Lenin wanted to get Russia out of the First World War, even if it meant signing a humiliating peace treaty. In the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Russia gave up vast areas of land to the Germans, including the whole of the Ukraine, 73% of its iron-producing areas and 75% of its coalfields.

Danger: such a drastic peace treaty was very unpopular with the Russians. Even many Bolsheviks thought it was too harsh.

The fighting began when the Social Revolutionarias decided to set up a new Russian government, based at Samara in southern Russia. Suddenly lots of other groups were joining them. They all hated the Bolsheviks but for very different reasons. The Civil War started.

Whites Versus Reds

The Bolsheviks adopted red as their colour for flags, banners and so on. So their enemies called themselves the Whites. But there were many different groups of Whites; they did not all have the same leader; and they did not all want the same thing.

The Whites had no shortage of generals. In the north, General Yudenich led an attack on Petrograd. In the south, General Denikin led an attack through the Ukraine. In the east, Admiral Kolchak led an attack and declared himself the supreme ruler of Russia.

In addition, other countries sent help to the Whites. The British and French sent ships and troops to help General Denikin; along with the Americans and the Italians, they also sent help to General Yudenich in the north. In the east, Admiral Kolchak had help from the Japanese. He also had the support of one of the most effective groups fighting in the war, the Czech legion.

They were not pleased when the Bolsheviks signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and pulled out of the war. (GCSE Modern History Review Hindsight, Volume 11, Number 2, January 2001)

Определите, являются ли следующие утверждения истинными или ложными (True/False)?

1. The official Soviet version of the Russian Civil War never suited Soviet governments. 2. Leon Trotsky was the leader of the Social Revolutionaries. 3. One of the main events that triggered the war was Fanya Kaplan’s attempt to shoot Lenin. 4. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was very unpopular with the Russians. 5. There was just one group of the Whites; they had one leader. 6. General Yudenich, General Denikin, Admiral Kolchak are the names of White generals.

Прочтите текст еще раз и переведите его на русский/белорусский язык. Найдите в словаре и выпишите в рабочую тетрадь незнакомые слова.

Письменно ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. What were two main events that triggered the Civil War? 2. What were the main points in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk? 3. What groups did the Whites consist of? 4. Who supported the Whites?

Выделите в тексте ключевые слова и нарисуйте spidergram. (Spidergram - это схема, отображающая центральное понятие и его связь со всеми остальными аспектами, рассматриваемыми в тексте.)

Составьте план текста. Напишите краткую аннотацию.