Events of the Civil War in the North-West of Russia in the Ego-Documents of the Military Personnel of the Northern-Western Army (1918–1920)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of sources of personal origin, reflecting the views of the military personnel of the White Guard North-Western Army on the events of the civil war that unfolded in the north-westernregion of Russia in 1918–1920. These documents make it possible to obtain the necessary, valuable and in many cases unique first-hand information from people who directly participated in the civil war. Meanwhile, the ego-documents of the participants in the white movement in the North-West of Russia rarely become the subject of special study. The study was based mainly on previously unpublished documents from the Large fund of the Archive-Museum of the Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia Abroad (ASHRA Archive-Museum). The features of understanding by the military personnel of the circumstances of the emergence of the white movement in the region, including the role of the “great powers” in this process, are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the problems of motivation of military personnel who voluntarily joined the ranks of the White formations, their attitude towards the civilian population and towards the enemy — the Red Army soldiers, including prisoners. The question of the level of provision of the White Guard detachments with food and uniforms is revealed. The analysis of ego-documents created by representatives of the white movement in the North-West of Russia significantly expands the knowledge available in science about the features of civil confrontation in the region, contributes to a deep understanding of the role of the human factor in extreme everyday life.