Page:Albert Beaumont - Heroic Story of the Czecho-Slovak Legions - 1919.djvu/67



MILAN, March 30.

The battle of Bakmatch, fought between March 10 and 13, delivered the Czecho-Slovaks from all danger of pursuit by the Germans and Austrians, but from that moment new troubles began with the Bolshevik commanders, and eventually with the Bolshevik Government at Petrograd and Moscow. The Czecho-Slovak troops got into armed conflict with the Bolsheviks at various smaller stations, and it was evident that before long and open rupture with the Bolshevik Government would follow. The culminating point was reached by the incidents at Cheliabinsk, which mark the next turningpoint in the famous retreat, and resulted in the extraordinary situation of the Czecho-Slovaks having to fight for the possession of the whole of Siberia before they could continue their retreat. Captain “S“ resumed his story as follows:

For two weeks our Army kept moving eastward with comparative little opposition. But then the difficulties again commenced. These were due, perhaps, to a variety of causes. The Germans, after their defeat at Bakmatch, were not likely to give up their idea of worrying us, and most probably decided to obtain by negotiations and pressure on the Bolshevik Government of Lenin and Trotsky what they had not been able to obtain by force of arms. Lenin and Trotsky, perhaps, also became alarmed at the exaggerated reports of our numbers and the huge war material in our possession or under our control. They knew also, that in our hearts we were not favourable to the Bolshevik policy of anarchy and destruction, and might at any time join conservative or reactionary Russian elements. To this extent we would not have gone at that time, as our guiding principle was not to interfere in the internal affairs of Russia. Local commanders, either with or without direct orders, assumed an attitude of suspicion. 5*