The Czech series #5 - The Czechoslovak Legion (2)

During World War I Czechoslovakia was a part of Austria-Hungary, and soldiers of Czech and Slovak nationality had to fight on the Eastern front. Many of them objected to the Austrian emperor and did not want to fight against Russia, therefore many Czech and Slovak soldiers preferred to be captured by the Russian troops. In 1916 the Russian military authorities began to form a Czechoslovak legion.

Czech soldier Josef Křížek

Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Bolshevik government concluded the separate Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The Bolsheviks and the corps agreed to evacuate the Legion to France to join the Czechoslovak corps and continue fighting there. Because Russia's European ports were not safe, the corps was to be evacuated by a long detour via Siberia, the Pacific port of Vladivostok, and the USA. 

Masaryk meeting Czech legionnaires in the USA, 1918

Although there was need to increase their fighting power and mobilization was officially announced, no Czech or Slovak prisoner of war was forced to serve in the Legion. Thus, many Czechs and Slovaks chose to return home. Fifty thousand Mosin-Nagant rifles were sent via Vladivostok to equip the Legions in Siberia to aid in their attempt to secure passage to France.

Masaryk advised the Legion to stay out of Russian affairs, but as it turned out, this was not possible.

Various governmental authorities along the way requested that the Czechoslovaks give up increasing numbers of their guns. In May 1918, tensions with the Bolsheviks provoked what is generally referred to as the Revolt of the Legions.

The various parts of the Legion found themselves strung out and separated along the railway. These scattered forces fought a complicated series of battles with the primary objective of re-connecting the various groups and then getting to Vladivostok for their exit to the Western front. As it became clear that this was the only organized fighting force in Russia (the Red Army under Trotsky was still small and disorganized), the Allied governments broadly agreed that the Czechoslovaks might be useful in re-opening an Eastern Front.

Masaryk posing with members of the Czech Legion

Elements within the Allied governments (notably Winston Churchill), concerned about the Bolsheviks, made use of this pretext to support an Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War and to destabilize the Bolsheviks.

A very informative DVD on the Czech Legion can be ordered here. 

Note the unmistakable French berets, very similar to the berets worn by the Chasseurs Alpin.