The Russian Revolution: Intellectuals, the Military, and the Politics of Modern Italy

Abstract

The Italian postwar reality was characterized by a political world of contrasts when, after the Russian- German agreement, it was decided to continue the Italian military mission in Russia. In Italy, the “revolutionary” phenomenon was known from the early months of the Bolshevik coup, and there had been many debates over the “Russian Question.” This debate was very much alive and often involved authoritative members of the national intelligentsia. Italy, involved in its first world conflict, intervened in the Russian civil war with military personnel supporting the White generals against the Red armed troops. Such action, determined by the high-alliance commands, took place in different areas of Russia, in the north of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk's regions, Transcaucasia and Siberia. The Russian civil war was atrocious and bloody but, with their humanity, Italians brought hope to the Russian people, hope that died with the choice made in Versailles in 1919 of withdrawing the missions leaving Russia to its fate. Ignored by a great part of recent historiography is the activity of the Italian troops. In fact, Italy had been playing a key role with its military and logistical support to the Siberian and Caucasus population, at least until the Allied Powers pulled out of their missions because they considered the clash between Whites and Reds “una questione internazionale” (an international issue).