When Canada Invaded the Soviet Union

Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force

Yes, thousands of Canadian troops invaded the Soviet Union. As did U.S. armed forces. And it wasn't just to protect some seal cubs. It's an event some people don't like to talk about, so you probably never heard about it. First, some tedious background information (with a few surprises):

You've all heard about how the Bolsheviks in Russia overthrew Tsar Nicolas II during the October Revolution in 1917 and immediately established the first Communist government under the auspices of the new Soviet Union. Well, you've been misinformed; that's not what happened.

Tsar Nicolas II

The Russian Revolution of 1905

Did you know that there was a Russian Revolution 12 years earlier? In 1905, there was great unrest against the imperial government throughout society. The most infamous event of the revolution occurred when protesters marched on the tsar's palace in St. Petersburg, and his guards opened fire, killing hundreds. Tsar Nicolas II eventually was forced to sign an agreement to greatly curtail his powers. However, in 1907 he dissolved the elected government body. Between 1906-1909, the government executed as many as 5,000 people, while anti-government terrorists killed or wounded over 15,000.

Georgy Lvov

The February Revolution (1917)

Did you know that the tsar was not toppled by the Bolsheviks? He was deposed by yet another revolution that preceded the October Revolution.

By the beginning of 1917, Russian casualties in World War I battles topped the 6-million mark. There were food shortages, financial collapse, and social unrest everywhere. Tsar Nicolas II finally abdicated on 15 March 1917 (the Ides of March), and was placed under house arrest. Was he arrested by the Bolsheviks? No, they had nothing to do with it.

Alexander Kerensky

These events that happened in March 1917 are known as the February Revolution. But let's not get picky about the month; it has something to do with how the Russian calendar is different than what the rest of the world uses. The Provisional Government took over power, under the leadership of Prince Georgy Lvov (not related to the tsar) and various political party leaders. Meanwhile, some guy named Vladimir Lenin returned from exile, but the new government issued an arrest warrant, and he fled to Finland. In July, socialist Alexander Kerensky became the new prime minister, and in September he proclaimed the establishment of the Russian Republic. So, those of you who were under the impression that the Bolsheviks overthrew the tsar and established the Soviet Union just got it all wrong. Between March-October 1917, the tsarist regime had been replaced by a provisional government and then the country became a republic, not a soviet state.



Vladimir Lenin

The October Revolution (1917)

But the republic did not last very long. On 7 November, Lenin's Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Palace and took over the reins of power. This event in November is known as the October Revolution. Hey, I'm just reporting the facts. The Bolsheviks created the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. However, even that would not yet be a viable nation because of what followed.

The Russian Civil War (1917-1923)

The Bolshevik seizure of power in November 1917 was resisted by many other factions, and a civil war broke out that resulted in the deaths of over 2 million through violence. A typhoid outbreak (1920) and a famine (1921) resulted in an additional 8 million deaths. Fighting occurred throughout the country for 6 years, but I won't go into details, because I want to get to the good part. The part about the Canadians.

The Entente Intervention (1918-1923)

The Russian Civil War waged even as World War I continued unabated. The Bolsheviks withdrew Russia from the war in December 1917, which was a great concern to the Entente powers, Russia's allies in the war. The Entente nations also had a general fear of the Bolsheviks. Therefore, in 1918 a number of foreign countries decided to intervene in the civil war on the side against the Bolsheviks. The Japanese used over 70,000 troops in the Far East to control large areas of land. About a dozen other countries sent about 168,000 troops to hold ports and other cities. In the Arkhangelsk and Vladivostok regions, Canada stationed over 4,000 troops, and the United States added another 13,000. American forces left the Soviet Union in 1920. During their 19 months in Siberia, 189 soldiers of the American Expeditionary Force Siberia died from all causes. The smaller American North Russia Expeditionary Force experienced 235 deaths from all causes during their 9 months of fighting near Arkhangelsk. The Canadians lost 14 soldiers from the Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force.

Somehow, the Bolsheviks were able to withstand the pressure of the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires in the west, defeat all political adversaries and their armed forces, and repulse the intervention by 14 foreign countries. By 1923, the Communists were in full control, and the rest is history. However, for the next 70 years, the USSR kept a wary eye across the Arctic on Canada, lest the feisty Canadian hordes decided to invade once again.

American Expeditionary Force Siberia