Terrence C. Casey
Abstract: In the spring of 1918, the situation for the allied governments was looking incredibly dim. It was not only unclear that the war would be over that November; it was unclear that the Allies would win. Anything that could ameliorate the pressure on the western front, even minutely, was viewed as a ray of hope in the darkness. The allied intervention in Russia was born in an attempt to reestablish the eastern front, retrieve supplies which the Allies had sent there, and aid the rescue of the Czech Legion. Contrary to Russian historical interpretation, the intervention did not begin as, nor did it thoroughly evolve into a concerted effort by the Allies to crush Soviet power. This article analyzes the circumstances leading up to the Allied invasion of Russia. By pointing to the conditions that forced the hand of the Allied leaders, the piece helps uncover the truth behind the often-criticized invasion, and cites evidence to support the United States’ decision to intervene against Germany and ultimately against the Soviet Union.
Keywords: Murmansk, Archangel, WWI, Russia, Civil War, Soviet, 1918, Allies, United States
