Frequently Asked Questions...
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Q:What was the Czech & Slovak Legion?A:The Legion was created from ethnic Czech’s and Slovak’s who had deserted their conscripted military service in the Austro-Hungarian Empire during WWI. They had surrendered to Russian Tsarist forces across enemy lines. These POW’s begged and were finally granted permission to fight against their former rulers with the promise of support for the creation of a Czech and Slovak homeland at the end of the war. Their expertise on the battle field led to the formation of the Legion in Siberia and helped to establish the new state of Czechoslovakia in 1918.
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Q:How many members of the Legion made it home?A:This is one of the most controversial and difficult questions to answer about the Legion due to the chaos of their evacuation. Published reports range from 30,000 to 100,000. The Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic are currently compiling lists of these soldiers and their final disposition.
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