White Guards

The White Guards were military forces that supported the anti-Bolshevik, or "White," side during the Russian Civil War (1917-1922). They opposed the Bolsheviks, who had seized power during the October Revolution. The White Guards comprised various groups, including monarchists, liberals, and nationalists, united by their desire to overthrow the Bolshevik regime. They received support from foreign powers but ultimately faced internal divisions and were defeated by the Red Army led by the Bolsheviks. The term can also refer more broadly to other anti-communist forces during this tumultuous period in Russian history.