Russians on the Western Front: The Great War in France

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  • Опубліковано 26 бер 2022
  • Join me as I visit the Russian Military Cemetery at St. Hilaire Le Grand.
    The cemetery is located in an area known as "L'Espérance", near the French military camp at Mourmelon, and was erected in memory of 4,000 Russian Expeditionary Force (REF) soldiers killed on the battlefields of Champagne fighting alongside the French and British armies.
    Their brigades occupied the Fort de la Pompelle near Reims and sustained heavy losses in the Nivelle offensive. Disbanded when the Russian Revolution broke out in October 1917, the officers, with some volunteers from the ranks, formed a "Légion russe d'honneur" and continued to fight until the end of the war, wearing French uniforms and being absorbed into the Moroccan Regiment.
    In honor of their fallen, the survivors opened this Russian cemetery and later added a chapel, built in the Russian Orthodox style.
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    #WW1 #History

КОМЕНТАРІ • 73

  • @LibeliumDragonfly
    @LibeliumDragonfly 2 роки тому +51

    Reminds me of Oleg Ozerov, a Soviet Soldier that was captured by Nazi Germany, escaped in France, and fought with the French resistance against the occupying Nazis. He and other Soviet POW escapee that fought alongside the French were rarely mentioned, since right after WWII the Cold War began. It never less make a very interesting story and history.

  • @bryancurrie1486
    @bryancurrie1486 2 роки тому +62

    This is my first non reaction video that I’ve seen on this channel. And my goodness, it was amazing. Telling a story that probably not a lot of Americans now, that was done so gracefully and informative, I can’t say enough. This was a great video, and I love this channel!

    • @VloggingThroughHistory
      @VloggingThroughHistory  2 роки тому +21

      Thanks Bryan! This was episode 10 in my series from France, and I have maybe 16 more to go

    • @paulnijsten8390
      @paulnijsten8390 Рік тому

      it is graceful and informative. wonder if the presenter is canadian or us

  • @johnedwards8982
    @johnedwards8982 2 роки тому +14

    Thank you for reminding that Russians are not only about bringing war, destruction and suffer. I hope someone will see this as a proof that they have a history of doing good things too.

    • @jacobnugent8159
      @jacobnugent8159 2 роки тому

      if there is one generation I could make about the Russian people its that they have been through a lot through the centuries

  • @bignazty114
    @bignazty114 2 роки тому +10

    Seeing all the Russian names on the stones with Mort Pour La France written under them... just makes this story hit home harder than just being told the story. Thanks for sharing these kinds of videos and stories.

  • @raskeshades208
    @raskeshades208 2 роки тому +31

    My history teachers were good, but still love learning about the "lesser known" stories and great + respectful storytelling as always.

  • @bloo_byte
    @bloo_byte 2 роки тому +5

    Loved the video. Keep posting your original content
    Learned so much about history with you. Greetings from Serbian in DC

  • @8-bitstream379
    @8-bitstream379 2 роки тому +6

    I wish the original content you make got more views because this is rly interesting stuff

  • @xSolraccarloSx
    @xSolraccarloSx 2 роки тому +3

    the emotion of what's being historically told here is almost too much to handle

  • @jj_franklin2345
    @jj_franklin2345 2 роки тому +2

    Fun fact about today in history. On this day 45 years ago, 2 Boeing 747 collide on the runway on Los Rodaos Airport (now Tenerife North Airport) on the island of Tenerife part of the Canary Islands. The resulting collision killed 583 people and is the worst civilian aviation accident in aviation history as of today.

  • @VastoBoi
    @VastoBoi 2 роки тому +5

    Thanks for uploads, would be nice if you consider making a video about what surprised you in Europe in general, as a American first time here, without History context.

  • @adamjow8405
    @adamjow8405 2 роки тому +1

    Fantastic video. First time I've learned that Russians fought on the Western Front during WW1. There are lots of stories from historical events that we never get taught in school or aren't mentioned in books or documentaries.

  • @tintim85
    @tintim85 2 роки тому +3

    Rodion Malinovsky, who would go on to be named a Marshal of the Soviet Union and be the Minister of Defense was a member of this force.

  • @andresousa5302
    @andresousa5302 2 роки тому +2

    Random comment of the day to remind you that you are an inspiration ^^

  • @tbapz8998
    @tbapz8998 2 роки тому +10

    Thank you so much for all the history lessons! I'm still very novice when it comes to history , but your videos always help me!!!

  • @dombom1036
    @dombom1036 2 роки тому +20

    Amazing stuff. I always find the ”obscure” stuff to be more interesting when it comes to the First World War. Regarding obscure players on the western front, would be cool if you someday talked about the Polish Blue Army in France, Czechoslovak Legion in France and the Portuguese expeditionary force. There were also Italians serving on the Western front with the Italian expeditionary force in France. I have visited an Italian war grave near Reims in France, interesting stuff

    • @xenotypos
      @xenotypos 2 роки тому

      Regarding Italy, the reverse is also true.

  • @cjfamily2036
    @cjfamily2036 2 роки тому +2

    I love the presentation of this video.

  • @rhett1029
    @rhett1029 2 роки тому +3

    Love the original content! And the family history content

  • @harryhampton1324
    @harryhampton1324 2 роки тому

    Hi Chris, great news, I am going to yepres this year for remembrance parade with a charity called blesma.
    Thanks for all your uploads from your visit, very helpful.

  • @ScriptedSamurai
    @ScriptedSamurai 2 роки тому +1

    I wish this got more views. I love this kind of content. I hope you had a good time making it too!

  • @thetankhunter7925
    @thetankhunter7925 2 роки тому +3

    Can’t watch the video right now so just stopping in to leave a like! Love your content

  • @DerBernsteinfrost
    @DerBernsteinfrost 2 роки тому +3

    I have a request on a man I think you would find very interesting. could you do a video on Charles George Gordan(Chinese Gordan/Gordan Pache/ Gordan of Khartoum)

  • @Orocnogu
    @Orocnogu 2 роки тому +2

    1st time watching your on-scene video. At first I thought the music choice was a little off, but as you told the story I realised the music is delibreately calm and somewhat sad, setting the mood perfectly. Great video, this part of history is not widely known even in Russia (mostly because at that time there was quite a lot happening inside the country to learn about in schools). Thank you.

  • @carlsons.tucker3983
    @carlsons.tucker3983 2 роки тому +2

    Awesome video! You should do a video about the Easter Rising of 1916

  • @friskyfreebe
    @friskyfreebe 2 роки тому +1

    great video and thank you! Its great to see you looking so happy bro!

  • @ShivamR34440
    @ShivamR34440 2 роки тому +1

    Great video

  • @CodyChepa88
    @CodyChepa88 2 роки тому +3

    I was looking forward to this one 👍. Gotta love the odd or lesser known stuff in history. Beautiful sights and great job telling this story Chris . Im excited to when you head to the Netherlands and some of that content 👍

  • @professorwhat2704
    @professorwhat2704 2 роки тому +2

    Loved this one. It's a subject in one of my big areas of interest that I didn't really know anything about. Thanks for bringing it to us!

  • @phantomtitan9792
    @phantomtitan9792 2 роки тому

    Awesome video

  • @jelleklinkhamer4299
    @jelleklinkhamer4299 2 роки тому

    Really great video!

  • @svenrio8521
    @svenrio8521 2 роки тому

    Wow I never even knew about this. Goes to show how interconnected this war was.

  • @peterkwolek2265
    @peterkwolek2265 2 роки тому

    I kept putting it off but I’m finally digging into your collection of “on scene” videos and glad I did. Great content, I love the visuals and how you have instrumentals mixed in to allow the viewer to digest what you just said and study the landmarks.

  • @aypapi1371
    @aypapi1371 2 роки тому +1

    This is awesome good work.

  • @Factor718
    @Factor718 2 роки тому

    Great video 😁

  • @ArcticFoxer12
    @ArcticFoxer12 2 роки тому +1

    My first history on location video and it won't be my last.
    Great work

  • @jacob_
    @jacob_ 2 роки тому +2

    Yes!

  • @steveclarke6257
    @steveclarke6257 2 роки тому +3

    I went to Reims in 1999, to see the Solar eclipse and to do a tour of the WWI battlefields. The fort (Pompelle) Chris mentioned is quite a prominent feature on the hills to the South West of the city (between the famous vineyards and the City) and was built after the Franco-Prussian war to bolster defenses (like the Citadel at Verdun), but I wasn't aware that there were Russian troops garrisoning it (-I obviously failed in my translation of the signage).
    Since WWI the fort has been restored, it is not a very big fort (about 50m by 30m), there are some arial photographs, showing the fort after bombardment showing how heavy the German artillery was there. Unfortunately on the day I was there the Museum was closed, So I was not able to go inside.

  • @loreleikomm5802
    @loreleikomm5802 2 роки тому

    great video. thank you for sharing it with us. very interesting to hear about the "civil war" at the western front during ww1.

  • @joedan5366
    @joedan5366 2 роки тому +4

    This is so amazing, and so cool to know they ended up staying in France

  • @murmor6890
    @murmor6890 2 роки тому +2

    Very interesting to learn about the expeditionary force, which I've never heard about before.
    WW2 Russian military cemeteries are a lot more common, two I've been to are the one near Vinohrady in Prague and the specific section of the central cemetery in Vienna. The cost of lives of Soviet soldiers were really enormous. There is also a huge memorial for the fallen soldiers of the CCCP in Vienna on Schwarzenbergplatz, a prime location, which in this form is now pretty unique as after the end of the Warsaw pact and the CCCP they got removed or at least moved to unattractive locations in most countries.

  • @MomentsInTrading
    @MomentsInTrading 2 роки тому +5

    After studying WW1 week by week, I am throughly convinced that either side could have easily won in 1917 by simply lining the battle lines with thousands of BBQs and big signs that said “Free Food For Surrendering Soldiers” in several languages.

  • @anderskorsback4104
    @anderskorsback4104 Рік тому

    I thought myself knowledgeable about WW1, but I did not know about this. Thank you for telling this story.

  • @ericjrat
    @ericjrat 2 роки тому

    Before this series/trip I had no idea that Russian soldiers ever fought in France during The Great War. Thank you and keep up the great work!

  • @David-fm6go
    @David-fm6go 2 роки тому

    It's heart breaking looking at those death figures at the end and realizing that it's just the tip of the iceberg for them.

  • @michaeltheknight2004
    @michaeltheknight2004 2 роки тому

    Super interesting

  • @blacksmithking4587
    @blacksmithking4587 2 роки тому +1

    Well Done

  • @patrickn311
    @patrickn311 2 роки тому

    A good amount of the videos you do reactions on are ones I have seen before and I do really enjoy your insights and the way you fill in a lot of gaps! As you continue to create your original content and explore more of historical Europe in particular, maybe doing an episode on "Kilroy was Here". If you haven't yet. If you have any theories on who started one of the first "memes" or if you have personally have found any in your travels. Just an idea i wanted to share. 🙂

  • @justaboi4791
    @justaboi4791 2 роки тому +3

    T-timing

  • @Luke-jo4to
    @Luke-jo4to 2 роки тому +1

    Wow, even better than your reaction vids. What an incredible historical tale.

  • @prins1of1death
    @prins1of1death 2 роки тому +1

    Thanks to your channel I know there where Russians on the western front. They are not a force you usually hear about partaking on the western front with them having to defend their own country.

    • @patrickm3981
      @patrickm3981 2 роки тому

      The number of Russian troops sent to the western front was minuscule compared to the number of troops they deployed at the eastern front. Just for comparison, during the war the Russian army deployed about 15.8 million troops in total.

  • @jacobnugent8159
    @jacobnugent8159 2 роки тому

    could you do some content on the Russian civil war, from what I have heard it was an interesting conflict and I don't know much about it
    i was also wondering if anyone know any good books on the topic

  • @jsin5115
    @jsin5115 2 роки тому

    Are those St. George's ribbons 07:46 ?

  • @wwciii
    @wwciii Рік тому

    Reminds me of a unit of 200 Don Cossacks in the second Boer War. I have never discovered if they were actually in combat, since they hated foreign troops.

  • @jacobnugent8159
    @jacobnugent8159 2 роки тому +1

    it is tragic how they were treated when they returned to Russia

  • @donniedewitt9878
    @donniedewitt9878 2 роки тому

    A beautiful and sad thing to see

  • @JC-mx9su
    @JC-mx9su 2 роки тому +1

    Chris before you continue to react on Rasputin part 3 in extra credits, pls react on Epic History tv The Russian Revolution 1917 or 1917: Russia's two revolutions after History of Russia 5 parts.

  • @Jazzi_may_94
    @Jazzi_may_94 2 роки тому

    My mind will never be able to fathom that people had ever been found. Even hundreds years later. Like are they still looking? How did these family’s coop with the reality of there family member went missing in action. And was never found. That’s just heart breaking.

    • @VloggingThroughHistory
      @VloggingThroughHistory  2 роки тому +1

      Yeah it’s bad enough to lose a son, brother, or husband in combat. Add to that the horror of never knowing exactly what happened to him, or where he ended up, it must’ve been terrible.

  • @max131094
    @max131094 2 роки тому

    I've heard that there were some Russians fighting in France but without much details.

  • @JTD472
    @JTD472 2 роки тому +1

    1:03 worse than my license picture

  • @gamergurljes2777
    @gamergurljes2777 2 роки тому

    Cna you please react to Philippine-American war?

  • @ryanberkowitz5399
    @ryanberkowitz5399 2 роки тому

    Can you PLEASE do a video on Daniel Sickles, he’s such an interesting figure with so many ridiculous schemes but his name seems to have fallen into total obscurity

  • @MsHorseracer
    @MsHorseracer 3 місяці тому

    Why are only some of the crosses Orthodox crosses?

  • @annieblancken8201
    @annieblancken8201 2 роки тому +1

    How cool and how sad. You said there were two ossuaries- I’m assuming that’s where they put unidentified remains? The only other time in history I’ve heard about ossuaries are in biblical times.
    Unbelievable that so many of them were never found. I can’t imagine losing someone in a war but I especially can’t imagine having a loved one go missing like that. To never have any answers. 😢

  • @zer1rgaming657
    @zer1rgaming657 2 роки тому +1

    I hope one day he'll react to a countryballs video called, "WW1 in a Nutshell": ua-cam.com/video/9qjuvLFNFKA/v-deo.html

  • @viggowiin
    @viggowiin 2 місяці тому

    Great video