For a future Russian Civil War TL I'm planning, how could the White movement defeat the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War?
For a future Russian Civil War TL I'm planning, how could the White movement defeat the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War?
How about the White forces? Could they become more unified while the Bolsheviks, Mensheviks and SRs become more disorganized?One option is to have Martov get martyred/purged during the internal Leftist power struggle immediately following the October Revolution. This could be the spark that sets more moderate Mensheviks and SRs to violently oppose the Bolshevik attempts to monopolize power and adding a.. let's call them "Pinks" faction revolting in the heart of Soviet territory demanding democratic rather than vanguard socialism. This could splinter the Red war effort enough to keep them from putting pressure on the Reds in the critical early months and give them time to organize
How about the White forces? Could they become more unified while the Bolsheviks, Mensheviks and SRs become more disorganized?
Is there anything the Whites could become unified behind?United behind what? You can't build an identity based solely on a negative, and the only thing all the Whites have in common is they're anti-Communist. They could be more organized within their cliques/factions, but the more successful they are without a clearly militarily unassailable single party emeging the more likely what unity they have dissolves into a "Game of a Thrones"'
Is there anything the Whites could become unified behind?
So perhaps Denikin or Wrangel could be the most capable candidates? They both managed to secure a number of victories earlier in the Russian Civil War and Denikin was close to capturing Moscow so perhaps the two form a military junta coalition leading White forces.A single leader and his army gaining a preponderance of the military power and popular prestige alongside a good reputation among the brass to act as a power broker. A start of the century Putin, essentially, in terms of political pragmatism and charisma who can also manage to pull off a number of early victories against the Reds and charm the international community enough to get his hands on the levers of forgein investment in post-war Russia and forgein aid during the civil war.
So perhaps Denikin could be the most capable candidate?