Revolution and civil war in north Russia : Karelia and the Murmansk region, 1917-1920 / Alistair S. Wright.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wright, Alistair S., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Karelia (Russia)--History--20th century.

Karelia (Russia).

Murmansk (Russia)--History--20th century.

Murmansk (Russia).

Soviet Union--History--Revolution, 1917-1921.

Soviet Union.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xvii, 234 pages) : illustrations, maps

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

London, UK ; New York, NY : Bloomsbury Academic, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2025.

Summary:

"Expanding our understanding of the Russian civil war, this book provides the first detailed, archival-based study in English to analyse the two neighbouring regions of Karelia and Murmansk. Despite not being far from the revolutionary capital, Petrograd, both territories resisted the establishment of Bolshevik power longer than many others and so this study offers novel insights into the complexities of the struggle that eventually led to communist rule. Alistair S. Wright reflects on how both Karelia and Murmansk relied on food being imported, comparing how this problem was dealt with by the two independent local governments. Wright shows, for the first time, how providing Murmansk with food supplies was a key feature of Allied intervention during the conflict, part of an informative analysis of Bolshevik and Allied food supply polices to be found throughout the book. Revolution and Civil War on the Murmansk Railway is the first detailed, archival based study in English, to analyse the two neighbouring grain deficit regions, Karelia and Murmansk. Although there are similarities to the experiences of other fronts, the civil war in Karelia and the Murmansk region was distinct. Murmansk became dominated by Allied, especially British forces, which meant that the anti-Bolshevik and White regimes not only received military support, but also food supplies – an underexplored aspect of the Allied intervention. In Petrozavodsk, local leaders were in a constant struggle to secure enough domestic grain imports to meet the needs of the population, but central decrees had a different impact in the periphery according to local circumstances. The Left SRs, for example, remained a significant force in Karelia long after the party’s marginalisation on a national scale, which meant Bolshevik policies could be resisted for longer. The Bolsheviks therefore also came to rely on force. By the end of 1918, despite its limitations on the battlefield when facing Allied troops, the Red Army had helped spread the influence of Bolshevik power to the district centres. Both the White and Bolshevik regimes endured several crises over the course of 1919, but ultimately it was the Bolsheviks who emerged victorious on this front. This was possible, in part, by the weakening of the White regime following the Allies’ withdrawal in October 1919, but also through increased centralisation, dedicated local leaders, the securing of enough grain, and a relatively successful anti-desertion campaign"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Different paths

Autonomy and central ‘control’

Success and shortcomings

The struggle for Bolshevik control

Murmansk goes to war, January-June 1919

The Murmansk home front, January-June 1919

The Bolshevik fight for survival, January-June 1919

Red victory, July 1919-March 1920.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 217-228) and index.

Print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: Wright, Alistair S. Revolution and Civil War in North Russia

ISBN:

1350434027

9781350434028

1350434035

9781350434035

1350434043

9781350434042

OCLC:

1511102340

Publisher Number:

CIPO000240793

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license