Russia Breaks Up, 1917

Picture this scenario; The Revolution succeeds in toppling the empire, but not in exerting control over the state.

Over the next few years, Russia falls apart into a warring collection of independent states carved out of the former Russian Empire.

Is this scenario plausible?
 
There is nothing wrong with the idea in general. There were a lot of forces pulling the old Tsarist Empire apart, and it was not inevitable that the Bolsheviks triumph and suppress all of them.

The leadership of the Whites was also against any fragmentation of the Empire, so you need a situation where neither of them really win. A scenario where the Whites quickly suppress the Bolsheviks will not cause the Tsarist Empire to fall apart.

Perhaps if one of the assassination attempts on Lenin succeeded in 1918, it would have deprived the Bolsheviks of leadership long enough that the Whites were more successful, yet unable to overthrow the national independence movements that were being set up. The attempt in August is perhaps the best choice since by then the White Russians have had some success, but were not in a position to be dominant.
 
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