Czech-Slovak corps in the summer of 1918

Importance. An interest in the history of the Civil War in Russia, in which there are many “white spots” is presented. These include the participation of the Czech-Slovak corps in the foreign intervention in Russia and the nature of its relations with the anti-Bolshevik forces. In the summer of 1918, the Czech-Slovak corps, waging an active struggle against the Soviet government, seized control of the Trans-Siberian railway. The numerical superiority over the local Bolshevik forces, the best training, preparation, suddenness of the advance, as well as the enthusiasm of the legionnaires allowed them to take over a number of large cities in the Volga region, the Urals, Siberia and the Far East in a short period of time. This in turn led to the formation of local anti-Bolshevik forces – the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly (KOMUCH) and the Provisional Siberian Government in Omsk.

Research methods. A historical and systematic method was used to identify the role of the Czech-Slovak corps in the escalation of the Civil War in Russia, taking into account the “Czech-Slovak factor” in international relations of that time.

Results and Discussion. Based on a thorough analysis of documents and directives prepared by the Bolsheviks, anti-Bolshevik forces, allies in the Entente, the military and political leadership of the Czech–Slovak corps, it is shown that the corps pursued its goal – to get to Vladivostok, to achieve which the seizure of cities and the overthrow of Soviet government were carried out. At the same time, contact was established with local cells of Social Revolutionaries mainly through commerce. In addition, in relations with the allies, the corps continued to pursue its goals, helping the People’s Army of the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly until the moment when it ceased to meet its interests. It is stated that the corps was involved in foreign intervention, since its successes in the struggle against Soviet government forced the Entente countries to reconsider its role in Russia.

Conclusion. The Czech-Slovak corps not only initiated the “sharp” stage of the Civil War in Russia, but also became a catalyst for a number of processes both in Russia and in the world that led to further escalation of the conflict.

1. Vasilchenko M.A. (2013). Czechoslovak corps in the Volga region in 1918. Izvestiya Saratovskogo universiteta. Novaya seriya. Seriya: Istoriya. Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya = Izvestiya of Saratov University. History. International Relations, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 83-87. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/rocybl

2. Vasilchenko M.A., Zakharov A.M. (2021). “A Foreign City”: Dr. František Langer and the battles for Kazan in August – September 1918. Genesis: istoricheskie issledovaniya = Genesis: Historical Research, no. 4, pp. 131-137. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.25136/2409-868X.2021.4.35379, https://elibrary.ru/fhovnr

3. Vasilchenko M.A., Panin E.V. (2020). The Czechoslovak corps and anti-Bolshevik forces of the Volga region: key aspects of interaction. Manuskript = Manuscript, vol. 13, no. 7, pp. 26-29. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30853/manuscript.2020.7.4, https://elibrary.ru/lndqsw

4. Dulatov B.K. (2018). Relations between the czech legion’s representatives and the opposing political forces in the volga region: from negotiations to war. Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya 4: Istoriya. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya = Science Journal of Volgograd State University. History. Area Studies. International Relations, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 127-139. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2018.2.10, https://elibrary.ru/xmjtbr

5. Kokorin A.E. (2018). Deyatel’nost’ chekhoslovatskogo legiona v Zaural’e 1918–1920 gg. [Activity of the Czechoslovak Legion in the Trans-Urals 1918–1920]. In: Menshchikov V.V., Naumenko N.I., Maslyuzhenko D.N. et al. (eds.). Materialy Vserossiiskoi nauchno-prakticheskoi konferentsii «16 Zyryanovskie chteniya» [Proceedings of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference “The 16th Zyryanov Readings”]. Kurgan: Kurgan State University Publ., pp. 118-120. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/yqyydz

6. Gins G.K. (1921). Sibir’, soyuzniki i Kolchak. Povorotnyi moment russkoi istorii. 1918–1920 gg. (Vpechatleniya i mysli chlena Omskogo pravitel’stva): v 2 t. [Siberia, the Allies and Kolchak. A Turning Point in Russian History. 1918–1920 (Impressions and Thoughts of a Member of the Omsk Government): in 2 vols.]. Pekin, Typo-lithography of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission Publ., vol. 1, 325 p. (In Russ.) Available at: https://search.rsl.ru/ru/record/01008489460

7. Ermolaev A.N., Uskov I.Yu. (2022). The beginning of the Russian Civil War: events in the city of Mariinsk on May 25, 1918. Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya 4: Istoriya. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya = Science Journal of Volgograd State University. History. Area Studies. International Relations, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 128-139. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2022.4.12, https://elibrary.ru/dlksbk

8. Kopylov N.A. (2019). The Czechoslovak corps in World War I and the Russian revolution: from neutrality to confrontation. Vestnik Ryazanskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta im. S.A. Esenina = Bulletin of Ryazan State University Named for S.A. Yessenin, no. 3 (64), pp. 39-53. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/qymilo

9. Melsitov V.V., Sergienko N.L., Chernysheva S.A. (2016). About some controversial aspects of Civil War and intervention in Russia. Politematicheskii setevoi elektronnyi nauchnyi zhurnal Kubanskogo gosudarstvennogo agrarnogo universiteta = Polythematic Online Scientific Journal of Kuban State Agrarian University, no. 124, pp. 897-909. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21515/1990-4665-124-060, https://elibrary.ru/xqzomt

10. Sokolov B. (2018). Czechoslovak legion: liberators or aggressors? The question of the nature of the participation of the Czechoslovak legion in a foreign military invasion (intervention) 1918–1920. Svobodnaya mysl’ = Free Thought, no. 1 (1667), pp. 37-52. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/yschss

11. Rybkov A.G., Marutskii E.S. (2015). The Czechoslovak corps of the period of the Civil War in periodicals and autobiographical political essays (by the materials of the Volga region). Istoricheskie, filosofskie, politicheskie i yuridicheskie nauki, kul’turologiya i iskusstvovedenie. Voprosy teorii i praktiki = Historical, Philosophical, Political and Law Sciences, Culturology and Study of Art. Issues of Theory and Practice, no. 7-1 (57), pp. 151-153. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/tsxqif

12. Saldugeev D.V. (2005). Chekhoslovatskii legion v Rossii. Vestnik Chelyabinskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta = Bulletin of Chelyabinsk State University, no. 2 (18), pp. 88-98. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/nxxelp