this channel should be a leading example for historical youtubers. so many poorly researched videos out there while you guys maintain a high level of information and production quality
At school you have what, one year for the whole 20th century? And these guys are doing it basically in real time. School is supposed to give you the necessary basics and how to think.
In a way it did. Because at the beginning, they tried to use the same old tactics, but the new technology changed everything, which is why the casualty was so high, hence why they changed from open field warfare to trench warfare. It ended all the way we fought war in the past, and evolve into something so destructive and more fatal. Remember, Tribal, Colonial wars and Eurasian conflicts were something that was pretty much endless, Modern warfare changed that, and now in a way the world is more peaceful that it used to be before. The reason the 1900s was so bloody, is because of the transition from the Old into the new era. Now wars and conflict are pretty much short, and not much casualties, or genocides like before, even though it's still happening on a small scale today.
"The war's not over. Millions are dead. Europe is mad. The world's gone mad." The first words Shackelton heard when he came back from Antarctica in 1915. And little has changed over a century later.
Shackelton did not lose a single man from his expedition, and it took heroic measures to save everyone (e.g open-boat sailing in Antarctic waters). Yet two or three men from the expedition, immediately enlisted for the war upon reaching England, and were dead within ninety days!
@Matthew Sosnicki between 1945 and 2001 how many of us died out of uniform in foreign lands fighting the silent and not very cold war, in south and central america, in the baltic, in asia and the middle east. there always were men and women who did what had to be done when asked because they knew the very real cost of unopposed communist subversion. the numbers are much greater than the stars on the wall of admitted casualties....rgw
@@nancybarnes29 Three points for you to ponder. 1. In WW2, the US allied itself with the Communists (left-wingers) to beat the Nazis (right-wingers). After WW2, the US allied itself with repressive right-wing regimes in South America, Central America, and Vietnam to beat the Communists. Was it really all about opposing communist subversion, or was it just about increasing US power in the world? 2. If you believe in "freedom", do the members of a nation-state have the freedom to choose their own political system? If the members of a nation-state want to be communist, what right does the US have to forbid them to do so? 3. Is it not possible that the USSR acted as it did during the Cold War because it knew "the very real cost of unopposed capitalist subversion"? Is it not possible that NATO and the USSR engaged in the Cold War because each feared that the other was trying to take over the world, and force the world to conform to their political beliefs?
Fun fact, the Canadians in the Great War were notorious for their looting! And would fight ferociously to ensure a higher body count on the other side to that end. I recently read a war memoir a friend created from his great-grandfather's notes. In preparing for a trench raid to capture a German Officer, a British Major briefed them with this hilarious line! "Now you Canadians, I know you don't like taking prisoners, but you must get me a German officer on this trip"
My maternal grandfather was a sergeant in "B" Co. 1/310 . He was from Holland, Michigan and had already fought in France as part of the 1/2nd Engineers, 2nd Infantry Division. The AEF command determined that the green US troops going to Russia needed some seasoned combat veterans to "stiffen" the 1/310th and the 339th Infantry Regt. The Canadian detachment earned his undying affection. Several of the Canadians from Windsor, Ontario became his lifelong friends. One of these fellows, I think he was a policeman, aided my grandfather when he became a gentleman bootlegger in post-war Detroit..
My husband's grandfather was a Polar Bear. While we don't have any letters or journals, we do have his uniform and other pieces were recently donated to the Michigan History Museum where they can be preserved for others.
There is a book, History of the American Expedition Fighting the Bolsheviks: U.S. Military Intervention in Soviet Russia 1918-1919 by Joel Moore and my great great grandfather Lewis Jahns
If you found this interesting you should definitely look up American/European intervention in China during the boxer rebellion! It's not WW1 related, it's a bit earlier but still interesting history!
No wonder you never heard about americans and europeans literally invading soviet russia, that would almost make them look less evil than the Pentagon said...
Just recently subscribed. WW1 was a century ago. Being born during the Truman administration most history I heard of was obviously WW2 and after. I do find your presentations interesting and informative. Thank you
Yeah, we focus on Vimy a lot for its symbolic value. But other battles (like the crossing of the Canal du Nord in 1918) were actually more important military victories. Check out historian Tim Cook's book on Vimy for the whole story of how it became Canada's symbol of WW1.
And then americans ask why all these tensions between western nations and the russians have taking place in modern politics... it's like the russians should forget about all the interventions on their land, during the civil war supported strongly by European countries, Japan and the US.
Strongly agree man. Most peoples understanding nowadays totally ahistorical. Back then they understood as much as they can that's why the were sympathetic or didn't want to get involved in Russia because its hypocritical and they were decent folks.
@@themostextrordenaryconvolu3406 True they were separated by the Khans from the rest of Europe for a long time so they are seen as non European despite Russia trying to be more like them for a time.
Most interesting and informative episode on this so called Polar Bear Expedition and a subject we don't get to hear about very often...Enjoyed learning about it,will now look into it in more detail,👌👍
So the Allied "plan" is to attack a motivated and popular movement with no general strategy in harsh environments. Let me know how that works out for you.
jackson macpherson it’s not to attack it’s just to carve out a sphere around the port for the white army to do operations. There was a plan, but it wasn’t a very appealing one to the troops stationed there. They were told they were going to fight the communists but they were were really going to fight the communists for a couple of days and then just hold arctic territory the Bolshevik’s didnt care about taking right away, but nonetheless was extremely important. This meant the entire operation was “hurry up and wait”. This wasn’t a flaw, it’s just that the white army was pretty fucked and controlled almost no useful land
@@TheLocalLt the " white army " didn't stood a chance, they wasn't even a army as we understanding today, they were two or three generals and a admiral fighting their own separate " wars " like warlords or something with armies of forcibly recruited men, with no real government to back them or simply them... And the Americans went there because the British made them .. So considering all above the US troops were like to withdraw with most of their men alive after fighting a lost cause right from the beginning..
Παυλος Χαραλαμπους I dont think I stated anything wrong besides saying “White Army” instead of “White Armies”. The point being that there WAS a British plan, it just wasn’t very exciting and had to be torture and mind-blowing freezing boredom not knowing what was coming. The OP was implying that the British were trying to overthrew the reds, when in fact they were merely holding ports open for the whites and just repelling red attacks.
Fun fact: The American soldiers deployed to Archangel were equiped with Mosin-Nagant rifles. This was because the 7.62x54 round was very common in Russia and much lessoned the supply burden. Also goverment had about 500,000 rifles produced by Remington and Westinghouse for the Russian imperial government which failed to deliver before the revolution and the government had to buy at least Remington out
Yes, this is true. I own and shoot a few of these rifles and they are what they are and a bit of an acquired taste. From what I have read, the soldiers mostly trained with M1903 and M1917 rifles and this change occurred at short notice and they had little time to train with the Mosin Nagant M1891 rifle before they departed. Most soldiers were not really pleased about the switch as they preferred the other rifles. Logistically it made sense and these rifles certainly did perform in the harsh Russian winters.
My maternal grandfather, Nestor Homer Provencher, was a member of the Polar Bear Expedition. In 1972, only months before he died, I asked him what happened to him when the Armistice was signed in 1918 (he had been in France). His terse answer: "They sent us to fight the Bolsheviks."
@@donjenkins8430 Was he from Michigan? My grandfather was born in Escanaba, Michigan, but had lived for many years in Ontario. He evidently had kept his US citizenship and when Washington entered the war in 1917 he went to Camp Custer to enlist.
My grandfather served with the Polar Bears in Russia. He was from Sault Ste. Marie. He shared stories of the conflict. He fought in the great war to end all wars. His son, my father, would fight in the next world war, he landed on Omaha Beach; D-Day+1 with the second division( the Indianhead division). Years later they would share their stories with me as a young boy. RIP to all.
The US, Britain and Japan despicably, taking advantage of Russia's weakness due to the revolution, invaded. All they did was kill countless civilians and rob the resource rich far east.
From what I've read, when America finally recognized the Soviet Union as a country, Stalin approved for the graves of the Polar Bear Expedition to be repatriated to America, if the graves were still identified at that time.
Another excellent show on the complicated situation in 1918-1919 Russia and geopolitical-international forces and their interventions. May I suggest that you examine the activities of the Czech Legion and their capture of the Czar's gold. How that came about, how much gold and wealth was involved, how foreign powers (especially America) acted to ensure the gold got out of Russia (by keeping the trans-Siberian railway open), how much ended up in Czechoslovakia, how much in America or elsewhere. Keep up the good work.
I like what you add at the end of each presentation, the “what’s going on in other parts of the world” section. Seemingly unrelated, the section actually put the thesis in perspective. Great job!
Strange but true, on your maps I don't see the flag of Finland, which invaded the RSFSR in 1919, Finland officially declared war on the RSFSR on May 15, 1919.
My great grandfather was a polar bear because of his Norwegian roots. After the war, they went to go home. Their ship was frozen in the harbor. He was wounded in the leg. He was sent to a hospital in England of all places. He married his nurse.
There has been an indie Michigan movie of the Polar Bears. My friend was in it. There's also a monument in Detroit for the men who returned and those that didn't.
@@dudeone7332 Well, it's pretty one-sided look. The provisional government did not have support among the population, especially after it became clear that the war would continue and people would continue to be processed for stuffing to enrich a handful of capitalists. And of course - they did not want to part with their wealth, so they asked for help from the West, and West was happy to help - thought it would be easy to put down the Reds and set up a puppet government.
@Динара Галимулина Ну теперь у нас Дивный Русский Мир с убогими домами и дорогами. Мир где власть принадлежит олигархам и корпорациям. Расстрелять или послать в ГУЛАГ всех интеллигентов чтобы решить проблемы страны такой себе план. По моему одностороннему мнению простой народ променял одних эксплуататоров на других.
@@itsjustmint5211 the Korean War was a really big war. So was the Russian Civil War although the American involvement was small in comparison to the overall conflict. Unfortunately, many Americans have a tendency to overlook major wars in history.
No mention is made of Herbert Hoover's American Relief Administration food relief effort, which saved millions of lives. The British did not do that much, in fact it was their blockade that caused the problem. The blockade lasted for several years after the armistice was signed on 11/11/18.
And the blockade was illegal. Should have searched ships for contraband and then let ships through with food and first aid stuff...but no. So that's why Germany sent the subs to sink ships going to Britain...only way to fight back
Lotsa really subtle l Soviet style re-regurgitated verbage here...twisting comments to support anti-Capitalism, etc., etc., and contrived equivalency where none should exist.
Indeed, he did not want to militarily intervene for sure. However, he planned to economically assist the various independent governments with Russia so that a "legal government" could ultimately be established by the Russians as Wilson "did not want to interfere into the Russian affairs". It was not an intervention, but it was a direct non-physical interference underlined by "watchful vigilance" to alienate the Bolsheviks
I have been a long time viewer and I really appreciate this channel and all of the videos on it, but more so this one as my great grandfather was a Polar Bear. I am very happy that the Polar Bears are finally receiving some attention from the wonderful community of Great War historians. I also very much appreciated the unit photo that was included in the video as we had the unit photo that my great grandfather was in up on our wall when I was growing up. Thank you, and keep up the good work!
American intervention in Russia?! Only History (and the Great War Channel) dares to talk about such an eventuality that nobody nowadays could even suspect. Great episode Jesse Alexander, cheers!
Error at 2:58. The name of the US Army Chief of Staff--It's PEyton March not Payton March. Most commonly referred to with his middle initial, he'd be General Peyton C. March (source History of the World War, 1919, Francis A. March--his brother).
Americans have 0 moral standing in the world as an empire that has bases worldwide, higher prison population than Communist China and the highest income disparity of any developed nation.
@@deprogramm Lol, you have your own 'glorious' American troops telling you they were on the wrong side of this war, it wasn't just the example they showed in this video. They mutinied because they sympathized more with the commies than the Czarists fighting to impose a dead medieval aristocracy and committing anti-jewish pogroms everywhere they went. Everyone in America's prisons has committed a crime? O you sweet summer brainwashed child lol. Indoctrinated until the end, which is coming for your shithole country soon.
The american army not even vaguely knowing why the heck they fought somewhere? Say it ain't so, that one will never happen again, ever, I'm sure of it.
Even though the day Mustafa Kemal landed on Samsun, 19th of May, is generally considered as the begining of the Turkish War of Independence and celebrated as a national day it is only a small part of the general National Struggle (Milli Mücadele in Turkish). Mustafa Kemal was the Inspector of the Ninth Army in the Ottoman Empire at the time and his mission was the quell the tension between Turkish and Pontic Greek militias in the North Central and North Eastern Anatolia, in order to prevent a British intervention that would take it as cause. His authority in the region was vast. All the municipal and central authority's mayors and governors were placed under him and that made him the man whose power second only to the Sultan (and maybe the Grand Vizier Damat Ferit) in the region. In the time passed since the Armistice of Mudros Mustafa Kemal had tried to reach a peaceful solution that will prevent the division of Anatolia and Eastern Thrace. But the siege of İstanbul from the sea by the Briish Navy and the obvious plan for a Greek invasion by the western Anatolia forced his hand. If the situation was less dire and the division of the Ottoman lands were less imminent (for example British were invaded Mosul for its oil and İskenderun for the logistical purposes even though it was not agreed upon in Mudros) Mustafa Kemal would most likely be contend to be promoted to as the Minister of War (Harbiye Nazırı) in order to force the Ottoman General Assembly and the Sultan to show more backbone in his dealings with the French and British. But the Sultan Vahdettin's hands were also tied since he was trying to cut the members of the Comittee of Union and Progress (İttihat ve Terakki Fırkası / Young Turks) from the power. The party, once led by Enver Pasha, as you would remember was the primary reason the Ottoman Empire entered the war on the side of the Germans. Enver, Cemal and Talat Pashas were on the run from the Entente but the roots and the institution of the party was strong in Ottoman Government and in order to counter it Vahdettin and perpetually pro-British Damat (Literally means Son-in-Law since he was that to the Sultan) Ferit threw their lot with the British and did everything they ordered in order to appease them, included but not limited to postponing the promotion of Mustafa Kemal (whom the British have already blacklisted) and sidelining him. The Inspectorate of the 9th Army was the part of the plan for the Ottoma authority to push Kemal away from the center of power in the capital. Brits have seen it as a dangerous gambit and wanted Damat Ferit to withold the promotion but Mustafa Kemal, with his victory in Gallipoli campaign and immaculate record had the trust of Sultan and while he was the member of the Union and Progress movement from the start he had many quarrels with the leaders, Enver and Talat being at the top of the list. Even though Mustafa Kemal's landing on Samsun later named as the start of the War of Independence the struggle had started long before, even the ink on the Mudros Treaty was dry. In Thrace, Western and Eastern Anatolia the sporadic militia movements were sparked. They were also organized by the lower achelon members of the Committee of Union and Progress but they lacked the central direction. Mustafa Kemal with the title of army inspector (much more a powerful title than a full army commander as it gives him the control power over the all the army core in the Eastern and Northern Anatolia) would fill this role. SPOILER ALERT: I'm sure the channel will cover it in the future but the upcoming Amasya Circular, Erzerum and Sivas Congresses will seem Mustafa Kemal's break from the Ottoman Government (he would even resign from his post in the army but by then the commanders of the several army corps would have been passed their commands directly to him). And at the meantime the sporadic militia, including the parts of the Ottoman Army would be organized under him as the National Forces (Kuva-yi Milliye). Anyway I couldn't helped myself since it was the 100th anniversary of the Landing on Samsun which we still celebrate as the National Day of Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day and since it has been passed as a footnote I'd like to emphasize why it was so important for the Turkish War of Independence. I hope you will make some episodes (one should not be enough as to cover the whole affair I guess) on the War of Independence in the future. Sorry for the wall-of-text.
I finally know what my Great Grandfather's WWI victory medal was for, with a metal ribbon on the top saying Russia. He was from Michigan and pretty sure now he was in said unit.
I can't help but notice the 31st infantry regiment was not mentioned in this video even though they served a pivotal role in this conflict. This is also the conflict in which they earned the nickname "Polar Bears".
From what I found; the AEF Siberia's mission objectives coincided with the AEF North Russia's. One of which was to rescue the Czechoslovak legion stranded along the Trans-Siberian railroad. This may have been a multi-front offensive by the allies to combat the Bolsheviks from the East and from the West. The only reason why I commented is because my old battalion is 4 battalion 31st infantry regiment and I remember they had news clippings of this expedition in our battalion headquarters. Thank you for time and I love your channel.
If I was the president of the United States back in 1918 I would see if I could send 80,000 US troops to protect the tsar and the Royal Family of Russia
Excellent program, as usual! My opinion: The Bolsheviks should have been dealt w/in 1918-20, or possibly in 1945, as was put forth by Patton & Churchill. Post-WW1 was the best opportunity to do so.
@@marjanp 😆😆😆😆😆 We had atomic bomb, they wouldn't have it for 3-4 more years ... but it sure makes for an Interesting discussion. But all of Eastern Europe would not have been for Russia at that time. 🤔✌🏼
My grandfather guarded the trans Siberian railroad. Was that part of the Polar Bear Expedition? Can you tell me or point me in the right direction to find out more about what my grandfather's role was in WWI?
Not a National Guard unit but a wartime unit of conscripts who had the status of Reservists. War time units were still organized in those days along regional lines.
Probably the most correct would be to spell the name of this city as - Archangelsk, because this name is derived from the word - Archangel. But western barbarians don't care about that.
How was the intervention seen by the public? Did people look at it like we look at current interventions like Mali (as in, most folk don't know or don't think about it l?
Funny how seeing the "heroic," proto-fascistic White army with their anti-Jewish pogroms and their terrorism of the peasantry in the name of medieval feudal aristocracy does that to a person. It's almost like the Reds won because they weren't the most hated side by a majority of people, not that most Americans will believe it even with an American soldier who had been there and seen the reality on the ground telling them so. Such is the intensity of anti-communist propaganda in America. It's basically a more important part of their state religion than anything about Jesus or helping the poor (which half of them think is commie bs anyway lol).
The Russian Civil War was very important yet completely glossed over in American education. I think you could argue that the real and perceived brutality of the Reds created the foundation for anti-communist policy for years to come.
The foundation of anti-communist policy was always the fear of the American business community that communists strengthened the union movement (true) which cut into their profits. This was always the reason for anti-communist policy not some exaggerated atrocities half the world away in a war where the White atrocities outweighed the Reds many times over. It was always about business and profit, never about lives or rights or anything so sentimental.
The Siberian Expedition is even more forgotten about. I bet ten times the books exist on the North Russia one. Probably because most of the Polar Bears were from Michigan, so they advocated together. The guys in Siberia were more from throughout the country, so no central focus, either at the time pushing for withdrawal...or in later books written about them
Germany’s peace terms. On December 23, 1917, the day after the first session of the preliminary Brest-Litovsk Peace Conference, representatives of Great Britain and France met in Paris and secretly concluded an agreement to dismember Soviet Russia. The agreement was entitled L’Accord Français-Anglais du 23 Décembre, 1917, définissant les zones d’action françaises et anglaises. According to its terms, England was to receive a “zone of influence” in Russia, giving her the oil of the Caucasus and control of the Baltic provinces; France a “zone” giving her the iron and coal of the Donets Basin and control of the Crimea. This secret Anglo-French treaty inevitably shaped the policy these two nations were to pursue towards Russia throughout the next several years.
I am absolutely LOVING the new content this channel has been producing this year. Thank you all so much for all the hard work you guys have put into continuing to produce amazing content covering the post-war period. It's absolutely fascinating! Wishing you guys and the channel the best of luck in all your future endeavors! Keep up the great work TGW!!!
incentive should've been to seize Sakhalin Island and Kamchatka Peninsula to go with Alaska, then eventually give it to Japan to buy east asian ally status
My Great Granduncle Francis 'Frank' McDonald, originally from rural Sanilac County, MI, was a Private who served in Company M of the 339th. I have no physical mementos of his service save one of his Army portraits from before he was shipped out to Archangelsk. He endured that awful deployment for about 11 months, and it had been so hard on him, that he took isolated jobs in far-flung parts of northern Michigan for a number of years before he finally reconciled himself with things he experienced there and returned to familiar farm country nearer where he grew up. Eventually he married. I have yet to see the Polar Bear memorial or visit the Regiment's museum (in Frankenmuth I think?), but having myself lived many years away from that same area in Michigan because I lived where the Air Force sent me, I look forward one day to visiting both those places when I get back to Michigan.
I learned about this little known piece of history while researching where my great grandfather’s units fought. I saw Russia. I became confused wondering if it was a typo. Then I learned about this. It is something no one I spoke to knew about. After the armistice his unit was moved to Russia.
Anyone else think that Woodrow Wilson bears a striking resemblence to the late Rev. Ian Paisley? Could they perhaps be related?😅 (Private Eye reference.)
Again a very interesting episode! To be honest, I have never heard off the Polar Bear expedition, until now. Quick question: What's the piece of music called at 8:30? I'm really fascinated by it
Awesome content, excellent overview of the complex interlocking factors. I don't really buy that the Americans were just there because the British and French asked them to be there. That certainly wouldn't explain why the USA and USSR jointly opposed Britain and France in the Suez crisis. Seems likely to me the US was there for the same reason all the other foreign powers were. I think the Soviet historians are right on this one.
this channel should be a leading example for historical youtubers. so many poorly researched videos out there while you guys maintain a high level of information and production quality
We do our best, glad you like it. 1919 is definitely complex.
@@TheGreatWar i fucking love it man. its complex and not talked about enough, so you guys are doing all history fans a solid 👍
And then you have history channels claiming the Nazis were leftists/socialists.
@@TheGreatWar You guys do a great job at making content. You're the only channel that covers the wars day by day
@@TheBreadB speaking about TIK? hhhhihihihhihih well, he only said socialist not leftist, if i remember correctly ...
Really interesting. I learn more from this channel than I did back in school.
Freshman year in high school we didn't have THIS IN DEPTH
At school you have what, one year for the whole 20th century? And these guys are doing it basically in real time. School is supposed to give you the necessary basics and how to think.
You expect your social studies class to spend years devoted to a decade?
I'm out of school for 3 years now in Germany, and ww1 was a big topic of course. Tho I doubt anyone is more critical of Germany in ww1 than Germany
Didn't expect to see you here.
Glad this mostly forgotten expeditionary force is being covered in detail
Yhea, I know
I'm starting to suspect the "War to end all wars" might not have ended wars.
just a hunch
And the number of times generals said a war would be over by Christmas in numorous wars.
Defeating the bolsheviks could have saved millions of lives.
In a way it did. Because at the beginning, they tried to use the same old tactics, but the new technology changed everything, which is why the casualty was so high, hence why they changed from open field warfare to trench warfare. It ended all the way we fought war in the past, and evolve into something so destructive and more fatal. Remember, Tribal, Colonial wars and Eurasian conflicts were something that was pretty much endless, Modern warfare changed that, and now in a way the world is more peaceful that it used to be before. The reason the 1900s was so bloody, is because of the transition from the Old into the new era. Now wars and conflict are pretty much short, and not much casualties, or genocides like before, even though it's still happening on a small scale today.
@@CeluiEtSeul The cold war? Rwandan genocide? Congo civil war? What are you even talking about. Iran Iraq war?
"The war's not over. Millions are dead. Europe is mad. The world's gone mad."
The first words Shackelton heard when he came back from Antarctica in 1915. And little has changed over a century later.
That is a great quote, I hadn't heard it before!
@@jessealexander2695 It's from the "who did what" series in the original TGW. Indy did an episode on Ernest Shackleton.
I would've loved to have seen the look on his face when he heard that. I doubt he could've ever imagined such an outcome.
Shackelton did not lose a single man from his expedition, and it took heroic measures to save everyone (e.g open-boat sailing in Antarctic waters). Yet two or three men from the expedition, immediately enlisted for the war upon reaching England, and were dead within ninety days!
@@avishalom2000lm So edgy. I forgot milions are dying every day in Europe in 2019. Oh wait
This was the only time US troops directly fought Russian Communists - conflicts were otherwise indirect, through proxies.
Air wars in Korea say otherwise
@@kryadmus7275 ssshh there were no Soviet pilots in Korea. A friend of mine in the politburo assured me so!
@Matthew Sosnicki between 1945 and 2001 how many of us died out of uniform in foreign lands fighting the silent and not very cold war, in south and central america, in the baltic, in asia and the middle east. there always were men and women who did what had to be done when asked because they knew the very real cost of unopposed communist subversion. the numbers are much greater than the stars on the wall of admitted casualties....rgw
i thought we are on common ground@Matthew Sosnicki
@@nancybarnes29 Three points for you to ponder.
1. In WW2, the US allied itself with the Communists (left-wingers) to beat the Nazis (right-wingers). After WW2, the US allied itself with repressive right-wing regimes in South America, Central America, and Vietnam to beat the Communists. Was it really all about opposing communist subversion, or was it just about increasing US power in the world?
2. If you believe in "freedom", do the members of a nation-state have the freedom to choose their own political system? If the members of a nation-state want to be communist, what right does the US have to forbid them to do so?
3. Is it not possible that the USSR acted as it did during the Cold War because it knew "the very real cost of unopposed capitalist subversion"? Is it not possible that NATO and the USSR engaged in the Cold War because each feared that the other was trying to take over the world, and force the world to conform to their political beliefs?
My Grandfather was the one who told me about the US intervention in Russia. It was never my teachers.
@@MozD 1: Thank you. Might as well complain that the cafeteria doesn't put enough food on the tray to last you sixty years.
2: YMMV?
@@johnd2058 Your Mileage May Vary
Maybe that's why russian communists didn't trust foreign capitalists... Just think about it...
@@MozD ah a fellow tropers I see
@@ГригорийШумилов-ф5р Well, that and communism requires the global abolishing of capitalists lol
11:30 Notice that all three crosses bear Polish names. Seems like there were a plenty of Polish Americans among the Polar Bears.
Yes - Detroit had a very large Polish population and the units involved were mostly from Michigan.
@@jessealexander2695 Thanks for the info, Jesse. Keep up the great work!
@@jessealexander2695 Were the Michigan troops chosen for the mission for that very reason?
@@Festucius Nothing I read would indicate that, and I doubt it.
Literature (and wiki) says Polar Bears were composed of 85th Infantry Division from Michigan, so that's seems right.
Fun fact, the Canadians in the Great War were notorious for their looting! And would fight ferociously to ensure a higher body count on the other side to that end.
I recently read a war memoir a friend created from his great-grandfather's notes. In preparing for a trench raid to capture a German Officer, a British Major briefed them with this hilarious line!
"Now you Canadians, I know you don't like taking prisoners, but you must get me a German officer on this trip"
That is a great quote.
Canadian historian Tim Cook wrote an article about Canadian troops not taking prisoners a few years ago.
_"We brought you an officer!"_
"Good. Now put him back together so I can talk to him."
@@jessealexander2695 I think I found the article, I'll check it out. Thanks Jesse!
Bloody Magpies...
Fun fact: There´s no polar bears in the region 'Polar Bears' were deployed.
My maternal grandfather was a sergeant in "B" Co. 1/310 . He was from Holland, Michigan and had already fought in France as part of the 1/2nd Engineers, 2nd Infantry Division. The AEF command determined that the green US troops going to Russia needed some seasoned combat veterans to "stiffen" the 1/310th and the 339th Infantry Regt.
The Canadian detachment earned his undying affection. Several of the Canadians from Windsor, Ontario became his lifelong friends. One of these fellows, I think he was a policeman, aided my grandfather when he became a gentleman bootlegger in post-war Detroit..
My husband's grandfather was a Polar Bear. While we don't have any letters or journals, we do have his uniform and other pieces were recently donated to the Michigan History Museum where they can be preserved for others.
My grandfather was a Polar Bear. 337th Field Hospital.
There is a book, History of the American Expedition Fighting the Bolsheviks: U.S. Military Intervention in Soviet Russia 1918-1919 by Joel Moore and my great great grandfather Lewis Jahns
I really hope you do a full episode on Nestor Makhno. That story is way too underplayed and I hardly know anything about it.
We really, really want to. But apart from a handful of pictures, it's really hard to find visual material of him and his troops.
Interesting I’m an American and I never knew our soldiers fought in Russia, thank you for a detailed video! Keep up the Great work
If you found this interesting you should definitely look up American/European intervention in China during the boxer rebellion! It's not WW1 related, it's a bit earlier but still interesting history!
Thank you I definitely will
No wonder you never heard about americans and europeans literally invading soviet russia, that would almost make them look less evil than the Pentagon said...
@@Argacyan I don't know, tens of millions dead by the hand of stalin seems pretty evil to me
@@Argacyan I don't know, tens of millions dead by the hand of stalin seems pretty evil to me
Just recently subscribed. WW1 was a century ago. Being born during the Truman administration most history I heard of was obviously WW2 and after. I do find your presentations interesting and informative. Thank you
Welcome to the show!
I didn't know Canadians were involved in the fight against the Soviets.
The only mention in text books about WW1 for Canada is Vimy Ridge.
Lol the war is over this isn't ww1 anymore
Yeah, we focus on Vimy a lot for its symbolic value. But other battles (like the crossing of the Canal du Nord in 1918) were actually more important military victories. Check out historian Tim Cook's book on Vimy for the whole story of how it became Canada's symbol of WW1.
Texts books are lies
America for America first? Sounds familiar...
TheRedBaron yea it’s been used by isolationist, Republican and Democrat, since WW1.
Every man a king,share the wealth.
Maybe it had to do with Russia stabbing it's allies in the back.
@@bushwhakked When did they stabb their allies in the back?
@@mojewjewjew4420 When it signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany.
And then americans ask why all these tensions between western nations and the russians have taking place in modern politics... it's like the russians should forget about all the interventions on their land, during the civil war supported strongly by European countries, Japan and the US.
Strongly agree man. Most peoples understanding nowadays totally ahistorical. Back then they understood as much as they can that's why the were sympathetic or didn't want to get involved in Russia because its hypocritical and they were decent folks.
Imp Avg Jvl Div Max It's really been going on long before that though. Before the Americans even existed for that matter.
@@themostextrordenaryconvolu3406 True they were separated by the Khans from the rest of Europe for a long time so they are seen as non European despite Russia trying to be more like them for a time.
Omar Constantin Yep, its a pretty interesting and sad situation when one looks into it.
you are absolutely right
Most interesting and informative episode on this so called Polar Bear Expedition and a subject we don't get to hear about very often...Enjoyed learning about it,will now look into it in more detail,👌👍
It is a bitter topic that was forgotten sadly with effects still going on after 100 years.
So the Allied "plan" is to attack a motivated and popular movement with no general strategy in harsh environments.
Let me know how that works out for you.
We.... just.... watched how that worked out for them.....
jackson macpherson it’s not to attack it’s just to carve out a sphere around the port for the white army to do operations. There was a plan, but it wasn’t a very appealing one to the troops stationed there. They were told they were going to fight the communists but they were were really going to fight the communists for a couple of days and then just hold arctic territory the Bolshevik’s didnt care about taking right away, but nonetheless was extremely important. This meant the entire operation was “hurry up and wait”. This wasn’t a flaw, it’s just that the white army was pretty fucked and controlled almost no useful land
@@TheLocalLt the " white army " didn't stood a chance, they wasn't even a army as we understanding today, they were two or three generals and a admiral fighting their own separate " wars " like warlords or something with armies of forcibly recruited men, with no real government to back them or simply them...
And the Americans went there because the British made them ..
So considering all above the US troops were like to withdraw with most of their men alive after fighting a lost cause right from the beginning..
Παυλος Χαραλαμπους I dont think I stated anything wrong besides saying “White Army” instead of “White Armies”. The point being that there WAS a British plan, it just wasn’t very exciting and had to be torture and mind-blowing freezing boredom not knowing what was coming. The OP was implying that the British were trying to overthrew the reds, when in fact they were merely holding ports open for the whites and just repelling red attacks.
@@TheLocalLt that's my point it was a bad idea right from the beginning
Fun fact: The American soldiers deployed to Archangel were equiped with Mosin-Nagant rifles. This was because the 7.62x54 round was very common in Russia and much lessoned the supply burden. Also goverment had about 500,000 rifles produced by Remington and Westinghouse for the Russian imperial government which failed to deliver before the revolution and the government had to buy at least Remington out
The soliders on the thumbnail carry them.
Yes, this is true. I own and shoot a few of these rifles and they are what they are and a bit of an acquired taste. From what I have read, the soldiers mostly trained with M1903 and M1917 rifles and this change occurred at short notice and they had little time to train with the Mosin Nagant M1891 rifle before they departed. Most soldiers were not really pleased about the switch as they preferred the other rifles. Logistically it made sense and these rifles certainly did perform in the harsh Russian winters.
My maternal grandfather, Nestor Homer Provencher, was a member of the Polar Bear Expedition. In 1972, only months before he died, I asked him what happened to him when the Armistice was signed in 1918 (he had been in France). His terse answer: "They sent us to fight the Bolsheviks."
My Great Grand Father was there as well.
@@donjenkins8430 Was he from Michigan? My grandfather was born in Escanaba, Michigan, but had lived for many years in Ontario. He evidently had kept his US citizenship and when Washington entered the war in 1917 he went to Camp Custer to enlist.
@@rrozoff1 No. He was one of the few who was not a Michigander though he did spend some time at Fort Custer prior to heading over.
My grandfather served with the Polar Bears in Russia.
He was from Sault Ste. Marie. He shared stories of the conflict. He fought in the great war to end all wars. His son, my father, would fight in the next world war, he landed on Omaha Beach; D-Day+1 with the second division( the Indianhead division).
Years later they would share their stories with me as a young boy.
RIP to all.
The US, Britain and Japan despicably, taking advantage of Russia's weakness due to the revolution, invaded. All they did was kill countless civilians and rob the resource rich far east.
@@Anonymous-qj3sf Путин платит вам рублями или криптовалютой, чтобы вы троллили мир?
@@timmyeades7908What kind of trolling are you talking about? It's true. Read on the Internet
From what I've read, when America finally recognized the Soviet Union as a country, Stalin approved for the graves of the Polar Bear Expedition to be repatriated to America, if the graves were still identified at that time.
Another excellent show on the complicated situation in 1918-1919 Russia and geopolitical-international forces and their interventions. May I suggest that you examine the activities of the Czech Legion and their capture of the Czar's gold. How that came about, how much gold and wealth was involved, how foreign powers (especially America) acted to ensure the gold got out of Russia (by keeping the trans-Siberian railway open), how much ended up in Czechoslovakia, how much in America or elsewhere. Keep up the good work.
I like what you add at the end of each presentation, the “what’s going on in other parts of the world” section. Seemingly unrelated, the section actually put the thesis in perspective. Great job!
"Americans didn't wanted to fight Bolsheviks so far from home" Yeah I am sure they thought otherwise during cold war.
Strange but true, on your maps I don't see the flag of Finland, which invaded the RSFSR in 1919, Finland officially declared war on the RSFSR on May 15, 1919.
I Think you Guys should change your name because it’s not about WW I anymore but a 100 year history channel
World War One didn't end until the Treaty of Versailles with Germany on 28 June 1919.
@@mcmax571 Well and some people call the WW1 to WW2 one big war ...
Well they still have there we1 videos out
My great grandfather was a polar bear because of his Norwegian roots. After the war, they went to go home. Their ship was frozen in the harbor. He was wounded in the leg. He was sent to a hospital in England of all places. He married his nurse.
Just like Desmond Doss
I never knew there was such an expedition! Again I learnt something new today! A day well spent 💕
My Grandpa was a Polar Bear out of Coldwater, Michigan. 337th. Fort Custer, Battle Creek.
THE USA NEVER WANTS THE WORLD TO KNOW WHEN IT LOSSES A BATTLE OR WAR.
History of the American Expedition Fighting the Bolsheviks: U.S. Military Intervention in Soviet Russia 1918-1919
I another reason to despise Woodrow Wilson
And there's still so many more...
Fun fact, Australia earned 2 Victoria Crosses in the Russian Civil War as part of the NRRF
Do a special video on the German Beskidenkorps that saved the Austrians bacon in the Carpathian Mountains in 1915. That would be really interesting.
There has been an indie Michigan movie of the Polar Bears. My friend was in it.
There's also a monument in Detroit for the men who returned and those that didn't.
Dude! That desk of your's is AWESOME...I WANT ONE!
America intervening other nation's civil war? That's nonsense! XD
boutta topple a government and establish a puppet one with the boys 😂
The Russian government itself asked for it. It was a communist uprising. Communists killed everyone who had money
those people were in desperate need of some FREEDOM
@@dudeone7332 Well, it's pretty one-sided look. The provisional government did not have support among the population, especially after it became clear that the war would continue and people would continue to be processed for stuffing to enrich a handful of capitalists.
And of course - they did not want to part with their wealth, so they asked for help from the West, and West was happy to help - thought it would be easy to put down the Reds and set up a puppet government.
@Динара Галимулина Ну теперь у нас Дивный Русский Мир с убогими домами и дорогами. Мир где власть принадлежит олигархам и корпорациям. Расстрелять или послать в ГУЛАГ всех интеллигентов чтобы решить проблемы страны такой себе план. По моему одностороннему мнению простой народ променял одних эксплуататоров на других.
One of America's forgotten wars...
Very forgotten, it makes the Korean War seem rememberable
@@itsjustmint5211 the Korean War was a really big war. So was the Russian Civil War although the American involvement was small in comparison to the overall conflict.
Unfortunately, many Americans have a tendency to overlook major wars in history.
Canadians and Americans swapped personalities there Hahahah
Very comprehensive coverage of events all around the world. Great work guys!
Thank you.
No mention is made of Herbert Hoover's American Relief Administration food relief effort, which saved millions of lives. The British did not do that much, in fact it was their blockade that caused the problem. The blockade lasted for several years after the armistice was signed on 11/11/18.
And the blockade was illegal. Should have searched ships for contraband and then let ships through with food and first aid stuff...but no. So that's why Germany sent the subs to sink ships going to Britain...only way to fight back
Really loving the new intro, I just love this era so much, so many interesting events
Lotsa really subtle l Soviet style re-regurgitated verbage here...twisting comments to support anti-Capitalism, etc., etc., and contrived equivalency where none should exist.
Reality does look skewed when viewed through the prism of anticommunist bullshit.
I LIKE JESSE MORE AND MORE WITH EACH NEW EPISODE!
Thanks, I appreciate that!
Woodrow Wilson being a non-interventionist... That's a joke right?
Indeed, he did not want to militarily intervene for sure. However, he planned to economically assist the various independent governments with Russia so that a "legal government" could ultimately be established by the Russians as Wilson "did not want to interfere into the Russian affairs".
It was not an intervention, but it was a direct non-physical interference underlined by "watchful vigilance" to alienate the Bolsheviks
I have been a long time viewer and I really appreciate this channel and all of the videos on it, but more so this one as my great grandfather was a Polar Bear. I am very happy that the Polar Bears are finally receiving some attention from the wonderful community of Great War historians. I also very much appreciated the unit photo that was included in the video as we had the unit photo that my great grandfather was in up on our wall when I was growing up. Thank you, and keep up the good work!
American intervention in Russia?! Only History (and the Great War Channel) dares to talk about such an eventuality that nobody nowadays could even suspect. Great episode Jesse Alexander, cheers!
Thanks!
I had heard of this expedition. But knew very little about it. Glad to know more. Nice job.
Thank you for something I hadn’t heard about before :-)
Not much has changed in the past 100 years.
Yet few see it
Error at 2:58. The name of the US Army Chief of Staff--It's PEyton March not Payton March. Most commonly referred to with his middle initial, he'd be General Peyton C. March (source History of the World War, 1919, Francis A. March--his brother).
Americans found out just fifteen years later as to why Bolshevism needed to be stamped out.
Americans have 0 moral standing in the world as an empire that has bases worldwide, higher prison population than Communist China and the highest income disparity of any developed nation.
tunit20 Which affects what he said how?
tunit20 You're a moron. Who cares about the prison population, they commit crimes, they got to jail. And income disparity? Shutup you communist.
@@deprogramm Lol, you have your own 'glorious' American troops telling you they were on the wrong side of this war, it wasn't just the example they showed in this video. They mutinied because they sympathized more with the commies than the Czarists fighting to impose a dead medieval aristocracy and committing anti-jewish pogroms everywhere they went. Everyone in America's prisons has committed a crime? O you sweet summer brainwashed child lol. Indoctrinated until the end, which is coming for your shithole country soon.
The american army not even vaguely knowing why the heck they fought somewhere? Say it ain't so, that one will never happen again, ever, I'm sure of it.
Back in NAM
Your cleverness and wit are beyond reproach...
Right after the war that ended all wars.
Oh, they knew perfectly well why they were there: robbery of a foreign country.
@@alexgainsborough4921 That's why so many of them mutinied or outright said that they were sympathetic to the commies.
Another cracking episode again on an obscure piece of important recent history
As always, informative, enlightening, and fascinating! Glad to be a Patreon supporter! Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks!
Thanks for the support.
Even though the day Mustafa Kemal landed on Samsun, 19th of May, is generally considered as the begining of the Turkish War of Independence and celebrated as a national day it is only a small part of the general National Struggle (Milli Mücadele in Turkish).
Mustafa Kemal was the Inspector of the Ninth Army in the Ottoman Empire at the time and his mission was the quell the tension between Turkish and Pontic Greek militias in the North Central and North Eastern Anatolia, in order to prevent a British intervention that would take it as cause. His authority in the region was vast. All the municipal and central authority's mayors and governors were placed under him and that made him the man whose power second only to the Sultan (and maybe the Grand Vizier Damat Ferit) in the region.
In the time passed since the Armistice of Mudros Mustafa Kemal had tried to reach a peaceful solution that will prevent the division of Anatolia and Eastern Thrace. But the siege of İstanbul from the sea by the Briish Navy and the obvious plan for a Greek invasion by the western Anatolia forced his hand. If the situation was less dire and the division of the Ottoman lands were less imminent (for example British were invaded Mosul for its oil and İskenderun for the logistical purposes even though it was not agreed upon in Mudros) Mustafa Kemal would most likely be contend to be promoted to as the Minister of War (Harbiye Nazırı) in order to force the Ottoman General Assembly and the Sultan to show more backbone in his dealings with the French and British.
But the Sultan Vahdettin's hands were also tied since he was trying to cut the members of the Comittee of Union and Progress (İttihat ve Terakki Fırkası / Young Turks) from the power. The party, once led by Enver Pasha, as you would remember was the primary reason the Ottoman Empire entered the war on the side of the Germans. Enver, Cemal and Talat Pashas were on the run from the Entente but the roots and the institution of the party was strong in Ottoman Government and in order to counter it Vahdettin and perpetually pro-British Damat (Literally means Son-in-Law since he was that to the Sultan) Ferit threw their lot with the British and did everything they ordered in order to appease them, included but not limited to postponing the promotion of Mustafa Kemal (whom the British have already blacklisted) and sidelining him. The Inspectorate of the 9th Army was the part of the plan for the Ottoma authority to push Kemal away from the center of power in the capital. Brits have seen it as a dangerous gambit and wanted Damat Ferit to withold the promotion but Mustafa Kemal, with his victory in Gallipoli campaign and immaculate record had the trust of Sultan and while he was the member of the Union and Progress movement from the start he had many quarrels with the leaders, Enver and Talat being at the top of the list.
Even though Mustafa Kemal's landing on Samsun later named as the start of the War of Independence the struggle had started long before, even the ink on the Mudros Treaty was dry. In Thrace, Western and Eastern Anatolia the sporadic militia movements were sparked. They were also organized by the lower achelon members of the Committee of Union and Progress but they lacked the central direction. Mustafa Kemal with the title of army inspector (much more a powerful title than a full army commander as it gives him the control power over the all the army core in the Eastern and Northern Anatolia) would fill this role.
SPOILER ALERT: I'm sure the channel will cover it in the future but the upcoming Amasya Circular, Erzerum and Sivas Congresses will seem Mustafa Kemal's break from the Ottoman Government (he would even resign from his post in the army but by then the commanders of the several army corps would have been passed their commands directly to him). And at the meantime the sporadic militia, including the parts of the Ottoman Army would be organized under him as the National Forces (Kuva-yi Milliye).
Anyway I couldn't helped myself since it was the 100th anniversary of the Landing on Samsun which we still celebrate as the National Day of Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day and since it has been passed as a footnote I'd like to emphasize why it was so important for the Turkish War of Independence. I hope you will make some episodes (one should not be enough as to cover the whole affair I guess) on the War of Independence in the future. Sorry for the wall-of-text.
Since you seem quite knowledgable on the matter, would you mind getting in touch with us on Facebook? I wanted to pick your brain on something.
I finally know what my Great Grandfather's WWI victory medal was for, with a metal ribbon on the top saying Russia. He was from Michigan and pretty sure now he was in said unit.
You may want to look up Anthony C Sutton lecture or book on Russia
There's a pretty nice memorial in a cemetery nearby that I have seen for the Polar Bear Expedition. Great to get to know the full story in detail.
Love the new history vidio shame i wasn't told about it in my history class. Form the UK. Great vidio
I’ve always loved this channel, keep it up guys!
Thanks, will do.
I can't help but notice the 31st infantry regiment was not mentioned in this video even though they served a pivotal role in this conflict. This is also the conflict in which they earned the nickname "Polar Bears".
Sorry for not mentioning them specifically.
As far as I know they were in eastern Siberia, not North Russia.
From what I found; the AEF Siberia's mission objectives coincided with the AEF North Russia's. One of which was to rescue the Czechoslovak legion stranded along the Trans-Siberian railroad. This may have been a multi-front offensive by the allies to combat the Bolsheviks from the East and from the West. The only reason why I commented is because my old battalion is 4 battalion 31st infantry regiment and I remember they had news clippings of this expedition in our battalion headquarters. Thank you for time and I love your channel.
more justification why americans always avoid being under another nation's command
Anyone think the colorized soldier in the screenshot looks like a young Mark Hamill?
Remember, the Force will always be with you...
If I was the president of the United States back in 1918 I would see if I could send 80,000 US troops to protect the tsar and the Royal Family of Russia
Excellent program, as usual!
My opinion:
The Bolsheviks should have been dealt w/in 1918-20, or possibly in 1945, as was put forth by Patton & Churchill.
Post-WW1 was the best opportunity to do so.
what if it would be a other way around?
@@Loreless ahhhh ... but it wasn't my friend!
✌🏼
1945 would be other way around if they tried.
@@marjanp 😆😆😆😆😆
We had atomic bomb, they wouldn't have it for 3-4 more years ... but it sure makes for an Interesting discussion.
But all of Eastern Europe would not have been for Russia at that time.
🤔✌🏼
Hindsight is 20/20. Likewise can you forecast today what the best strategy in Africa should be, where sporadic terrorist attacks and coups occur?
My grandfather guarded the trans Siberian railroad. Was that part of the Polar Bear Expedition? Can you tell me or point me in the right direction to find out more about what my grandfather's role was in WWI?
Wilson hated Communists! You are wrong about his motives! Read his papers!
Why was a National guard unit used instead of an active Army unit?
Not a National Guard unit but a wartime unit of conscripts who had the status of Reservists. War time units were still organized in those days along regional lines.
All the books I read about this expedition called it 'Archangel' not 'Arkhangelsk.' Took me a second to realize it was the same city
Probably the most correct would be to spell the name of this city as - Archangelsk, because this name is derived from the word - Archangel. But western barbarians don't care about that.
How was the intervention seen by the public?
Did people look at it like we look at current interventions like Mali (as in, most folk don't know or don't think about it l?
In Michigan they have a section of a museum to the polar bears because some of them were from michigan
Another great episode!
This is a outstanding channel. Thank you for your time.
An intervention where Wilson is the voice of reason? Damn that's wierd
This is something that is rarely talked about in history classes. Many never even knew Americans had been in Russia during their revolution.
"I'm 9/10 a Bolshevick myself." -US soldier
Me to comrade.
Funny how seeing the "heroic," proto-fascistic White army with their anti-Jewish pogroms and their terrorism of the peasantry in the name of medieval feudal aristocracy does that to a person. It's almost like the Reds won because they weren't the most hated side by a majority of people, not that most Americans will believe it even with an American soldier who had been there and seen the reality on the ground telling them so. Such is the intensity of anti-communist propaganda in America. It's basically a more important part of their state religion than anything about Jesus or helping the poor (which half of them think is commie bs anyway lol).
They had a plan, scheme and purpose there. Why else would they be there ;).
The Russian Civil War was very important yet completely glossed over in American education. I think you could argue that the real and perceived brutality of the Reds created the foundation for anti-communist policy for years to come.
The foundation of anti-communist policy was always the fear of the American business community that communists strengthened the union movement (true) which cut into their profits. This was always the reason for anti-communist policy not some exaggerated atrocities half the world away in a war where the White atrocities outweighed the Reds many times over. It was always about business and profit, never about lives or rights or anything so sentimental.
The Siberian Expedition is even more forgotten about. I bet ten times the books exist on the North Russia one. Probably because most of the Polar Bears were from Michigan, so they advocated together. The guys in Siberia were more from throughout the country, so no central focus, either at the time pushing for withdrawal...or in later books written about them
My great grandfather was a doctor (MD) in the 339th in Russia with the rank of Lieutenant.
Respect!
Germany’s peace terms.
On December 23, 1917, the day after the first session of the preliminary Brest-Litovsk Peace Conference, representatives of Great
Britain and France met in Paris and secretly concluded an agreement to dismember Soviet Russia. The agreement was entitled
L’Accord Français-Anglais du 23 Décembre, 1917, définissant les
zones d’action françaises et anglaises. According to its terms, England was to receive a “zone of influence” in Russia, giving her the
oil of the Caucasus and control of the Baltic provinces; France a
“zone” giving her the iron and coal of the Donets Basin and control
of the Crimea.
This secret Anglo-French treaty inevitably shaped the policy
these two nations were to pursue towards Russia throughout the
next several years.
Omg I saw the notification and it cut off the last few words and I thought this was breaking news and YALL CANT BE DOING O THAT TO PEOPLE ;-;
I am absolutely LOVING the new content this channel has been producing this year. Thank you all so much for all the hard work you guys have put into continuing to produce amazing content covering the post-war period. It's absolutely fascinating! Wishing you guys and the channel the best of luck in all your future endeavors! Keep up the great work TGW!!!
Thanks!
2:52 Julian Assange undercover for Wikileaks.
incentive should've been to seize Sakhalin Island and Kamchatka Peninsula to go with Alaska, then eventually give it to Japan to buy east asian ally status
This is heavy in American propaganda “didn’t join for ideological reasons…joined to help Britain and France”
My Great Granduncle Francis 'Frank' McDonald, originally from rural Sanilac County, MI, was a Private who served in Company M of the 339th. I have no physical mementos of his service save one of his Army portraits from before he was shipped out to Archangelsk. He endured that awful deployment for about 11 months, and it had been so hard on him, that he took isolated jobs in far-flung parts of northern Michigan for a number of years before he finally reconciled himself with things he experienced there and returned to familiar farm country nearer where he grew up. Eventually he married. I have yet to see the Polar Bear memorial or visit the Regiment's museum (in Frankenmuth I think?), but having myself lived many years away from that same area in Michigan because I lived where the Air Force sent me, I look forward one day to visiting both those places when I get back to Michigan.
So there WAS a hot conflict between Soviet Russia and America after all
1:28 what does US intervention in Russian Civil War have to do with self determination? The Soviets did not not respect other's self determination
I like the new guy.
I had never heard of this.
I wished you focused a bit more on the various mutinies. They are very telling of the soldier's frustrations.
I am proud that my people were able to resist the world system
My great uncle was Silver Parrish..Thank you for providing this insight into history.
I learned about this little known piece of history while researching where my great grandfather’s units fought. I saw Russia. I became confused wondering if it was a typo. Then I learned about this. It is something no one I spoke to knew about. After the armistice his unit was moved to Russia.
Anyone else think that Woodrow Wilson bears a striking resemblence to the late Rev. Ian Paisley?
Could they perhaps be related?😅
(Private Eye reference.)
Again a very interesting episode! To be honest, I have never heard off the Polar Bear expedition, until now.
Quick question: What's the piece of music called at 8:30? I'm really fascinated by it
Awesome content, excellent overview of the complex interlocking factors. I don't really buy that the Americans were just there because the British and French asked them to be there. That certainly wouldn't explain why the USA and USSR jointly opposed Britain and France in the Suez crisis. Seems likely to me the US was there for the same reason all the other foreign powers were. I think the Soviet historians are right on this one.
I liked your video. I learned alot about the 1919 Expedition.
All those US soldiers sad because they can’t hug those polar bears ever again