Robert Jackson (1) (1941–)

Just imagine, 100 years have passed and same impulses that wanted to "rearrange" Russia, those that wanted to bring back the terrible oppression Tsarist regime in 20th century against the "Red menace" are back in current times and aim to - as propagandist tells it - make sure Russia never rises again. All of this today in our so enlightened 21st century.

Reading this book, going through battle descriptions, political decisions of the second decade of 20th century- everything reads almost as current news, only difference being level of technology and - sad but true - role of US in the entire mess. Before they were trying not to get involved in the internal matters of Russia while today they have taken stance very much like UK's stance during Russia's civil war.

All participants are same - France, UK, USA, Japan, Germany, Poland (with ever growing imperial aspirations of their own), Czechs, Ukrainians (same as today torn between Russia and Poland as countries claiming parts of Ukraine), same approach from the western countries that see Russia as "wild" country (dehumanization of Russia was the thing back in days as it is today) that needs to be "tamed" and "quartered". It is utterly unbelievable this level of animosity is possible to survive and resurface almost intact whole century after.

What starts out of fear that Bolsheviks will join Germans (I liked how author constantly weaves in the story how Allied forces think that Germans are fighting with Russians on every front except Baltic states where Germans were used by Allies to repel the Bolsheviks - I mean, what?), fears that Germans will somehow occupy the Far East (With what? What armies? I wander if anyone checked the maps of the region, Czech 30000 soldiers were enough only to hold the railway) and thus get to the resources to prolong the war, begins this very disturbing intervention.
After this most stupid reason falls into water another reason comes forth - rescue of Czech Legion left to wander as orphans of war through the vast expanses of Russia. When that fell through - Czech's finally saying we want home! - although with one goal achieved, involvement of US, Allies finally openly start to support anyone and their uncle against the Bolsheviks. Support continues through money support, weapons and military assistance - volunteers/mercenaries training Allied forces and fighting Bolsheviks, especially if they were qualified airmen or tank crews (the most sophisticated weapons of the day). If this sounds familiar, yes, you are right.

And where the majority of fighting takes place - exactly, Black Sea region (being the only region that is usable throughout the year and that links this part of the world to Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic - sole reason why this area is of any interest to powers to be).

Why the intervention in the first place? Social revolution that put everything on its head was seen as a danger by the West at the time led by UK. Germany was seen as under influence of Bolsheviks so any further expansion of this ideology had to be stopped. Having sympathy for people that were on brink of starvation and death under Tsar was out of question - these very people were seen as enemy and they had to be destroyed (again, very similar stand, right?). Only people seen by the West as "reliable" were Tsarist military officers who proved to be no better than Tsar's rule and caused more Russians to go to the Bolshevik's side.

US were reluctant because they were aware of the revolution and that it helped get rid of terrible monarchy and its oppression. Under the pressure of UK and France (and desiring to check the Japan's aspirations in Siberia) they slowly entered the fray and it seems that results of this engagement are to hound the rest of the world for years and centuries to come.

Unlike book on Kolchak (Republic of Ushakovka), story of an admiral that was ultimately incapable to lead armies let alone rule the Russia, books from the people that were fighting in the war (Archangelsk) and thus gave rather nightmarish, personal, view of war, or very good book that concentrated primarily on the North Russia front and provided both military and political commentary (Ignorant Armies) this book solely concentrates on combat in Russia and reads like a digest of all relevant battles and fronts during these years - from Caspian Sea, Black Sea, Poland, Baltic, North Russia to Siberia and Far East. It is story of war-fighters, primarily from Allied ranks. Bolsheviks are mentioned as always incoming armies, when they do something right "its gotta be Germans" but as time goes by author allows that Red Army has grown and achieved military competency that will very quickly break the back of Whites and all other opposition armies.

Final result? Constant paranoia on both sides, East and West. Interestingly Russians did not hold grudge and they even played the same role in WW2 (acting as "soaking body" for the German army after the latter invaded Russia) and fought on the Allied side. But animosity of the West remained, it was felt during the Spanish Civil war, during the bilateral agreements between Germany and Russia, it was felt during the war years when Russia fought on the Allied side and it unfortunately culminated again after the war when Germans where made saints and Russians again marked as savages. And then when Soviets fell, what happened? Did things go back to normal? No, because West seems to harbor grudge against anyone east from Poland that speaks Russian. It proved that it is not ideology but something deeper - something maybe going back to the years of Big Game but definitely not related to ideology (maybe inability to exert control over the vastness of this part of Eurasia?).

Whatever happens today is an echo of the past. I just hope we all do not become past.

For military aficionados, those interested in battle diaries (albeit with very modest maps) in a period of constant struggle in Europe this book is highly recommended.
For those who want a digest (since there is little political commentary) on the region so prominent in news today, and effect of history on its people, definitely read this one.… (mehr)