Ukrainian War of Independence

Quick Facts: Who was Ukrainian War of Independence?

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Ukrainian War of Independence

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A complex military conflict for Ukrainian statehood between 1917 and 1921.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Ukrainian War of Independence, also referred to as the Ukrainian–Soviet War in Ukraine, lasted from March 1917 to November 1921 and was part of the wider Russian Civil War. It saw the establishment and development of an independent Ukrainian republic, most of which was absorbed into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic between 1919 and 1920. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union between 1922 and 1991. The war was fought between different governmental, political and military forces. Belligerents included Ukrainian nationalists, Ukrainian anarchists, the forces of Germany and Austria-Hungary, the White Russian Volunteer Army, and Second Polish Republic forces.

Career & Major Achievements

They struggled for control of Ukraine after the February Revolution of 1917. The war ensued soon after the October Revolution, when the Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin dispatched the Antonov's expeditionary group to Ukraine and Southern Russia. The war resulted in the absorption of Ukrainian populations into the newly created Soviet Union and the Second Polish Republic. Soviet historical tradition viewed the Bolshevik victory as the liberation of Ukraine from occupation by the armies of Western and Central Europe, including that of Poland. Modern Ukrainian historians consider it a failed war of independence by the Ukrainian People's Republic against the Bolsheviks.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The conflict can be viewed within the framework of the Southern Front of the Russian Civil War of 1917–1922, as well as the closing stage of the Eastern Front of World War I. During the First World War, Ukraine was in the front lines of two of the main combatants, Imperial Russia and Austria-Hungary. During the war, Ukrainian activists in Russia were treated as enemy agents, and newspapers and cultural organisations were shut down by the authorities. The Austrians in turn persecuted Galician Russophiles, arresting them and their families. The region was cleared of Russophiles when Austria recaptured Galicia from the Russians later in the war. In response to the February Revolution in March 1917, political and cultural organisations in Kyiv created a council, the Central Rada, and in April the 900 delegates elected Mykhailo Hrushevsky as its leader.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1917: 1917 Milestone — The Ukrainian War of Independence, also referred to as the Ukrainian–Soviet War in Ukraine, lasted from March 1917 to November 1921 and was part of the wider Russian Civil War.
2. 1919: 1919 Milestone — It saw the establishment and development of an independent Ukrainian republic, most of which was absorbed into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic between 1919 and 1920.
3. 1922: 1922 Milestone — The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union between 1922 and 1991.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Ukrainian War of Independence

True or False: “The Bolshevik victory in the Ukrainian War of Independence was universally recognized by all modern historians as a liberation from foreign occupation.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Modern Ukrainian historians generally view the conflict's outcome as a failed war of independence for the Ukrainian People's Republic against the Bolshevik forces.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdullah al-Sallal — Historical peer (Born in 1917) (1917): Yemeni military officer and revolutionary who led the North Yemeni Revolution of 1962.
• Adolf von Baeyer — Historical peer (Died in 1917) (1917): Pioneering German chemist known for indigo synthesis and IUPAC nomenclature.
• Aaron Beck — Historical peer (Born in 1921) (1921): Father of Cognitive Therapy and CBT, revolutionizing psychiatric treatment.
• ʻAbdu'l-Bahá — Historical peer (Died in 1921) (1921): Successor to Baháʼu'lláh and guiding light of the Baháʼí Faith.
• Adelina Patti — Historical peer (Died in 1919) (1919): Legendary Spanish-Italian soprano renowned for her bel canto technique and lyrical voice.
• Ahmed Abdallah — Historical peer (Born in 1919) (1919): Comorian politician who served as President of the Comoros from 1978 to 1989.
• Abraham Kuyper — Historical peer (Died in 1920) (1920): Influential neo-Calvinist pastor, journalist, and Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
• Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani — Historical peer (Born in 1920) (1920): Emir of Qatar (1960–1972) whose reign oversaw the nation's oil boom and independence.
• Aage Bohr — Historical peer (Born in 1922) (1922): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Agnes Nixon — Historical peer (Born in 1922) (1922): Pioneering soap opera writer and producer, creator of 'One Life to Live' and 'All My Children'.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ukrainian War of Independence