Russian Civil War, Bolshevik Revolution, and the War with Poland all occurred in rapid succession.  The Red Army moved about at a frantic pace to crush all enemies and challenges to their power.  In many cases they succeeded, but in others they were defeated.  Poland, Finland, and the Baltic Republics all broke from Soviet Russia and Lenin lacked the power to re-take them.  Elsewhere, foreign interventionist forces were driven out and the rebellious Ukraine was brought back under control.

By 1924 the exhausted Red Army decided to curtail further plans for expansion and consolidate their gains.  Finland and Poland would have to wait for another day.  Lenin and the Bolsheviks turned themselves to the cause of building Socialism, and restoring Russia.