As well as the American Civil War was called the war of the "Blue" versus the "Grey" the Russian Civil War is known as the "Red" versus the "White". In the base of Russian Civil war was the conflict between two different ideologies, this was the war of classes that determine its cruel and bloody character. No mercy, no compromises, only the fight to the full extermination of opposite side.

In spite of the Russian Civil war brought terrible loses, much more them American Civil War(about 2 000 000 killed on battlefields and died from epidemic of typhus, cholera and "spanish" influence , another sources call the figure 5 000 000, ), it is not so well known abroad. And so before to suggest for You my new scenario about Russian Civil War, I want to remind some facts and information, which will help You to understand the ideas and principle of this big game.

No one time of history, no one war had no such an unique palette of different styles of uniform as Russian Civil War. After the country was divided on different enemy camps, each of sides begun to work out its own style of uniform. It was a chaotic process without visible order. But at in the middle of the war main sides already had their own original uniform design and specific signs of which were red stars for Red Army and "gold" shoulder straps for White Guard. Actually these shoulder straps was not totally "gold" but had a gold ornament for elite squads and officers.

At the early period which contained in Russian history as "a triumphal procession of Soviet Power" (1917-1918) the former imperial army uniform was the dominant for all participants of future Civil War. At this period no White Guard no Red Army still nor existed and the only one forces represents the Red Side - the "red guard". This was the armed workers, who had a single sign of "military" service - red ribbon on the peaked cap or red bow on the breast of civilian suit. Or the rifle with the red ribbon on the end of bayonet was enough to call the owner "the red guard". Another forces was the former soldiers of imperial army who deserted

from the war or were disbanded after Lenin's government signed a peace treaty with Germany. If such a soldier had an imperial cockade on the cap it meant that he was a "white", if he had a red ribbon across the hat he was a "red". The White Guard followed traditions of Imperial army uniform and in the main details contained its design.

The first sours of white resistance appeared on the hot subtropical South of Russia where general Kornilov (talented WW-I warlord) covered his first squads to fight against the "red madness". Soon here is assembled entire salad from different exotic military uniforms. Only one common detail was contained - peaked caps and shoulder straps (gold for officers and elite squads and different colors for simple soldiers). First White Guard participants dressed himself in that was at that moment under a hand. They used French , English jackets, former Russian Army coats, Caucasian "burka" (long cavalry coat without sleeves but with very high "shoulders"), "chekmein" (long light coats with decorative ornament across the breast in the form of silver cartridges) etc. They wore trousers of blue, green, khaki, black, red colors, with ribbons and without...

For this salad they got a name of "Colored forces". When ENTHENTE began to supply White Army, the main design of uniform became a classical "khaki" with Russian form of peaked caps and shoulder straps. Under the hot south sun this khaki quickly became light gray or almost white color.

However , some of most glorious regiments and brigades contained their unique "colored" style till the end of War. These regiment were:

General Drozdivski's volunteer regiment:

unform: orange trousers and peaked cap with orange top and khaki jacket or soldier blouse.

Uniform: totally black jackets and trousers and peaked cap with white top.

General Kornilov's officers companies and general Alekseev's volunteers had their own colors too. To serve in "colored forces" was a pick of honor in White Guard because this squads was the best in army, they consisted most of all from former officers of WW-I and volunteers with very high discipline and battle soul.

 The all armies of White Guard had a similar chevron on the sleeve - the three-colored anglewith colors of national flag (white, blue, red). Additional chevron of many regiments wasthe white cranium on the black or blue field (or vise versa) with crossed swords below.

 The accidentally case determined Red Army uniform. In the beginning of the Civil Warbolsheviks captured warehouse of imperial army with small party of experimental uniform which never appeared on the WW-I battlefields. This uniform was designed in patriotic national style and included soft conical helmet from felt in the form of ancient metal helmet of Russian army of Mongol wars period. Also the long coats with wide ribbons of different colors across the breast which must to symbolize ancient plates. This uniform had no shoulder straps which was so hated by "Red". The Red Army used this helmet and coats and began to reproduce them in big amount because it was totally different from classical imperial army design of White Guard. Moreover this new uniform was very comfortable, especially conical helmet with long wide ears to shoulders - for capricious Russian weather. In summer this ears turned to the back and to the top and buttoned up. The commander of

the red First Cavalry Army - Semen Budenny like to wear this helmet and his cavalrymen used these caps too as a basic part of uniform. That is soon it got the name "Budennovka". The colored ribbons which crossed a red army new uniform got a strange name "razgovors" ("lets to talk") which source is unknown. Infantry had a red "razgovors" and red star on the forehead of "budennovka" cavalrymen had blue "razgovors" and blue stars, artillery had black ribbons and black stars with red edges. Both this helmets (budennovka) and ribbons (razgovors) , the former experimental Imperial Army design, became a main details of uniform of Red Army during next 20 years , almost until WW-II war.

Because shoulder straps was absent in Red Army uniform as a sign of "White Guard" the signs of commander's rank were small red "cubes" or " rhombuses" on a collar. Simple soldiers had no shoulders straps totally.

And only during the WW-II shoulder straps were returned by special Stalin's order as part of new Soviet Army uniform.