Makhnovshchina is a movement from the time of the Civil War, the ideology of which had the features of anarchism. The name comes from the name of the leader of the anarchists - Nestor Makhno. In the history of the Civil War, the figure of Nestor Makhno occupied a special place, this is a mythologized hero, and in official literature it is a sharply negative figure of the enemy, political adventurer, and bandit. These approaches do not stand up to criticism and lack sufficient depth and serious documentary argumentation. They created the wrong image of not only one person, but the whole phenomenon of social life, such as Makhnovism during the Civil War.
When did the movement of Nestor Makhno begin?
The starting point can be considered 1918. Makhnovshchina during the Civil War had a specific social portrait. Peasants from the south of Yekaterinoslavschina, who actively participated in the establishment of Soviet power in Ukraine in the first half of 1919, joined the detachments under the leadership of Makhno. It is about this period of their activity that is mentioned in this publication. Then the paths of the Makhnovists and the Red Army began to diverge further and further. Despite this, the rebels played a prominent role in the defeat of Denikin, and then Wrangel.
Nestor Makhno - a talented organizer
In the fight against the enemies of the revolution, Nestor Makhno proved himself to be a talented organizer and an original partisan commander. Under his leadership, at some moments tens of thousands of peasants united.
The differences between the Makhnovists and the Soviet regime were based on the peasantry’s rejection of the policy of “war communism”, as well as the various views of the Bolsheviks and anarchists on the role of the state in the construction of socialism. After the introduction of the new economic policy, most peasants left the Makhnovist detachments. Makhnovism is a movement that has begun to take on the character of political banditry. Obviously, this fact made Makhno, who was constantly attacked by units of the Red Army, stop the further struggle and cross the border with Romania in August 1921.
The influence of Nestor Makhno on the anarchist movement
Echoes of his views can be found in the Makhnovshchina. This movement has become a kind of "brainchild" of Nestor Makhno. The rebels often referred to nothing but “father”.
He was proud of this rebel title and often subscribed to public documents.
By the end of 1918, Nestor Makhno managed to unite under his command the majority of the rebel groups operating in this region. At the end of 1918, Nestor Makhno together with the Soviet army carried out a bold operation to capture Yekaterinoslav, but the success was short-lived. The city had to pass with significant losses.
Nestor Makhno and Soviet power
In February 1919, the headquarters of Nestor Makhno signed an agreement on the entry of his troops into the red Zadniprovsky division as the 3rd Zadniprovsk brigade. Makhnovshchina is a movement that was distinguished by courage in battles against the Entente and White forces in the spring of 1919. He was captured by Mariupol. But between the rebels and the Bolsheviks there were sharp contradictions in ideological issues. The Makhnovists could not recognize the principles of the dictatorship of the proletariat and “war communism”, especially the surplus apportionment and the socialization of agriculture. These contradictions intensified with particular force in the spring of 1919, led to mutual accusations and became a stumbling block in relations after L. Trotsky launched a struggle against “partisanism” on the Ukrainian front.
The role of the anarchist movement in defeating the army of A. Denikin
In August 1919, Nestor Makhno announced the creation of a revolutionary rebel army of Ukraine. Her efforts were directed, first of all, to the struggle against Denikinites, who at that time captured most of Ukraine and were conducting a successful attack on Moscow. In September, Makhno concluded a short-term union agreement with the army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic on joint actions against Denikinites. In the battle near Peregonovka near Uman, the Makhnovists defeated selected white officers' regiments, after which they made a swift raid into the rear of the whites in southern Ukraine, then in the autumn of 1919 they almost completely disorganized them. Makhnovists during this time captured the cities of Aleksandrovsk, Berdyansk, Yekaterinoslav, Nikopol, Mariupol, Melitopol. This significant circumstance forced General A. Denikin to withdraw the best cavalry formations from the Bolshevik front and throw them against the rebels. This, in turn, allowed the Reds to stop the advance of A. Denikin and turn the tide in their favor. But this time, a full union of the Makhnovists with the Reds did not work either.
As soon as Denikin's danger was overcome, the Red Army in January 1920 led the struggle to destroy the Makhnovists. In the summer of 1920, the latter made 3 raids on the Left-Bank Ukraine, in total breaking 1400 versts. In the fall of 1920, the Soviets again used the Makhnovists in the war against the army of General P. Wrangel. The Makhnovsky cavalry raided the rear of the whites, participated in crossing the Sivash and breaking the defense of Perekop and Yushuni. Immediately after capturing the Crimea, the Reds, in strict secrecy, launched a new operation to destroy the rebels.
Makhnovshchina, the year of creation of which can be safely called 1918, had a noticeable impact on the events of the Civil War on the territory of Ukraine.