The coup which brought Kolchak to power in Siberia had many negative consequences for the White movement. Kolchak wasn't that bad in theory, but his naive and indecisive nature, his irrational dislike for politics, and his weakness in the face of pressure from reactionaries made for a deadly combination.
Now, the days of the Directorate were probably numbered anyway. By November 1918 even the British mission was mostly in favour of a coup. But what if Siberia's "democratic counter-revolution" was not overthrown by an outsider, but replaced from within its own ranks?
The supreme commander-in-chief of the White forces was one General Vasily Boldyrev - an uncommonly liberal and even socialist-leaning officer (a competent one, too). He was one of the few people in the movement who could have led a broad and progressive political front, while still commanding the respect of officers and conservatives as a military figure.
In OTL, Kolchak first refused to take power, insisting that the position belonged to Boldyrev as a member of the Directory and supreme commander of its forces. If Kolchak was not as easily swayed, or the coup took a different turn, Boldyrev could have easily found himself in charge. So what then?
In this scenario, the Siberians would have:
-Better relations with the SR party and other moderate socialists; less internal dissent.
-A more radical and believable program of land reform to attract the peasantry to the White cause - Kolchak's was well-intentioned, but confused even on a good day.
-More appealing social policies in general.
-Better relations with the minorities allied to the White movement - like the Bashkirs and Alash Kazakhs, who split from Kolchak within a month.
-Better relations with the Czechoslovak Legion.
-There's a chance (if only a small one) that Boldyrev would allow the White factions in the west to recognize Finland's independence - Kolchak didn't, and it cost them Mannerheim's help at a critical time.
-Far more competent military leadership than Kolchak's notoriously bad appointments, who fudged the Siberian war effort in general and the 1919 spring campaign in particular.
How would that affect the progress and outcome of the Russian Civil War? I can see a lot of small improvements. But would they add up to something big, or not?
Now, the days of the Directorate were probably numbered anyway. By November 1918 even the British mission was mostly in favour of a coup. But what if Siberia's "democratic counter-revolution" was not overthrown by an outsider, but replaced from within its own ranks?
The supreme commander-in-chief of the White forces was one General Vasily Boldyrev - an uncommonly liberal and even socialist-leaning officer (a competent one, too). He was one of the few people in the movement who could have led a broad and progressive political front, while still commanding the respect of officers and conservatives as a military figure.
In OTL, Kolchak first refused to take power, insisting that the position belonged to Boldyrev as a member of the Directory and supreme commander of its forces. If Kolchak was not as easily swayed, or the coup took a different turn, Boldyrev could have easily found himself in charge. So what then?
In this scenario, the Siberians would have:
-Better relations with the SR party and other moderate socialists; less internal dissent.
-A more radical and believable program of land reform to attract the peasantry to the White cause - Kolchak's was well-intentioned, but confused even on a good day.
-More appealing social policies in general.
-Better relations with the minorities allied to the White movement - like the Bashkirs and Alash Kazakhs, who split from Kolchak within a month.
-Better relations with the Czechoslovak Legion.
-There's a chance (if only a small one) that Boldyrev would allow the White factions in the west to recognize Finland's independence - Kolchak didn't, and it cost them Mannerheim's help at a critical time.
-Far more competent military leadership than Kolchak's notoriously bad appointments, who fudged the Siberian war effort in general and the 1919 spring campaign in particular.
How would that affect the progress and outcome of the Russian Civil War? I can see a lot of small improvements. But would they add up to something big, or not?
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