Question On WW1?

Question

I was reading a book "The Price of Glory" it mentions that there were Russians fighiting for the French on the West Front. However they were massacred by the French when the Czar was overthrown. Does any one have any information regarding this incident? I was unable to find anything on the 'Net. Thanks a Bunch.

Ok, I am confused now. Were they or were they not? The book that I mention makes a brief mention of the "massacre" Where can I find the Truth or the next best thing?

"The Price of Glory" By Alistar Horne. This is the book that I mention. I am trying to find the refrence again, However it is during the general muitiny of the French Army after a costly offesive went noware that this was supposed to have occured.

Thanks for the Information on the book, I will check it out, thanks.

Answer 1

It is partially right.

20 000 Russian voluntary soldiers were sent on the western front to fight the Germans aside the French.
In 1917, the Revolution happened in Petrograd and the Czar executed.
Quite simultaneously there were engaged in a huge battle and lost a lot of them. As a lot of French, they began a mutiny, claiming to go back to Russia.
The impact of this mutiny on the french troops moral has been very bad seen by the French government, that's why they decided to move them out of the front, in central France.
A part of those Russian were loyal to the French, the other was demonstrating for a come-back in Russia. Finally, these two parts fought against each other in September 1917, the french soldiers just observing. Officially, just 9 Russians lost their lives, but it appears it could be around 100.

A little later, the French government offered them either to travel back to communist Russia, or to stay in France to work or to serve in the french African colonies. Lot of those who stayed in France later fought against the communism in their lost country.

you have an Internet site about this history. Sorry, it is in french, but you have photos of those soldiers.

http://mapage.noos.fr/giloux/accueil.htm

Answer 2

I just finished reading this book over Christmas and recall the incident you are mentioning (although I can't give you chapter or page to help you out!).

I did some poking on the web and did find this website, which has several links. If you can read French, you will apparently find a lot more information from the links on this site, but there is also reference to a book you can look up for more details.

("There has been a very good book published which gives a very full account of this sad episode. "With snow on their boots", The tragic odyssey of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France during World War 1, Jamie H Cockfield, St Martin's Griffin, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10010, 1997, ISBN 0 312 22082 0 [paper] ISBN 0 312 17356 3 [cloth]")

Hope this little bit of info helps.

Answer 3

1917 was a bad year. It's not that hard to explore any book of the time to find out what happened... but, jokes aside, it was a year which frightened the world.

And then, of course, France fell apart some years' later.

However, the Russian court spoke French. Les Francais always had a problem with that particular notion: barbarians do not speak or understand French.

Which gets us to the 'nub'. Yes it happened and no, the French deny same.

Paul

Answer 4

No they weren't "massacred by the French". They were allowed to stay on the western front, or return to Russia. Many chose to stay in France, and their descendants became vociferous opponents of the Bolshevik regime. Those who returned to Russia, they were massacred-by the Bolsheviks.
Many of the Russians living in Paris are descended from these Tsarist soldiers.

Answer 5

sorry i wasn't born at that time.....