, to the Gregorian, introduced into everyday life in most countries of the world, more closely matching the astronomical calendar. The reform was completed on February 14, when Soviet Russia officially switched to a new calendar calculus.
On January 28, a Decree of the Council of People's Commissars on the formation of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army was issued. This is what laid the foundation for the future greatness of the armed forces of the Soviet Union.
On February 2, a Decree was announced that separated the Orthodox Church from the state. From that moment on, all religious movements in the country had formally equal rights, freedom of conscience and religion was declared.
Negotiations with Germany
The primary and vital task for the Soviet government was to get out of the First World War, which by that time, of course, had been lost for Russia. But, of course, there was no question of any complete surrender. It was necessary to conclude an agreement with the central powers, with which at that moment Russia was at war, on the most favorable conditions for the latter, possible in the current difficult situation.
The importance of these negotiations for the Soviet government is evidenced by the fact that they started on December 22, 1917. They passed quite hard, since neither side wanted to make significant concessions.
The Soviet delegation was forced to revise its positions on many issues by the resumption of hostilities and the very successful advance of German troops on the Russian-German front. These events prompted the Bolsheviks to make significant concessions.
Brest-Litovsk peace treaty
On March 3, 1918, the Brest-Litovsk peace clause was finally signed. Soviet Russia agreed to significant territorial losses, including surrendered, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states, Finland, a number of Transcaucasian regions. In addition, she undertook to pay significant sums of money in the form of reparations to the victorious powers, to cease hostilities against them and, in fact, dissolve the army.
The Soviet government could not fail to understand that, by signing this separate agreement, it loses even the illusive hopes of recognition of its legitimacy by the Entente countries, and also gets involved in a direct confrontation with them. But there was no other way, since peace with Germany was a matter of survival.
The beginning of the formation of the White movement
From the very beginning of coming to power, the Bolsheviks had many opponents within Russia itself. The main core of their formation was the so-called White Movement. Adjacent to it were not only sincere monarchists, but also supporters of republican models of statehood, more democratic than those that the Soviet government could offer, as well as other opponents of the Bolsheviks.
Nevertheless, the leadership of the White movement, unlike the Soviet regime, considered itself the successor of the Russian Empire and the Provisional Government, dissolved during the October Revolution. The signing of separate Brest-Litovsk agreements with delegations of the Central Powers contributed to the de facto recognition of the leaders of the White Movement by the Entente countries as the legitimate government of Russia. Although they were in no hurry to legalize this provision.
Volunteer army
The combat wing of the White Movement was the Volunteer Army, which began to form as early as the end of 1917 under the leadership of first General Alekseev M.V. and then - L. Kornilov. It is the latter that can be considered its true creator. The final formation of the Volunteer Army was completed on January 7, 1918.
But Kornilov was killed on April 13 of that year during the liberation of Yekaterinodar from the Bolsheviks. The leadership of the Volunteer Army was launched by the no less active Anton Ivanovich Denikin.
These events show the full depth of the political crisis that has covered the country. Awareness of its seriousness brought 1918 in the history of Russia. War was inevitable.
Entente countries intervention
As mentioned above, the conclusion of a separate agreement with Germany and its allies put the Soviet government in a state of direct confrontation with the countries of the Entente. Moreover, this conflict was not only purely political in nature, but also grew into armed clashes. 1918 - 1920 in the history of Russia is characterized as the period of the most active phase of foreign military intervention.
The hostile actions of the Entente countries against Soviet Russia began with the landing in March 1918 of a French landing in Murmansk, as well as the blocking of the Arkhangelsk port by the British fleet.
Later, when the Civil War in Russia was in full swing, the objects of foreign aggression were Vladivostok, Odessa, Kherson, Sevastopol, Batumi and other cities. The geography of the invasion was expanding.
The British colonies and dominions, as well as countries outside the Entente (USA, Japan and others) joined the intervention.
Civil War
The year 1918–1922 in the history of Russia is characterized as the period of the Civil War. Although many historians count its beginning from 1917, and consider the completion date to be 1924. But the most active actions, of course, begin to unfold precisely in the period we are studying.
By the spring of 1918, the Volunteer Army was fully formed as a fighting force that could challenge the Bolshevik Red Army.
In March, active hostilities began to take place. The rebellion against the power of the Soviets first covers the area of the Don Army, and then - the Kuban. In particular, it was during the assault on Yekaterinodar that the first commander of the Volunteer Army, Kornilov Lavr Georgievich, perishes.
White movement in the east of Russia
In June, a Committee of members of the All-Russian Constituent Assembly (KOMUCH) was created in Samara, which considered itself the successor of the Kerensky Provisional Government. The People’s Army of KOMUCH was created, which was the eastern front of the White movement. She entered the hostilities with the Red Army of the Bolsheviks, however, were unsuccessful.
In September 1918, in Ufa, on the basis of KOMUCH, the Provisional All-Russian Government (Ufa Directory) was created. In turn, after unsuccessful political and military operations, it was dissolved in November by Admiral Kolchak. Then in Omsk he was appointed the Supreme Ruler of Russia, and from that moment he was the recognized leader of the White movement in Russia. Immediately he showed himself to be a very active leader and an excellent commander, having won several important victories over the Bolsheviks. However, the peak of his political and military glory came in the next, 1919.
1918 brought new unexpected turns in the history of Russia. Events rushed without slowing down.
Execution of the Romanovs
One of the most controversial events that marked the year 1918 in the history of Russia was the shooting by the Bolsheviks on July 17 in Yekaterinburg of the Tsar’s Romanov family, led by former Emperor Nicholas II. Until now, historians have not agreed on how expedient this act of cruelty was, and whether members of the dynasty that had lost popularity among the people really represented a real threat to the Soviet regime.
National separatism
1918 in the history of Russia was also marked by the rise of national separatism in the regions that were part of the Romanovs. Some state entities in the ruins of the empire managed to defend their independence (Poland, Finland, the Baltic countries), others were forced to give up their sovereignty in the course of a difficult struggle (UNR, Georgia), while others were generally fictitious, never having real power tools (BNR), the fourth, in fact, were the satellites of Soviet Russia (the Far Eastern Republic, Donetsk-Kryvyi Rih Republic, LitBel, etc.).
The most tragic was 1918 in the history of Ukraine. There was a struggle between the troops of the Ukrainian national state (UNR), replaced by the hetman of Skoropadsky, the Volunteer Army of Denikin, the Red Army of the Bolsheviks and various anarchist, and sometimes just gang armed groups.
Significant personalities
All of the above events could not have happened without the actions of specific people. Let's see who influenced the situation most of all, which was formed in 1918 in the history of Russia, who ruled, led the troops, shaped the political atmosphere.
Let's start with representatives of the Soviet government. Of course, the greatest influence on the events from this side was exerted by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, who was simultaneously the leader of the Bolshevik party and the Soviet state. It was he who greatly influenced the events that made the turning point of 1918 in the history of Russia. A photo of Lenin can be seen below.
In addition, party functionaries such as Leo Trotsky, Lev Kamenev, Felix Dzerzhinsky played a significant role, Joseph Stalin began to gain more weight. In addition, during the indicated period such commanders of the Red Army became famous, such as Vasily Chapaev, Mikhail Frunze, Grigory Kotovsky and others.
The most active organizers of the White movement, as mentioned above, were Lavr Kornilov and Anton Denikin, and by the end of 1918 Admiral Alexander Kolchak had come forward.
Summary
Thus, by the end of 1918, the young Soviet state was in the ring of enemies, which was formed from representatives of the White movement, local national groups and foreign interventionists. The struggle was just beginning, but the Soviet government did the main thing - it stayed on the first wave of the pressure of enemies. This fact, as well as the fragmentation of the opponents of the Bolsheviks, which turned into an open armed struggle between them, led to the fact that the fate of the country for the next 70 years was a foregone conclusion. However, the consequences of that significant year are palpable even now.