President’s Letter

Hello delegates,

My name is Ramsey Nasrawin, and I am the Head of Crisis for NOSMUN’26 as well as your President for The Russian Civil War: Behind the Curtain of Power. This committee was created to give delegates a deeper, more strategic understanding of the Russian Civil War and the competing forces that shaped its outcome.

This special committee examines the period following the fall of the Romanov dynasty, placing delegates in the year 1918, as the Bolsheviks took over, and Russia was descending into full-scale civil war between the Reds, Whites, and Greens - a conflict that, in real life, eventually led to the formation of the Soviet Union. Rather than focusing solely on resolutions, delegates will operate through directives, manage starting resources, and pursue individual secret agendas while navigating negotiations and rapidly changing situations as the conflict unfolds.

I encourage you to approach this committee with preparation, creativity, and a willingness to take risks. I can’t wait to see you at NOSMUN’26 - where Russian history has been paused, awaiting your decisions.

Best of luck,

Ramsey Nasrawin

President, The Russian Civil War: Behind the Curtain of Power

NOSMUN’26

Topic: The Revolt for the Russian Empire: Bolsheviks, Whites, and Greens

The Russian Civil War: Behind the Curtain of Power will examine the events of the Russian Civil War, from the fall of the tsarist Romanov dynasty to the rise of the extreme socialist Bolsheviks, which ultimately led to the creation of the Soviet Union. 

For over 300 years, prior to 1917, Russia was ruled by an absolute monarchy known as the Romanov Monarchy. The nation was struggling with over 80% of its population living in poverty. World War I only worsened conditions as millions died while fuel and food shortages hit cities. After protests in February 1917, Emperor Nicholas II abdicated - ending the Romanov dynasty. 

Following the abdication, a liberal and democratic provisional government took over, with the hope of keeping Russia in World War I and slowly reforming. Simultaneously, another authority arose, which was the soviets. The soviets were extreme socialists and disagreed with everything the provisional government wanted.

Fast forward to October 1917, a radical social party named the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, overthrew the provisional government in a near-bloodless coup (the “October Revolution”). The Bolsheviks eventually pulled Russia out of WWI in March 1918, promised land to peasants, nationalized factories and banks, and banned opposition parties. Amidst the second revolution, two other parties arose: the Whites (a mix of monarchists, liberals, ex-tsarist officers, and anti-communists) and the Greens (armed peasant groups and local militias). Chaos began to unfold as the Russian Civil War had officially started.

Will the Soviet Union eventually rise? Will the Whites take control? Or will another party take over Russia? The fate of Russia is in your hands.