Ukraine on Fire, The - French Debacle at Odessa, 1919

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If there was ever a military disaster that had been ill-conceived, misunderstood and mis-guided by attitude, it was the French and Greek intervention into the Russian Civil War.

France agreed to become involved only to gain a colony, to disarm the Germans, and the Ukraine was then, and still is, a rich economic area of Russia. For France, they did not arrive to free the Ukrainians from the Bolshevik or others, but to colonize them and profit from the area. But France did not want a bloody mess, so they enlisted the Greek soldiers to do the fighting and their own troops more as a garrison. It was hoped fighting would be limited once the German soldiers in the area were disarmed and sent home.

The superiority attitude of the French in the Ukraine was quickly understood and hated by the White Russians, local population and Greek soldier. Within a short time after their arrival at Odessa, the French soldier was greatly disliked by all. The White Russians in the Ukraine had thought the French and Greeks had arrived to liberate them and help them create a new non-bolshevik state. It was hoped they would assist with rebuilding and defense. This was not the French plan. This eventually set the Ukraine on fire!

The battle raged as France sent the Greeks and some French troops, tanks to secure objectives to insure success of its mission, deep into the hinterland away from Odessa. Strung out, poorly led, with no sense of urgency, the Red forces gathered and struck at Berezoka nearly trapping the Greeks and forcing a retreat. From this point on, the Ukraine was on fire! It was March 1919.