In the autumn of 2003, the Russian Duma passed a new law regarding the pensions and benefits to be received by veterans of the Soviet military. As is so often the case, the details of the legislation gave away much more information than the Russian government might have wanted to see released. One of the appendixes to the legislation contained a list of “States, Cities, Territories and Periods of Warfare with Participation of Citizens of the Russian Federation.”
The Appendix is a fascinating view of some of the activities that the Soviets were up to, and includes several conflicts that have escaped our knowledge entirely. The Soviets did place a lot of their military personnel forward in and among client states and, more interestingly, within insurgent movements that were of interest to the Politburo. Some of these personnel were training officers or technical specialists, others may have been members of the Soviet special forces – the Spetsnaz, or from the furtive military intelligence organization the GRU. The conflicts from which existing survivors are to receive benefits include:
Civil War (1918 to 1922). This was the conflict in which the Bolshevik Party secured its own power after their coup in November 1917 and extended their rule across most of the former Tsarist Empire. Although the ‘Whites’ were largely defeated in 1920, it took some time before Lenin felt confident enough to retake the Ukraine and some of the Transcaucasus regions.
Polish War (1920). This was the invasion of Poland – seemingly as a first step to spreading the revolution to Europe by armed invasion. The Poles fought with considerable valor and stopped the invasion short of Warsaw, thus preserving peace inside Europe for another 20 years – a debt that has long been forgotten.
Liquidation of Basmachi (1922 to 1931). The Muslims of Central Asia had less tolerance for Communism than they did for the Tsar. It took a long time for the Soviets to subdue resistance to the imposition of their rule among the Central Asia Muslims. The rebels were indeed ‘liquidated’– to a man.
Spanish War (1936-1939). Soviet advisors, pilots, technicians and political personnel propped up the doomed Republic against Franco’s Nationalists and their German and Italian allies. History remembers the Luftwaffe’s Kondor Legion in Spain, but tends to forget that Soviet manned fighters and bombers were often pitted against it.
Lake Hasan Conflict (1938). This was one of several incidents where Soviet military and Border troops engaged in open battle with Japanese troops along the Siberian-Manchurian frontier.
Halhin-Gol Conflict (1939). After the Lake Hasan Conflict of the year before, both sides geared up for the next border clash. This time, the Japanese were decisively beaten and Tokyo learned to be cautious about confronting Soviet troops again.
“Armed Action to Reunite the USSR Western Ukraine and Western Belorussia” (1939). For those who were curious about how the Russians would now describe their invasion (a result of the German-Soviet treaty of August 1939) of eastern Poland two weeks after the Nazi Blitzkrieg began… well, now you know.
Finnish War (1939-40). The Soviet invasion of Finland is also known as the “Winter War”. Although the Soviets won the conflict, the enormous casualties they received from tiny Finland’s stalwart army earned the future German ally a lot of Western sympathy.
Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). For the Soviets, and probably for the Russian people for generations to come, this was their war of wars. Their defence against German invasion and the subsequent drive to Berlin cost the lives of at least 20 million Soviet citizens.
Japanese War (1945). The Soviets entered the war against Imperial Japan on August 9th, with a massive invasion of Manchuria. The same day saw the second atomic bombing and the arrival of a gargantuan Anglo-American fleet off Japan – the first time the Japanese cabinet discussed surrender was on this very night.
China Conflicts (1945-49, 1950-53). Some interesting points can be made here. Initially, the Soviets backed Chang Gaishek’s Nationalists rather than Mao’s Communists (reversing this position around November 1945). Also there is a tacit admission that Soviet personnel were involved in the Korean War – including fighter pilots flying MiGs out of Manchuria.
Hungary Action (1956). This is another nice circumvention around a brutal reality – the suppression of the Hungarian Freedom Fighters. Note that actual combat wasn’t required in 1953 in Germany, nor in Czechoslovakia in 1968.
Algiers Action (1962-1964). This is a surprising admission. During this time, the Muslim FLN guerrillas established Ben Bella’s government after the French withdrew; and brutally suppressed all opposition – including a revolt by the Kabylin Berbers. However, Soviet advisors must have been developing close relations with the new Algerian Army, as Soviet trained officers overthrew Ben Bella in 1965.
Egypt Actions (1962-63, 1967, 1968, 1969-72, 1973-74, 1974-75). Again, there are some surprises here. The active role of Soviet specialists (particularly as combat pilots and running SAM missile sites) was noticed in the 1967 Six Day War with Israel. Although Anwar Sadat ordered all Soviet advisors and experts out in 1972, some were still around for the 1968-72 series of engagements with Israel along the Suez Canal and in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. The reference to 1962-63 involves the failed Egyptian expedition to Yemen. Whatever events occurred with the Egyptian military in 1974-75 are a mystery, as they seem too obscure to have attracted much outside notice.
Yemen Actions (1962-63, 1969-76). A Soviet backed faction in Yemen rebelled in 1962, precipitating a civil war until 1965 – a war in which the Egyptians came in on the rebel side and sustained heavy losses. Despite the seeming peace agreements, a quiet but often savage war occurred in the interior of the country between Communist and Royalist forces for some years. Evidently the Soviets supplied advisors for the Communists (just as the British did for the Royalist side).
Vietnam Actions (1961-74). It was no great secret to the US that Soviet advisors were heavy on the ground in North Vietnam during this time – and that some were killed by US air attacks and apparently in one commando action. Later, it transpired that some Spetsnaz/GRU personnel were even watching the fighting inside South Vietnam.
Syria Actions (1967, 1970, 1972, 1973). In this string of episodes are the Six Day and the Yom Kippur Wars with Israel. In 1970, Syria invaded Jordan – largely to keep the Jordanians from expelling the PLO – and got their noses bloodied for doing so. Whatever events transpired in 1972, they probably refer to attritional incidents against the Israelis along the Golan Heights.
Angola Actions (1975-79). When the Portuguese pulled out of Angola, a civil war (which continues today) started between the main guerrilla forces. The Soviets backed the MPLA — who had occupied the capital and appeared to be conventionally Marxist– with equipment, advisors and Cuban troops. Eventually this operation was entirely farmed out to the Cubans and sundry small Warsaw Pact contingents.
Mozambique Actions (1967-69, 1975-79). The presence of Soviet personnel in the 1960s among the FRELIMO guerrillas in Mozambique – then a Portuguese possession – was not widely known at the time. When the Portuguese left in 1975, the Soviets were open in backing FRELIMO against the rival Renamo guerrilla movement, and in providing support from within Mozambique for Mugabe’s ZANU guerrillas who were menacing Rhodesia until Ian Smith signaled an end to the conflict. While the civil war in Mozambique continued to 1991, evidently the Soviets were not much interested in further participation after Mugabe came to power in Rhodesia (and named it Zimbabwe).
Ethiopia Actions (1977-79). In December 1976, the Soviets signed a military assistance pact with the Ethiopian government. Two months later, the quasi-Marxist Mengistu took power in a coup and used Soviet and Cuban troops and material to reverse a Somali invasion in the Ogaden and stabilize the front with the Eritrean rebels. By 1979 it was apparent to the Soviets that the Eritrean front was deadlocked – a situation which held true until 1989 when the rebels began their march on the Ethiopian capital.
Afghanistan Conflict (1978-1989). Note that Soviet military personnel were already active in Afghanistan well before the December 1979 invasion of the country. This was one of the few conflicts after 1945 where the Soviets were open about their presence, but they did have over 150,000 troops there.
Cambodia Action (1970). The Soviets, very sensibly, never had anything to do with Pol Pot. This probably relates to Soviet personnel with the North Vietnamese military who were caught up in the American incursion in Cambodia to destroy NVA sanctuaries.
Bangladesh Action (1972-73). Whatever this may be is a mystery, unless a typo is involved and some Soviet advisors with the Indian military were involved in the December 1971 Indian invasion/liberation of East Pakistan – which subsequently became Bangladesh.
Laos Actions (1960-63, 1964-68, 1969-70). This list of episodes includes the Pathet Lao insurgency against three consecutive Laotian governments, with Soviet involvement being most particular when North Vietnamese forces were active alongside the guerrillas.
Syria/Lebanon Action (1982). Irked by the growing PLO presence in South Lebanon (and the Syrian forces protecting them), the Israelis swept in – largely shattering whatever PLO and Syrian opposition they encountered. Soviet advisors/experts with the Syrian military would have definitely been encountered.
All in all, this is a long list of engagements although it would pale in comparison to American, British or French activities during the same time frame. However, in contrast to the Western powers who were often intervening to preserve stability or to debar an invasion; Soviet activities were often an effort to overthrowing a stable order, or were even naked acts of acquisitive aggression.
At least two inter-related series of conflicts are conspicuously absent: The use of military force in support of political internal security troops against Ukrainian/Baltic guerrillas during and after the Second World War, and in the sundry disorders, actions and conflicts that dotted the Republics of the Soviet Union during the late 1980s. Presumably the Russian Duma either prefers to overlook these altogether, or we must wait for a pension bill for veterans of the NKVD and the KGB paramilitary forces. It might be personally hazardous to hold one’s breath waiting for this legislation…
