History 03/01/20 Which the Russians fought against the Soviet military in Vietnam
do Not think that confronting the Russian “Reds” and “whites” ended with the end of the Civil war, even in the second half of the XX century was the struggle, at least — on the part of the Russians, or more precisely, their children and grandchildren.
the Russian Diaspora of the USA and Australia
In the United States of America were very numerous Russian white emigre community, to cultivate love for mother Russia and the hatred of the “depressing her to the Bolsheviks.” In the same spirit, brought up the younger generation. Therefore, when the United States was involved in the war in Vietnam (1964 – 1973), young Russian-Americans went into the jungles not only as conscripts, but as volunteers to fight against communism.
Motivation is increased when it became known that on the side of North Vietnam fight the Soviet professionals as officers and soldiers. Soviet troops in Vietnam reached 10 thousand people compared to 2.5 million soldiers of the U.S. army, passed through the Vietnamese jungle. How many Russian wore an American military uniform, is not known — just nobody kept such statistics, and there was not a single historian who has attended to the study of this side of the Vietnam war.
Also unclear the loss of Russian Americans, although Russian white emigre Newspapers and journals published several obituaries to those who fell in Vietnam for the sons of prominent figures into exile. Among the names were Russian, Cossack and Kalmyk, even, but can all easily be written in “Russian”, as it is still made in the USA, where the so-called all and any immigrants from Russia and the former Soviet Union.
in Fairness, the Russian community in the United States was presented not only with the Russians, but descendants of those who went overseas in search of a better life during the Russian Empire. Anyway, among the Russian volunteers in the army of the United States was the ones who deserve nogrady for military valor. For example, Konstantin Sidamon-Eristov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tolstoy Foundation, was awarded a Bronze star. Russian Americans fought in the infantry, aviation, including helicopter, river boat, served as snipers and tank crews. It is possible that they had to engage in direct clash with the Russian Soviet troops in Vietnam.
the Unexpected is the presence of Russian in the Australian and new Zealand units in Vietnam. Here the story is that in 1950 the whole mainland China was occupied by the Communist troops of Mao Zedong, forcing the white Russians living in Harbin and other cities since the twenties, to find another refuge. New home found under the sky of Australia and New Zealand. The contingent was not only conscripts, but volunteers.
They fought not for their country
However, the first Russian on the opponents side of North Vietnam began in the fifties of the former Soviet spy — defector Nikolay Khokhlov, member of the great Patriotic war. On the instructions of the CIA, he held a post of the adviser of the President of South Vietnam and was preparing for “commando”.
the Participation of Russian Americans in the Vietnam war is dedicated at least one feature film: “the deer Hunter” of Michael Cimino. But the Russian Australians left documentary memories. They served mainly in Australian battalion and the 1st Australian group, rank and file, sergeants and officers (up to captain), recalls Eugene Konashenko, who supply the Australian helicopter parts, stationed in Vietnam. Alexander Ilyin, whose two grandfathers were officers of the Imperial Russian army, told me that in Vietnam there was virtually no front line as such, guerrillas and saboteurs could open fire not only in the jungle but in the city streets. There were many ingenious and cruel traps, once in which a soldier had died a painful death.
whatever it was, Russian participation in the Vietnam war against North Vietnam and Soviet contingent awaits its researchers.
Konstantin Baranovsky
Source:
© Russian Seven
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