25th Annual Student Research Conference
Polar Bears and Communists: Why the U.S. Invaded Russia in 1918
Andrew J. Peake
Dr. Kathryn Brammall, Faculty Mentor
Following the 1917 October Revolution, Russia quickly exited from World War I, thus collapsing the Eastern Front. In an effort to secure the troops and supplies still in Russia and to combat the Bolsheviks, an Allied force invaded in 1918. As part of this, the United States sent nearly 13,000 troops into northern and eastern Russia. From the onset, the military effort was hampered by a lack any coherent strategy, thus leading to general confusion among troops. This paper explores both the various reasons behind the ill-fated invasion and the reasons that no overarching goals were ever properly articulated. In doing so, this paper will rely on the documents and memoirs of the soldiers involved in the conflict, as well as government documents that illuminate the positions of high-ranking U.S. policy makers.
Keywords: United States, Russia, World War I, October Revolution, Invasion, Communism
Topic(s):History Senior Seminar
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 103-1
Location: VH 1236
Time: 8:00