Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
New
New
Year 9

The Russian Civil War, 1918-21

I can explain the course of events and impacts of the Russian Civil War.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils
New
New
Year 9

The Russian Civil War, 1918-21

I can explain the course of events and impacts of the Russian Civil War.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. There was a civil war in Russia between 1918 and 1921.
  2. The Russian Civil War mainly involved fighting between the Reds and the Whites.
  3. Other groups such as national minorities (the Greens) and foreign powers also fought the Reds in the Russian Civil War.
  4. Methods such as War Communism and the Red Terror helped the Reds to win the Civil War.
  5. War Communism and the Red Terror led to the deaths of many ordinary Russians.

Common misconception

People only died in the Russian Civil War as a direct result of the fighting.

Millions of ordinary Russians died as a result of methods like the Red Terror and War Communism used by the Reds during the war.

Keywords

  • Civil war - a civil war is a conflict between people from the same country

  • Minorities - minorities are small groups of people within a country who differ from the main population in race, religion, culture or language

  • Requisitioning - requisitioning is an act which involves officials taking something from others

During learning cycle 3, ask students why the Reds may not have been concerned that ordinary Russians were killed during the Red Terror. You can prompt students by asking them how it could help Bolshevik control if ordinary people were also affected.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

Skip video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
How many revolutions occurred in Russia in 1917?
one
Correct answer: two
three
four
Q2.
Who was the leader of the Bolshevik Party?
Karl Marx
Tsar Nicholas II
Correct answer: Vladimir Lenin
Q3.
Write the missing word. The Bolsheviks had little impact on the February Revolution because many of its leaders were in ...
Correct Answer: exile, Exile
Q4.
Write the missing word. In 1918, the Bolsheviks agreed to sign the of Brest-Litovsk.
Correct Answer: Treaty, treaty
Q5.
Which statement is most accurate?
the Bolsheviks supported Russia's participation in WWI
the Bolsheviks had no opinion on Russia's participation in WWI
Correct answer: the Bolsheviks opposed Russia's participation in WWI
Q6.
Which statement is most accurate?
the Bolsheviks strengthened Russians' political freedoms
Correct answer: the Bolsheviks restricted Russians' political freedoms
the Bolsheviks did not change Russians' political freedoms

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Match up each keyword with its correct definition.
Correct Answer:civil war,a conflict between people from the same country

a conflict between people from the same country

Correct Answer:minorities,small groups within a country who differ from the majority

small groups within a country who differ from the majority

Correct Answer:requisitioning,an act which involves officials taking something from others

an act which involves officials taking something from others

Q2.
Match up each group which fought in the Russian Civil War with its correct description.
Correct Answer:foreign powers,Britain, France, the USA and Japan

Britain, France, the USA and Japan

Correct Answer:Greens,national minorities from the Russian Empire

national minorities from the Russian Empire

Correct Answer:Reds,Bolsheviks and their supporters

Bolsheviks and their supporters

Correct Answer:Whites,Russian opponents of Bolsheviks

Russian opponents of Bolsheviks

Q3.
Which of the following led to the deaths of 7 000 000 Russians?
foreign powers fighting in the Russian Civil War
the Red Terror
Correct answer: War Communism
Q4.
Why did the Reds requisition grain during the Civil War?
punish their enemies
make money
Correct answer: feed the Red Army
Q5.
Who were the Cheka?
Correct answer: Bolshevik secret police
Bolshevik opponents
Bolshevik army
Q6.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.
1 - October Revolution occurs in Russia
2 - Bolsheviks sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
3 - British, French, Americana nd Japanese armies land in Russia
4 - White armies nearly take Petrograd and Moscow from the Reds
5 - Major White army under general Semenov defeated by the Reds
6 - Reds reconquer both Ukraine and Georgia

Additional material

Download additional material
We're sorry, but preview is not currently available. Download to see additional material.