The solution for the problem of the transportation of the first Czechoslovak transports to France (second half of 1917 — the beginning of 1918)

Abstract

The article is concerned with the history of organization and transportation of the first two Czechoslovak echelons from Russia to France. It is aimed at tracing the idea of sending of a part of Czech and Slovak prisoners of war to the Western front. This intention was for the first time expressed by leaders of the Czechoslovak National Council founded in Paris in February 1916. This decision appeared in connection with the shortage of soldiers in the French army and of workers in the war industry of the Third Republic. In this respect, the research touches upon the basic aspects of the negotiations conducted by J. Dürich, M. R. Štefánik and T. G. Masaryk with the Russian governmental and military institutions. The article also dwells on the preparation of departure of these Czechoslovak units by the northern route - via Arkhangelsk and Murmansk and the cooperation between the Branch of the Czechoslovak National Council and the French military missions in Russia in supplying for the volunteers. The article is based on the documents from the collections of the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire, Russian State Historical Archive, Military Central Archive of Czech Republic and published materials.