Page:Yevgeni Alekseyevich Preobrazhensky - Third Anniversary of the Russian October Revolution (1921).djvu/14

 14 to concentrate our chief forces, commenced in the spring of 1919 his new offensive on the Volga. In March we had to meet a new White Guard wave. We lost Ufa, retreated to half way between Viatka and Perm, retreating very close to Kazan, and Samara was again in danger.

At the same time Petrograd was menaced by the White Esthonians, the bands of Balakhovitch, and the operations of the Finnish White Guards in the North. Our main forces had to be thrown again on the East. All the available reserves were moved against Kolchak, and the Communist Party made a fresh mobilisation to beat off the enemies.

This time Kolchak was dealt a smashing blow. His army, largely recruited from the Siberian peasants, was continually surrendering, and behind his lines there broke out a number of peasant revolts.

In the South the position by that time had again become menacing for the Soviet Government. We had beaten Krasnov, but had not crushed him to the ground. Our armies were already within 40 versts of Novo-Tcherkask, but here a new enemy with fresh forces awaited us. Krasnov's place was taken by Denikin, who succeeded in recruiting and organising thoroughly his volunteer officer army. Having defeated in Northern Caucasus our North Caucasian army, he moved to the Don, rapidly developing his successes in the Don territory and in the Ukraine. Again the Cossacks rose against the Soviet Government. The Ukrainian profiteering peasant rubbed his hands at the defeat of the Bolsheviki and lent assistance to Denikin. During the summer and autumn