The Centennial of the Other Forgotten War US Intervention of the Russian Civil War

[rgpete]

I recently completed my research on the Military Records of my Grand Father Nels J Petersen a Danish Immigrant who served in Siberia with the US AEF 27th Infantry (Wolfhounds) during 1919 to 1920. He would tell me his experiences being in a Rail Road Box Car protecting themselves from the Cossacks charging towards them.

[jerseygary]

Very interesting time period and place. I would have loved to talk to a veteran of this little-known campaign.

If you are interested in taking a deep-dive into Siberia at the time I highly suggest White Terroor: Cossack Warlords of the Trans-Siberian by Jamie Bisher.

One of the most frightening history books I ever read, and I read tons of history. There are some very insightful chapters about the US troops there and the hell they went through.

[rgpete]

Originally Posted by jerseygary

Very interesting time period and place. I would have loved to talk to a veteran of this little-known campaign.

If you are interested in taking a deep-dive into Siberia at the time I highly suggest White Terroor: Cossack Warlords of the Trans-Siberian by Jamie Bisher.

One of the most frightening history books I ever read, and I read tons of history. There are some very insightful chapters about the US troops there and the hell they went through.

Thank You Gary I will look for it My Grand Father told me quite a bit of his experiences in Siberia but I can only remember a few and this was back in the late 60's.

[rgpete]

I did not realize that there were 2 different campaigns In Russia, The Polar Bears AEF where in Northern Russia while the Wolfhounds AEF was in Siberia with the Rail Road as I was informed by the University of Michigan

[jerseygary]

Yes there were TWO campaigns in Russia in 1918-19. The North Russia contingent was sent there to supposedly safeguard weapons and supplies we sent to Russia before the Czar fell and the Bolsheviks quit the war. The Allies didn't want this stuff falling into German hands and used against them in France. The idea behind the Siberia force was to help the large Czech Legion of the former Imperial Russian Army escape east so they could be used in France. This war took place along the Trans-Siberian railroad where giant armored trains fought it out for years, like giant land battleships. Each train was run like their own government, whether White or Red controlled. The commanders were like Medieval warlords, psychopathic and unbelievably cruel.

The stories of the comparatively idealistic, fresh-faced American officers who had to deal with these characters are just insane. Then there were the American troops who were confused by their being there, some of who were susceptible Bolshevik propaganda - something which was new at the time. A number of American troops even deserted and joined the Bolsheviks.

Add in the Japanese, who sent a huge army to Russia, which was operating under their own intentions, trying to carve out a chunk of the former Russian Empire for themselves. They flooded Siberia with arms and gold to back psychopathic rogue White (former Czarist) Army generals and ransacked the population with the kind of evil ruthlessness the rest of the world would see in the 1930s and 40s.

I'm telling you, this little-known campaign was CRAZY!

Most of the battles and casualties taken by our troops were inflicted after the war in France had ended. The men were bitter and confused as to why they were in Russia when the real war had ended. It's a very confusing situation to which Wilson contributed troops almost as an afterthought to appease the British and French.

Some Russians are still very bitter about our "invasion." There were a number of US troops who went missing, with some having been reported captured but never returned to us. There are several very harrowing sightings of US servicemen in Soviet prison camps up into the 1930s, sort of an earlier version of our Vietnam War POW-MIAs. I've researched several documented instances of these captured men being alive in Russia and our government having eyewitness statements about it, but nothing being done.

Anyway, it's a very interesting part of forgotten history. If you get the Bisher book, I would suggest getting on Kindle because the type was kind of small, for me at least. I was able to make the type bigger on Kindle and enjoy reading it more. Again, this was the scariest real history book I ever read. There are more evil characters and scenereos in this than any fiction writer could fashion.

[rgpete]

Gary I am just scratching the surface and want to dig deeper and learn more, Thank You for sharing your knowledge with me about this, since my Grand Father was a part of one of the campaigns again Thank You