White Turns Red: The Battle of Orel. Oct. 1919

White Turns Red depicts the high water mark and key battle at Orel, some 200 miles from Moscow. It was here that the White Army made its attempt to breakthrough to Lenin's Moscow. To be sure, when the Whites seized the city from the weak 13th Army using aircraft and tanks, Lenin and Tolstoy were in panic mode. So much so, they began massive defensive work programs building barriers on Moscow approaches. The White Army seemed unstoppable with its elite, well trained and armed Volunteer Army. All resources were diverted and sent to the Orel area. First, the Reds had to halt the advance and then counterattack, otherwise, Moscow could be reached. The main forces of the Red Fourteenth and Thirteenth armies continued their retreat toward the north and northwest under attacks from the White forces. Kornilov’s division defeated the right-flank units of the Thirteenth Army and captured Orel on October 13. The retreat of the Red 7th and 9th Rifle divisions exposed the flanks of the main attack force, and its communications with the Thirteenth Army were disrupted. From the 13th to 19th, The Whites held the city but their flanks were being broken. The Reds took it on the 20th.