, image = Coat of arms of the Czechoslovak Legion.svg
, image_size = 200px
, alt =
, caption = Czechoslovak Legion coat of arms
, start_date = 1914
, disbanded = 1920
, country =
, allegiance =
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
, branch =
, type =
, role =
, size =
, command_structure =
, garrison =
, garrison_label =
, nickname =
, patron =
, motto = "Nazdar (Hello)"
, colors =
, colors_label =
, identification_symbol =
![Flag_of_Bohemia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Flag_of_Bohemia.png)
, identification_symbol_label = Universal Battle flag
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment = Armored
Zaamurets
, equipment_label =
, battles =
*
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
**
Eastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front or Eastern Theater of World War I (german: Ostfront; ro, Frontul de răsărit; russian: Восточный фронт, Vostochny front) was a theater (warfare), theater of operations that encompassed at its greatest extent t ...
***
Battle of Zboriv (1917)
The Battle of Zborov (, ''Zborivska bytva'' in Ukrainian, in Russian, in German, in Czech, in Slovak) was a part of the Kerensky Offensive (the last Russian offensive in World War I, taking place in July 1917). The battle was the first ...
**
Italian front (World War I)
The Italian front or Alpine front ( it, Fronte alpino, "Alpine front"; in german: Gebirgskrieg, "Mountain war") involved a series of battles at the border between Austria-Hungary and Italy, fought between 1915 and 1918 in the course of World W ...
***
Isonzo front
The Battles of the Isonzo (known as the Isonzo Front by historians, sl, soška fronta) were a series of 12 battles between the Austro-Hungarian and Italian armies in World War I mostly on the territory of present-day Slovenia, and the remaind ...
**
Western Front (World War I)
The Western Front was one of the main theatres of war during the First World War. Following the outbreak of war in August 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of impor ...
***
Race to the Sea
The Race to the Sea (; , ) took place from about 1914 during the First World War, after the Battle of the Frontiers () and the German advance into France. The invasion had been stopped at the First Battle of the Marne and was followed by the ...
*
Russian Civil War
, date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...
**
Operation Faustschlag
The Operation Faustschlag ("Operation Fist Punch"), also known as the Eleven Days' War, Mawdsley (2007), p. 35 was a Central Powers offensive in World War I. It was the last major action on the Eastern Front.
Russian forces were unable to put ...
***
Battle of Bakhmach
Battle of Bakhmach (''Bitva u Bachmače'' in Czech language, Czech), was one of the last battles on the
Eastern Front (World War I), Eastern Front in World War I between the Triple Entente, Entente-backed Czechoslovak Legions, Czechoslovak Leg ...
**
Revolt of the Czechoslovak Legion
The revolt of the Czechoslovak Legion comprised the armed actions of the Czechoslovak Legion in the Russian Civil War against Bolshevik authorities, beginning in May 1918 and persisting through evacuation of the Legion from Siberia to Europe in 19 ...
, battles_label =
, decorations =
, battle_honours =
, battle_honours_label =
, flying_hours =
, website =
, notable_commanders =
, module =
![Praha svým vítězným synům (2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Praha_sv%C3%BDm_v%C3%ADt%C4%9Bzn%C3%BDm_syn%C5%AFm_%282%29.jpg)
The Czechoslovak Legion (
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus'
Places
* Czech, ...
: ''Československé legie'';
Slovak: ''Československé légie'') were volunteer armed forces composed predominantly of
Czechs
The Czechs ( cs, Češi, ; singular Czech, masculine: ''Čech'' , singular feminine: ''Češka'' ), or the Czech people (), are a West Slavic ethnic group and a nation native to the Czech Republic in Central Europe, who share a common ancestry, c ...
and
Slovaks
The Slovaks ( sk, Slováci, singular: ''Slovák'', feminine: ''Slovenka'', plural: ''Slovenky'') are a West Slavic ethnic group and nation native to Slovakia who share a common ancestry, culture, history and speak Slovak.
In Slovakia, 4.4 mi ...
fighting on the side of the
Entente powers
The Triple Entente (from French '' entente'' meaning "friendship, understanding, agreement") describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as well a ...
during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Their goal was to win the support of the Allied Powers for the independence of
Bohemia
Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
and
Moravia
Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia.
The me ...
from the
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
and of
Slovak territories from the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...
, which were then part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
. With the help of émigré intellectuals and politicians such as the Czech
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk Tomáš () is a Czech and Slovak given name, equivalent to the name Thomas.
It may refer to:
* Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1850–1937), first President of Czechoslovakia
* Tomáš Baťa (1876–1932), Czech footwear entrepreneur
* Tomáš Berdych ( ...
and the Slovak
Milan Rastislav Štefánik
Milan Rastislav Štefánik (; 21 July 1880 – 4 May 1919) was a Slovak politician, diplomat, aviator and astronomer. During World War I, he served at the same time as a general in the French Army and as Minister of War for Czechoslovakia. A ...
, they grew into a force of over 100,000 strong.
In
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, they took part in several victorious battles of the war, including the
Zborov and
Bakhmach
Bakhmach ( uk, Бахмач, lit=plantations, ) is a city located in Nizhyn Raion of Chernihiv Oblast (province), in northern Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Bakhmach urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. It has a population of
...
against the
Central Powers
The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,german: Mittelmächte; hu, Központi hatalmak; tr, İttifak Devletleri / ; bg, Централни сили, translit=Tsentralni sili was one of the two main coalitions that fought in ...
, and were heavily involved in the
Russian Civil War
, date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...
fighting
Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
, at times controlling the entire
Trans-Siberian railway
The Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR; , , ) connects European Russia to the Russian Far East. Spanning a length of over , it is the longest railway line in the world. It runs from the city of Moscow in the west to the city of Vladivostok in the ea ...
and several major cities in Siberia.
After three years of existence as a small unit in the
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army (russian: Ру́сская импера́торская а́рмия, tr. ) was the armed land force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian Ar ...
, the Legion in Russia was established in 1917, with other troops fighting in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
since the beginning of the war as the "Nazdar" company, and similar units later emerging in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
. Originally an all-volunteer force, these formations were later strengthened by Czech and Slovak prisoners of war or deserters from the
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army (, literally "Ground Forces of the Austro-Hungarians"; , literally "Imperial and Royal Army") was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint arm ...
. The majority of the legionaries were Czechs, with Slovaks making up 7% of the force in Russia, 3% in Italy and 16% in France.
The name ''Czechoslovak Legion'' preceded and anticipated the creation of
''
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
''.
Involvement in World War I
In Russia
In the first months of World War I, the response of the Czech and Moravian soldiers and civilians to the war and mobilization efforts were highly enthusiastic, however it turned into apathy later.
As World War I broke out, national societies representing ethnic Czechs, Moravians and Slovaks residing in the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
petitioned the Russian government to support the independence of their homelands. To prove their loyalty to the
Entente cause, these groups advocated the establishment of a unit of Czech, Moravian and Slovak volunteers to fight alongside the Russian Army.
![Battle of Bachmac memorial plaque](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Battle_of_Bachmac_memorial_plaque.jpg)
On 5 August 1914, the Russian
Stavka
The ''Stavka'' (Russian and Ukrainian: Ставка) is a name of the high command of the armed forces formerly in the Russian Empire, Soviet Union and currently in Ukraine.
In Imperial Russia ''Stavka'' referred to the administrative staff, a ...
authorized the formation of a battalion recruited from Czechs, Moravians and Slovaks in Russia. This unit, called the "Companions" (''Družina''), went to the front in October 1914, where it was attached to the Russian Third Army. There the ''Družina'' soldiers served in scattered patrols performing a number of specialized duties, including reconnaissance, prisoner interrogation and subversion of enemy troops in the opposite trenches.
From its start, Czech, Moravian, and Slovak political émigrés in Russia and Western Europe desired to expand the ''Družina'' from a battalion into a formidable military formation. To achieve this goal, however, they recognized that they would need to recruit from Czech, Moravian and Slovak
prisoners of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold priso ...
(POWs) in Russian camps. In late 1914, Russian military authorities permitted the ''Družina'' to enlist Czech and Slovak POWs from the Austro-Hungarian Army, but this order was rescinded after only a few weeks due to opposition from other branches of the Russian government. Despite continuous efforts of émigré leaders to persuade the Russian authorities to change their mind, the Czechs, Moravians, and Slovaks were officially barred from recruiting POWs until the summer of 1917. Still, some Czechs and Slovaks were able to sidestep this ban by enlisting POWs through local agreements with Russian military authorities.
![Memorial of the Czechoslovak Legion in Battle of Zborov, 1917](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Memorial_of_the_Czechoslovak_Legion_in_Battle_of_Zborov%2C_1917.jpg)
Under these conditions, the Czechoslovak unit in Russia grew very slowly from 1914 to 1917. In early 1916, the ''Družina'' was reorganized as the 1st Czecho-Slovak Rifle Regiment. During that year, two more infantry regiments were added, creating the Czechoslovak Rifle Brigade (''Československá střelecká brigáda''). This unit distinguished itself during the
Kerensky Offensive in July 1917, when the Czecho-Slovak troops overran Austrian trenches during the
Battle of Zborov.
Following the soldiers' stellar performance at Zborov, the
Russian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government ( rus, Временное правительство России, Vremennoye pravitel'stvo Rossii) was a provisional government of the Russian Republic, announced two days before and established immediately ...
finally granted their émigré leaders on the
Czechoslovak National Council
Czechoslovak National Council (or Czecho-Slovak National Council) was an organization founded by Czech and Slovak émigrés during World War I to liberate their homeland from Austria-Hungary. During the closing weeks of the war, the Czechoslovak ...
permission to mobilize Czech, Moravian and Slovak volunteers from the POW camps. Later that summer, a fourth regiment was added to the brigade, which was renamed the First Division of the Czechoslovak Corps in Russia (''Československý sbor na Rusi''), also known as the Czechoslovak Legion (''Československá legie'') in Russia. A second division, consisting of four regiments, was added to the Legion in October 1917, raising its strength to about 40,000 troops by 1918.
In France
In France, the Czechs, Moravians and the Slovaks who wanted to fight
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
were allowed to join the
Foreign Legion (hence originated the term ''Legion'' for units of Czechoslovak volunteers). On 31 August 1914, the 1st
Company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
of the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the Foreign Legion in
Bayonne
Bayonne (; eu, Baiona ; oc, label= Gascon, Baiona ; es, Bayona) is a city in Southwestern France near the Spanish border. It is a commune and one of two subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine re ...
was created mostly of the Czechs and Moravians and was nicknamed "''rota Nazdar''" ("Nazdar!" Company). The company distinguished itself in heavy combat during assaults near
Arras
Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...
on May 9 and June 16, 1915. Because of heavy casualties, the company was disbanded, and volunteers continued to fight in various French units.
New autonomous Czechoslovak units were established by the decree of the French government on 19 December 1917. In January 1918, the 21st Czechoslovak Rifle Regiment was formed in the town of
Cognac
Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the Communes of France, commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the Departments of France, departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Cog ...
; it mixed prisoners of war with volunteers living in America. The 22nd Czechoslovak Rifle Regiment was created later in May.
In Italy
The creation of Czechoslovak units in Italy took place much later than in France or Russia. In January 1918, the commander of 6th Italian Army decided to form small reconnaissance groups from Czech, Moravian Slovak and Southern Slav volunteers from
prisoner-of-war camps
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...
. They also served in propaganda actions against the Austrian army. In September 1918 the first fighting unit, the 39th Regiment of the Czechoslovak Italian Legion, was formed from those volunteer reconnaissance squadrons.
Czechoslovak legionaries in Italy were the first to return to newly created
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
in 1918 and were immediately drafted into fights for new state borders, most notably in the war against the
Hungarian Soviet Republic
The Socialist Federative Republic of Councils in Hungary ( hu, Magyarországi Szocialista Szövetséges Tanácsköztársaság) (due to an early mistranslation, it became widely known as the Hungarian Soviet Republic in English-language sources ( ...
.
Table of units involved in World War I
Flags Used by the Legion
File:Czechoslovak Legion in Russia Flag.png, Czechoslovak Legion in Russia Flag (front)
File:Flag_of_Russia_(Kremlin.ru).svg, Czechoslovak Legion in Russia Flag (rear)
File:Czechoslovak Legion in France Flag.png, Czechoslovak Legion in France Flag
File:Czechoslovak Legion in Italy Flag.png, Czechoslovak Legion in Italy Flag
File:Banner of the First Assault Battalion of the Czechoslovak Legions (Obverse).svg, Battalion of the 1st Assault Battalion of the Czechoslovak Legion in Russia
After the breakout of the First World War in 1914, Czech legions were formed with almost one hundred soldiers. Flags of legions’ regiments were white and red with embroidered symbols of the Czech countries and Slovakia, linden twigs, St. Wenceslas’ crown, letters “ S”, and Hussite themes.
The reverse side of the Russian legion’s flag showed national colors for the Russian command, and Czech and Slovak colors for the Czechs and Slovaks.
The National Council of Czechoslovakia in exile (which led the anti-Austrian resistance) became the interim government on 26 September 1918 with the consent of France, Great Britain, and the USA.
The first ceremonial hoisting of the Czechoslovak flag on the house inhabited by T. G. Masaryk, the head of the interim government, took place on 18 October 1918. Based on the historical flag of Bohemia, the Czechoslovak flag was defined as the connection of two stripes, i.e. a white one above a red one.
Russian Civil War
Evacuation from Bolshevik Russia
In November 1917, the
Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
seized power throughout Russia and soon began peace negotiations with the
Central Powers
The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,german: Mittelmächte; hu, Központi hatalmak; tr, İttifak Devletleri / ; bg, Централни сили, translit=Tsentralni sili was one of the two main coalitions that fought in ...
at
Brest-Litovsk. The chairman of the Czechoslovak National Council,
Tomáš Masaryk
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (7 March 185014 September 1937) was a Czechoslovak politician, statesman, sociologist, and philosopher. Until 1914, he advocated restructuring the Austro-Hungarian Empire into a federal state. With the help of ...
, who had arrived in Russia earlier that year, began planning for the Legion's departure from Russia and transfer to France so the Czechoslovaks could continue to fight against the Central Powers. Since most of Russia's main ports were blockaded, Masaryk decided that the Legion should travel from Ukraine to the Pacific port of
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
, where the men would embark on transport vessels that would carry them to Western Europe.
![Russian civil war in the west](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Russian_civil_war_in_the_west.svg)
In February 1918, Bolshevik authorities in Ukraine granted Masaryk and his troops permission to begin the journey to Vladivostok. However, on 18 February, before the Czechoslovaks had left Ukraine, the German Army launched
Operation Faustschlag
The Operation Faustschlag ("Operation Fist Punch"), also known as the Eleven Days' War, Mawdsley (2007), p. 35 was a Central Powers offensive in World War I. It was the last major action on the Eastern Front.
Russian forces were unable to put ...
(fist strike) on the Eastern Front to force the Soviet government to accept its terms for peace. From 5 to 13 March, the Czechoslovak legionaries successfully fought off German attempts to prevent their evacuation in the
Battle of Bakhmach
Battle of Bakhmach (''Bitva u Bachmače'' in Czech language, Czech), was one of the last battles on the
Eastern Front (World War I), Eastern Front in World War I between the Triple Entente, Entente-backed Czechoslovak Legions, Czechoslovak Leg ...
.
After leaving Ukraine and entering
Soviet Russia
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
, representatives of the Czechoslovak National Council continued to negotiate with Bolshevik authorities in Moscow and
Penza
Penza ( rus, Пе́нза, p=ˈpʲɛnzə) is the largest city and administrative center of Penza Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Sura River, southeast of Moscow. As of the 2010 Census, Penza had a population of 517,311, making it the 38th-l ...
to iron out the details of the corps' evacuation. On 25 March, the two sides signed the Penza Agreement, in which the legionaries were to surrender most of their weapons in exchange for unmolested passage to Vladivostok. Tensions continued to mount, however, as each side distrusted the other. The Bolsheviks, despite Masaryk's order for the legionaries to remain neutral in Russia's affairs, suspected that the Czechoslovaks might join their counterrevolutionary enemies in the borderlands. Meanwhile, the legionaries were wary of
Czechoslovak Communists who were trying to subvert the corps. They also suspected that the Bolsheviks were being pressured by the Central Powers to stall their movement towards Vladivostok.
By May 1918, the Czechoslovak Legion was strung out along the
Trans-Siberian Railway
The Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR; , , ) connects European Russia to the Russian Far East. Spanning a length of over , it is the longest railway line in the world. It runs from the city of Moscow in the west to the city of Vladivostok in the ea ...
from Penza to Vladivostok. Their evacuation was proving much slower than expected due to dilapidated railway conditions, a shortage of locomotives and the recurring need to negotiate with local soviets along the route. On 14 May, a dispute at the
Chelyabinsk
Chelyabinsk ( rus, Челя́бинск, p=tɕɪˈlʲæbʲɪnsk, a=Ru-Chelyabinsk.ogg; ba, Силәбе, ''Siläbe'') is the administrative center and largest city of Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia. It is the seventh-largest city in Russia, with a ...
station between legionaries heading east and
Magyar POWs heading west to be repatriated caused the People's Commissar for War,
Leon Trotsky
Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian ...
, to order the complete disarmament and arrest of the legionaries. At an army congress that convened in Chelyabinsk a few days later, the Czechoslovaks – against the wishes of the National Council – refused to disarm and began issuing ultimatums for their passage to Vladivostok. This incident sparked the
Revolt of the Legions.
![Czech Troops](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Czech_Troops.jpg)
Fighting between the Czechoslovak Legion and the Bolsheviks erupted at several points along the Trans-Siberian Railway in the last days of May 1918. By June, the two sides were fighting along the railway route from Penza to
Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk ( ; rus, Красноя́рск, a=Ru-Красноярск2.ogg, p=krəsnɐˈjarsk) (in semantic translation - Red Ravine City) is the largest city and administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. It is situated along the Yeni ...
. By the end of the month, legionaries under General
Mikhail Diterikhs
Mikhail Konstantinovich Diterikhs (russian: Михаи́л Константи́нович Ди́терихс, r=Michaíl Konstantinovič Díterichs; May 17, 1874 – September 9, 1937) served as a general in the Imperial Russian Army and subsequent ...
had taken control of Vladivostok, overthrowing the local Bolshevik administration. On July 6, the Legion declared the city to be an Allied protectorate, and legionnaires began returning across the Trans-Siberian Railway to support their comrades fighting to their west. Generally, the Czechoslovaks were the victors in their early engagements against the fledgling
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
.
By mid-July, the legionaries had seized control of the railway from
Samara
Samara ( rus, Сама́ра, p=sɐˈmarə), known from 1935 to 1991 as Kuybyshev (; ), is the largest city and administrative centre of Samara Oblast. The city is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Samara (Volga), Samara rivers, with ...
to
Irkutsk
Irkutsk ( ; rus, Иркутск, p=ɪrˈkutsk; Buryat language, Buryat and mn, Эрхүү, ''Erhüü'', ) is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. With a population of 617,473 as of the 2010 Census, Irkutsk is ...
, and by the beginning of September they had cleared Bolshevik forces from the entire length of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Legionnaires conquered all the large cities of Siberia, including
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg ( ; rus, Екатеринбург, p=jɪkətʲɪrʲɪnˈburk), alternatively romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( rus, Свердло́вск, , svʲɪrˈdlofsk, 1924–1991), is a city and the administra ...
, but Tsar
Nicholas II
Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Pola ...
and his family
were executed on the direct orders of
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 19 ...
and
Yakov Sverdlov
Yakov Mikhailovich Sverdlov (russian: Яков Михайлович Свердлов; 3 June Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">O._S._22_May.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New Style dates">O. S ...
less than a week before the arrival of the Legion.
Involvement in the Russian Civil War, 1918–1919
![Bronepoezd Orlik](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Bronepoezd_Orlik.jpg)
News of the Czechoslovak Legion's campaign in Siberia during the summer of 1918 was welcomed by Allied statesmen in Great Britain and France, who saw the operation as a means to reconstitute an eastern front against Germany. U.S. President
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
, who had resisted earlier Allied proposals to intervene in Russia, gave in to domestic and foreign pressure to support the legionaries' evacuation from Siberia. In early July 1918, he published an
aide-mémoire calling for a limited intervention in Siberia by the U.S. and Japan to rescue the Czechoslovak troops, who were then blocked by Bolshevik forces in
Transbaikal
Transbaikal, Trans-Baikal, Transbaikalia ( rus, Забайка́лье, r=Zabaykalye, p=zəbɐjˈkalʲjɪ), or Dauria (, ''Dauriya'') is a mountainous region to the east of or "beyond" (trans-) Lake Baikal in Far Eastern Russia.
The steppe and ...
. But by the time most American and Japanese units landed in Vladivostok, the Czechoslovaks were already there to welcome them.
The Czechoslovak Legion's campaign in Siberia impressed Allied statesmen and attracted them to the idea of an independent Czechoslovak state. As the legionaries cruised from one victory to another that summer, the Czechoslovak National Council began receiving official statements of recognition from various Allied governments.
Capture of imperial gold reserve
Shortly after they entered into hostilities against the Bolsheviks, the legionaries began making common cause with anti-Bolshevik Russians who began forming their own governments behind the Czechoslovaks' lines. The most important of these governments were the
Komuch
The Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly was an anti-Bolshevik government that operated in Samara, Russia, during the Russian Civil War of 1917–1922. It formed on June 8, 1918, after the Czechoslovak Legion had occupied the city. ...
, led by the
Social Revolutionaries
Social revolutions are sudden changes in the structure and nature of society. These revolutions are usually recognized as having transformed society, economy, culture, philosophy, and technology along with but more than just the political syst ...
, in Samara and the
Provisional Siberian Government in
Omsk
Omsk (; rus, Омск, p=omsk) is the administrative center and largest city of Omsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated in southwestern Siberia, and has a population of over 1.1 million. Omsk is the third largest city in Siberia after Novosibirsk ...
. With substantial Czechoslovak help, the
People's Army of Komuch
The People's Army of Komuch (russian: Народная армия КОМУЧа) was an anti-Bolshevik army during the Russian Civil War that fought in the Volga Region from June to September in 1918.
Organization
In May 1918 the Czechoslova ...
won several important victories, including the capture of
Kazan
Kazan ( ; rus, Казань, p=kɐˈzanʲ; tt-Cyrl, Казан, ''Qazan'', IPA: ɑzan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka rivers, covering a ...
and an Imperial state gold reserve on 5 August 1918. Czechoslovak pressure was also crucial in convincing the anti-Bolshevik forces in Siberia to nominally unify behind the
All-Russian Provisional Government, formed at a conference in
Ufa
Ufa ( ba, Өфө , Öfö; russian: Уфа́, r=Ufá, p=ʊˈfa) is the largest city and capital city, capital of Bashkortostan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Belaya River (Kama), Belaya and Ufa River, Ufa rivers, in the centre-n ...
during September 1918.
During the autumn of 1918, the legionaries' enthusiasm for the fighting in Russia, then mostly confined along the
Volga
The Volga (; russian: Во́лга, a=Ru-Волга.ogg, p=ˈvoɫɡə) is the List of rivers of Europe#Rivers of Europe by length, longest river in Europe. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Cas ...
and
Urals
The Ural Mountains ( ; rus, Ура́льские го́ры, r=Uralskiye gory, p=ʊˈralʲskʲɪjə ˈɡorɨ; ba, Урал тауҙары) or simply the Urals, are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through European ...
, dropped precipitously. The professor T. G. Masaryk supported them from the United States of America. The rapidly growing Red Army was getting stronger by the day, retaking Kazan on 10 September, followed by Samara a month later. The legionaries, whose strength had peaked at around 61,000 earlier that year, were lacking reliable reinforcements from POW camps and were disappointed by the failure of Allied soldiers from other countries to join them on the front lines. On 28 October,
Czechoslovak statehood was declared in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
, arousing the troops with a desire to return to their homeland. The final blow to Czechoslovak morale arrived on 18 November 1918, when a coup in Omsk overthrew the All-Russian Provisional Government and installed a dictatorship under Admiral
Aleksandr Kolchak
Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak (russian: link=no, Александр Васильевич Колчак; – 7 February 1920) was an Imperial Russian admiral, military leader and polar explorer who served in the Imperial Russian Navy and fought ...
in control of
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
Siberia.
During the winter of 1918–1919, the Czechoslovak troops were redeployed from the front to guard the route of the Trans-Siberian Railway between
Novonikolaevsk and Irkutsk from
partisan attacks. Alongside other legions formed from
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
,
Romanian
Romanian may refer to:
*anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania
**Romanians, an ethnic group
**Romanian language, a Romance language
*** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language
** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...
and Yugoslav POWs in Siberia, the Czechoslovaks defended the Kolchak government's only supply route for the duration of 1919.
During the summer and autumn of 1919,
Kolchak's armies were in a steady retreat from the Red Eastern Army Group. On 14 November, the Reds took Omsk, Kolchak's capital, initiating a desperate
eastward flight by the White army and refugees along the Trans-Siberian Railway. In the following weeks, the Whites' rear was further disorganized by widespread outbreaks of uprisings and partisan activity. The homesick legionaries, who simply wanted to leave Siberia without incurring any more casualties than necessary, declared their neutrality amid the unrest and did nothing to suppress the rebellions. Meanwhile, Kolchak's trains, which included the gold bullion captured from Kazan, were stranded along the railway near
Nizhneudinsk. After his bodyguard deserted him there, the legionaries were ordered by Allied representatives in Siberia to safely escort the admiral to Vladivostok. This plan was resisted by insurgents along the Czechoslovaks' route, and as a result the legionaries, after consulting their commanders, Generals
Janin and
Jan Syrový
Jan Syrový (24 January 1888 – 17 October 1970) was a Czechoslovak general and the prime minister of Czechoslovakia during the Munich Crisis.
Early life and military career
Jan Syrový studied building at a technical school. Following his ...
, made the controversial decision to turn Kolchak over to the Political Center, a government formed by
Socialists-Revolutionaries in Irkutsk. On 7 February 1920, the legionaries had signed an armistice with the Fifth Red Army at Kutin, whereby the latter allowed the Czechoslovaks unmolested passage to Vladivostok. In exchange, the legionaries agreed to not try to rescue Kolchak and to leave the remaining gold bullion with the authorities in Irkutsk. Earlier that day, Kolchak had been executed by a
Cheka
The All-Russian Extraordinary Commission ( rus, Всероссийская чрезвычайная комиссия, r=Vserossiyskaya chrezvychaynaya komissiya, p=fsʲɪrɐˈsʲijskəjə tɕrʲɪzvɨˈtɕæjnəjə kɐˈmʲisʲɪjə), abbreviated ...
firing squad to prevent his rescue by a small White army then on the outskirts of the city.
Betrayal of the White Russians
Aleksandr Kolchak, the leader of the
Siberian Army
The Siberian Army (russian: Сибирская армия, Sibirskaya Armiya) was an anti-Bolshevik army during the Russian Civil War, which fought from June 1918 – July 1919 in Siberia – Ural Region.
Background
After the Bolsheviks' sei ...
and a great asset to the
White Army
The White Army (russian: Белая армия, Belaya armiya) or White Guard (russian: Бѣлая гвардія/Белая гвардия, Belaya gvardiya, label=none), also referred to as the Whites or White Guardsmen (russian: Бѣлогв ...
in the
Russian Civil War
, date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...
, was then promised safe passage by the Czechoslovaks to the British military mission in Irkutsk. Early in 1920 in Irkutsk, in return for safe transit eastward for Czechoslovak trains,
Jan Syrový
Jan Syrový (24 January 1888 – 17 October 1970) was a Czechoslovak general and the prime minister of Czechoslovakia during the Munich Crisis.
Early life and military career
Jan Syrový studied building at a technical school. Following his ...
agreed to hand over Kolchak to the representatives of the Red
Political Centre
Centrism is a political outlook or position involving acceptance or support of a balance of social equality and a degree of social hierarchy while opposing political changes that would result in a significant shift of society strongly to the ...
, who executed him on 7 February 1920 by a firing squad. His body was dumped under the ice of the frozen
Angara River
The Angara ( Buryat and mn, Ангар, ''Angar'', "Cleft"; russian: Ангара́, ''Angará'') is a major river in Siberia, which traces a course through Russia's Irkutsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai. It drains out of Lake Baikal and is ...
and never recovered. When the White Army learned about the execution, its remaining leadership decided to withdraw farther east. The
Great Siberian Ice March followed. The Red Army did not enter Irkutsk until 7 March, and only then was the news of Kolchak's death officially released. Because of this, and also because of an attempted rebellion against the Whites, organized by
Radola Gajda
Radola Gajda, born as Rudolf Geidl (14 February 1892, Kotor, Kingdom of Dalmatia, Austria-Hungary – 15 April 1948, Prague, Czechoslovakia), was a Czech military commander and politician.
Early years
Geidl's father was an officer in the Aust ...
in
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
on 17 November 1919, the Whites accused the Czechoslovaks of treason, but were too weak to act against them.
Evacuation from Vladivostok, 1920
When the armistice with the Bolsheviks was concluded, dozens of Czechoslovak trains were still west of Irkutsk. On 1 March 1920, the last Czechoslovak train passed through that city. The legionaries' progress was still hampered at times by the Japanese Expeditionary Force and the troops of
Ataman
Ataman (variants: ''otaman'', ''wataman'', ''vataman''; Russian: атаман, uk, отаман) was a title of Cossack and haidamak leaders of various kinds. In the Russian Empire, the term was the official title of the supreme military comman ...
Grigori Semenov, who stalled the Czechoslovak trains to delay the arrival of the Red Army in Eastern Siberia. By then, however, the evacuation of Czechoslovak troops from Vladivostok was well underway, and the last legionaries left the port in September 1920. The total number of people evacuated with the Czechoslovak Legion in Russia was 67,739; including 56,455 soldiers, 3,004 officers, 6,714 civilians, 1,716 wives, 717 children, 1,935 foreigners and 198 others.
[Bradley, ''Czechoslovak Legion'', 156.] After their return to Czechoslovakia, many formed the core of the new
Czechoslovak Army.
The number of legionaries killed in Russia during World War I and the Russian Civil War amounted to 4,112.
An unknown number went missing or deserted the legion, either to make an arduous journey to return home or to join the Czechoslovak Communists. Among the latter was
Jaroslav Hašek
Jaroslav Hašek (; 1883–1923) was a Czech writer, humorist, satirist, journalist, bohemian and anarchist. He is best known for his novel '' The Fate of the Good Soldier Švejk during the World War'', an unfinished collection of farcical inc ...
, later the author of the satirical novel ''
The Good Soldier Švejk
''The Good Soldier Švejk'' () is an unfinished satirical dark comedy novel by Czech writer Jaroslav Hašek, published in 1921–1923, about a good-humored, simple-minded, middle-aged man who pretends to be enthusiastic to serve Austria-Hungar ...
''.
Evacuation
A total of 36 transports were dispatched from Vladivostok.
* The Allies provided 21 shipsUnited States 12, Britain 9. Two ships were provided by the American Red Cross. The ships ''President Grant'' and ''Heffron'' made all or part of the journey twice.
* 12 ships were chartered by the Centrocommission; 9683 people were taken away. Two Japanese ships and one Russian were chartered for cargo. For the transport of people, boats were bought or rented mainly in Japan (7), China (1) and Russia (1). The first ship dispatched by the Centro-Commission was the Japanese ''Liverpool-Maru'', sailing on July 8, 1919. The regular transport of legionnaires and partially disabled people began on December 9, 1919 with the transport of the 1st Regiment on the ''Jonan-Maru''. The last ship with people was the ''Nizhny Novgorod'', which sailed on February 13, 1920. The last ship with cargo was the ''Shunko-Maru'', which sailed from Vladivostok on May 14, 1920.
* The first ship to take the first Siberian legionnaires from Vladivostok was the Italian ''Roma'' on January 15, 1919, and the last was the ''Heffron'' on September 2, 1920. The first ships sailed to Naples and Marseille. Others passed through the Panama Canal, others to North America, others to Canada with the final port of Hamburg. The whole evacuation took 1 year and 8 months.
File:Japanese.Ship.Shunko.Maru.1919-1920.gif, Japanese ship ''Shunko-Maru''
File:Japanese.Ship.Yonan.Maru.1919-1920.gif, Japanese ship ''Yonan-Maru''
File:Ship.Hwah Yih.Silesia.1899.jpg, Boat ''Silesia'' (''Hvah-Yih'')
File:Cs.Legie.Lod.Madawaska1920.gif, American ship ''Madawaska''
File:Cs.Legie.Lod.Sheridan1920.gif, American ship ''Sheridan''
File:Cs.Legie.Lod.S.S.America.gif, American ship ''S.S. America''
File:Cs.Legie.Lod.S.S.President.Grant.gif, American ship ''S.S. President Grant''
File:Cs.Legie.Lod.Mount.Vernon.1920.gif, American ship ''Mount Vernon''
File:Cs.Legie.Lod.Nizni.Novgorod.1920.gif, Russian ship ''Nizhny Novgorod''
File:Cs.Legie.Lod.Legie.1920.gif, Czechoslovak ship ''Legion''
File:Cs.Legie.Lod.Titan.1920.gif, Ship ''Titan''
File:Cs.Legie.Lod.Archer.1919.gif, Ship ''Archer''
Ranks of the Czechoslovak Legion in Russia
Officers
Other ranks
Postwar
![Bank of the Czechoslovak Legions, Prague](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Bank_of_the_Czechoslovak_Legions%2C_Prague.jpg)
Czechoslovakia declared its independence from the disintegrating Austria-Hungary, on 28 October 1918 with now President
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk Tomáš () is a Czech and Slovak given name, equivalent to the name Thomas.
It may refer to:
* Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1850–1937), first President of Czechoslovakia
* Tomáš Baťa (1876–1932), Czech footwear entrepreneur
* Tomáš Berdych ( ...
of the Czechoslovak Republic.
Members of the Legions formed a significant part of the new Czechoslovak Army. A French military mission began in Czech territories after January 1919, led by General
Maurice Pellé
Maurice César Joseph Pellé (18 April 1863 – 16 March 1924) was a French général de division, leader of the French Military Mission to Czechoslovakia and first Chief of staff of Czechoslovak Army from February 1919 to January 1921.
Early ...
. After some disagreements with the Italian-led Czechs in Slovakia, President Masaryk eventually replaced Piccione with Pellé on July 4, 1919, and essentially ended the Italian connection to the Legion.
The French military mission's role was to integrate the existing Czechoslovak Foreign Legions with the home units of the Army and develop a professional command structure. On October 15, 1919, the main staff of the Czechoslovak Army was officially formed. French officers were installed as territorial commanders and commanders of some divisions. Over the course of time, there were 200 French non-commissioned officers, over 100 commissioned officers and 19 Generals. General Pellé and his immediate replacement, General
Eugène Mittelhauser
Eugène Mittelhauser (7 August 1873 – 19 December 1949) was a French general, leader of the French Military Mission to Czechoslovakia and second Chief of staff of Czechoslovak Army from 1921 to 1925.
Biography
Mittelhauser graduated from the ...
(also French), were the first chiefs staff of the Czechoslovak Army.
The Legion took part in the
Hungarian–Czechoslovak War
The Hungarian–Czechoslovak War, or Northern Campaign ( hu, északi hadjárat), was fought between the Hungarian Soviet Republic and the First Czechoslovak Republic from April to June 1919.
Background
At the end of 1918, the final year of Wor ...
. On January 1, 1919, Legion troops took control of the city of Bratislava and Italian Colonel Riccardo Barreca was appointed military commander of the city. Several clashes (which killed at least nine Hungarian demonstrators) took place and Barreca himself was injured. The Italian officers continued to assist in the operations against the Hungarians during the war. Many veterans of the legion also fought in the
Polish–Czechoslovak War
The Poland–Czechoslovakia War, also known mostly in Czech sources as the Seven-day war ( cs, Sedmidenní válka) was a military confrontation between Czechoslovakia and Poland over the territory of Cieszyn Silesia in early 1919.
After a vai ...
.
Legion veterans formed organizations such as
the Association of Czechoslovak Legionnaires
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
(''
Československá obec legionářská'') and
Legiobanka (''Legionářská banka'', a bank formed with the capital they had gathered during their long service).
These and other organizations were known as the ''
Hrad'' ("The
ragueCastle") for their support of the
President of Czechoslovakia.
In literature
The 2005 novel ''The People's Act of Love'', by the British writer
James Meek
James Meek FRSE (1742–1810) (or ''Meik'') was Minister of Cambuslang from 1774 until his death. He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1795, but is most remembered as the model Enlightenment cleric who wrote ...
, describes the occupation of a small Siberian town by a company of the Czechoslovak Legion in 1919. The original inhabitants of the town are members of the Christian sect of
Skoptsy
The Skoptsy ( rus, скопцы, p=skɐpˈtsɨ; "eunuch") were a sect within the larger Spiritual Christianity movement in the Russian Empire, best known for practicing castration of men and the mastectomy of women in accordance with their teachi ...
, or castrates.
A memoir ''Přál jsem si míti křídla'' by Jozef Dufka was published in magazine ''Zvuk'' during 1996-1999 and as a book in 2002 ().
Gustav Becvar (August Wenzel Engelbert (Gustav) Bečvář
) published his memoir ''The Lost Legion'' in English in 1939.
[
]
In art
Two postage stamps, issued in 1919, were printed for use by Czechoslovak Legion in Siberia.
The flag of the Czechoslovak Legion can be seen in the Allies in the monumental painting Pantheon de la Guerre.
See also
* South African support to the Czechoslovak Legion
* Josef Šnejdárek
References
Further reading
* Baerlein, Henry, ''The March of the 70,000'', Leonard Parsons/Whitefriar Press, London 1926.
* Bullock, David: ''The Czech Legion 1914–20'', Osprey Publishers, Oxford 2008.
* Clarke, William, ''The Lost Fortune of the Tsars'', St. Martins Press, New York 1994 pp. 183–189.
* Fic, Victor M., ''The Bolsheviks and the Czechoslovak Legion'', Shakti Malik, New Delhi 1978.
* Fic, Victor M., ''Revolutionary War for Independence and the Russian Question'', Shakti Malik, New Delhi, 1977.
* Fleming, Peter, ''The Fate of Admiral Kolchak'', Rupert Hart Davis, London 1963.
* Footman, David, ''Civil War in Russia'', Faber & Faber, London 1961.
* Goldhurst, Richard, ''The Midnight War'', McGraw-Hill, New York 1978.
* Hoyt, Edwin P., ''The Army Without a Country'', MacMillan, New York/London 1967.
* Kalvoda, Josef, ''Czechoslovakia's Role in Soviet Strategy'', University Press of America, Washington DC 1981.
* Kalvoda, Josef, ''The Genesis of Czechoslovakia'', East European Monographs, Boulder 1986.
* McNamara, Kevin J., ''Dreams of a Great Small Nation: The Mutinous Army that Threatened a Revolution, Destroyed an Empire, Founded a Republic, and Remade the Map of Europe,'' Public Affairs, New York 2016.
* McNeal, Shay, ''The Secret Plot to Save the Tsar'', Harper Collins, New York 2002 pp. 221–222.
* Meek, James, ''The People's Act of Love'', Canongate, Edinburgh, London, New York 2005.
* Mohr, Joan McGuire, ''The Czech and Slovak Legion in Siberia from 1917 to 1922''
McFarland, NC 2012
* Mueggenberg, Brent, ''The Czecho-Slovak Struggle for Independence 1914–1920'', McFarland, Jefferson, 2014.
* Preclík, Vratislav. Masaryk a legie (TGM and legions), váz. kniha, 219 str., vydalo nakladatelství Paris Karviná, Žižkova 2379 (734 01 Karviná) ve spolupráci s Masarykovým demokratickým hnutím (Masaryk democratic movement in Prague), 2019, .
* Unterberger, Betty Miller, ''The United States, Revolutionary Russia, and the Rise of Czechoslovakia'', Texas A&M University Press, College Station, 2000.
* White, John Albert, ''The Siberian Intervention'', Princeton University Press, Princeton 1950.
* Cestami odboje, memoirs of Czechoslovak Legion soldiers in Russia, France and Italy published in "Pokrok" (Prague) between 1926 and 1929.
Note: There were quite a few books on the Legion written in Czech that were published in the 1920s, but most were hard to find following Soviet victory in World War II.
External links
*
{{Authority control
*
1914 establishments in the Russian Empire
Czechoslovakia–Soviet Union relations
Expatriate units and formations of Czechoslovakia
Military units and formations of the Russian Civil War