The Soviet army had been progressively demobilized as the enemy weakened, but the internal economy of the country was in a chaotic state. The peasants, irritated by requisitions, had reduced the production of grain, and industry, which had been harnessed everywhere to war, must be reconstructed on a peace basis. Trotsky, the commissar for war, proposed that the army should be utilized directly for production. This "labour conscrip tion" or "labour army," as he called it, was opposed by the trade unions. Lenin admitted the scheme had advantages, but questioned its practical working. It was nevertheless adopted. The labour army helped to reorganize transport and some sections of heavy industry but discontent was generated among the workers.
The Soviet Government proposed peace to Poland in Jan., 1920, on terms similar to those offered Finland and Estonia. The Poles at first seemed willing to agree, but their ambition grew as supplies of war material from France and a food loan of $50,000,000 from the United States strengthened their country. At the end of March they demanded all the territory west of the Polish frontier of 1772, a large cash indemnity, and the occupation of the Russian town of Smolensk as guarantee. The Bolsheviks refused, and the Polish army occupied Kiev early in May. Within a month the Bolsheviks struck back. The Soviet cavalry retook Kiev in June, while the main force advanced from Smolensk through Vilna and along the German border. The Red armies, marching forward almost without combat, converged upon Warsaw. The Polish retreat became a rout, and by the middle of August the Russians had reached the outskirts of the city.
France and England were appalled. A Sovietized Poland would mean Bolshevism in the heart of Europe. The French sent General Weygand, Foch's brilliant chief of staff, with a small group of officers, to Warsaw. It was impossible to move troops in large numbers across Germany and every moment counted. With the help of Weygand and his staff the service of supply was restored. A full account of the subsequent operations will be
found in the article Russo-POLISH CAMPAIGN to which reference should be made. It is sufficient to say here that the counter attacks beginning on August 14 were completely suc cessful and that almost over-night, with little fighting, the Red armies were in retreat. A great part of the troops on the German border gave up their arms. On Oct. II, after Polish territory had been entirely cleared, an armistice agreement was concluded at Riga. On March 18, 1921, peace was signed on terms favourable to Poland, with a new frontier which placed some 4,000,000 Russians under the Polish flag. Again the Soviet Government had paid a heavy price for peace.
The Peasants.—War Communism pressed heavily upon the peasants. Difficulties of transport and distribution prevented them from receiving manufactured goods in exchange for their requisitioned food products, and although their contribution to the national budget proportionately decreased as the currency emission to cover deficits grew greater, their position showed no corresponding improvement. Administrative confusion, red tape and contradictory instructions made the requisitions more onerous. Gradually the peasants reduced the area sown and con cealed the harvested grain.
The following statistics show the agricultural decline under Militant Communism. (League of Nations, Report on Economic Conditions in Russia, Geneva, 1922.) The total harvest in 1921 was only about 4o% of the average yearly harvest in 1909-13, while the area sown had decreased by almost one-half and the yield per dessiatine had decreased by more than one-third. The figures show that the decline was progressive from 1916 to 1921, except that the yield per dessiatine improved slightly in 1921.
The Bolsheviks tried to counter this passive resistance by an extension of class warfare to the villages. They divided the rural population into three categories : Rich Peasants (kulaks or ex ploiters); Middle Peasants, and Poor Peasants. The Poor were their proteges, they said; the Middle their friends, and the Rich their enemies. "Committees of Village Poor" were organized to supervise the grain requisitions and to take the part in village management which had hitherto belonged to the prosperous peasants. It was hoped that by this means kulak opposition would be overcome without antagonizing the Middle Peasants.