RUSSIA Russian Civil War broke out after the revolutions of 1917, which overthrew the tsarist regime and subsequently brought the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, to power. A range of their opponents fought against the Bolshevik Red Army, including the White Guards – diverse anti-Bolshevik forces that supported different political and social goals. The conflict was marked by mass repression, executions of prisoners, and violence against civilians by various warring factions.
Preserved archival records and contemporary silent film footage also document the executions of captured Bolsheviks and communists ordered by White Army commanders. According to the descriptions of the footage, some prisoners had their boots and valuables taken from them before the executions. They were then shot by firing squads, and the camera also captured the immediate aftermath.
