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Informationen zum Autor David Bullock holds a PhD in European Military History and has been an officer in the U.S. Air Force. Currently, he writes official histories as a military historian for the Department of Defense and is an adjunct Associate Professor at Colorado Technical University, Colorado Springs. Ramiro Bujeiro has become a frequent and popular contributor to Osprey since illustrating Warrior 23: US Marine in Vietnam 1965–73 (1998). He is an experienced commercial artist who lives and works in his native city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. His professional background includes commissions as a figure illustrator and strip cartoonist for clients all over Europe, the Americas and in Great Britain. His main interests are the political and military history of Europe in the first half of the 20th century. Klappentext The Czech Legion was not just a single military unit, but a volunteer army that fielded up to 100,000 troops on the Allied side on all three main fronts of the war. Since only the defeat of Austro-Hungary and Germany offered any hope for Czech national independence, they were amongst the most motivated and steadfast of the Allied forces. After the Bolshevik Revolution, they fought their way across Russia, captured the Russian national gold reserves and used this as a bargaining chip to force the Bolsheviks to allow them to return home. Today the Legion is recognised as the founding fathers of Czech nationhood. This very colourful force of World War I has never before been detailed in English and is illustrated with an astonishing array of never-before-published photographs.The Czech Legion is one of the great forgotten forces of World War I, which served courageously on three fronts and subsequently fought for Czech independence. Zusammenfassung The Czech Legion was not just a single military unit, but a volunteer army that fielded up to 100,000 troops on the Allied side on all three main fronts of the war. Since only the defeat of Austro-Hungary and Germany offered any hope for Czech national independence, they were amongst the most motivated and steadfast of the Allied forces. After the Bolshevik Revolution, they fought their way across Russia, captured the Russian national gold reserves and used this as a bargaining chip to force the Bolsheviks to allow them to return home. Today the Legion is recognised as the founding fathers of Czech nationhood. This very colourful force of World War I has never before been detailed in English and is illustrated with an astonishing array of never-before-published photographs. Inhaltsverzeichnis Historical background - the Czech independence movement in the Austro-Hungarian Empire Czech troops in the Austro-Hungarian Army Recruitment of Czech volunteers, and Czech former Austro-Hungarian prisoners, by the Allied (Entente) Powers Czech Legion in France Czech Legion in Italy Czech Legion in Russian The long journey home Aftermath: nationhood - betrayal - occupation and persecution Uniforms, insignia, weapons and equipment ...