Memorial plaque of Battle of Bakhmach in Olomouc (Czech Republic)

Battle of Bakhmach (Bitva u Bachmače in Czech) was a battle between Czechoslovak Legion in Russia and German forces occupying Ukraine. The battle lasted from March 8 to March 13 1918 over the city of Bakhmach, today's Ukraine. The Legion managed to escape the encirclement. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1297x2049, 492 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Battle of Bakhmach Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1297x2049, 492 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Battle of Bakhmach Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... town hall with astronomical clock Olomouc (German Olmütz, Polish OÅ‚omuniec, Latin Eburum or Olomucium) is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in Leap years). ... March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... Bakhmach (Ukrainian: ) is a city located in the Chernihiv Oblast (province), in northern Ukraine. ...

On March 3, 1918 Russia, controlled by the Bolsheviks, signed Brest-Litovsk peace treaty with Germany where it gave up, among others, control over Ukraine. Armies of Germany and Austria-Hungary started to occupy the land without much of resistence. The Czechoslovak Legion (about 42,000 soldiers), until then engaged in retreat battles with these armies, set up for escape from Russia via the Trans-Siberian railroad. March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Bolshevik Party Meeting. ... The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, at Brest, formerly Brest-Litovsk, between Russia and the Central Powers, marking Russias exit from World War I. The treaty was practically obsolete before the end of the year but is significant as a chief... Trans-Siberian line in red; Baikal Amur Mainline in green. ...

On March 8 Germans reached Bakhmach, an important railroad hub and Legion was in danger of being encircled. The threat was grave because captured legionnaires were summarily executed as traitors of Austria-Hungary. 6th "Hanácký" and 7th "Tatranský" Rifle Regiments of the legion set up defense of the town against incoming german 91st and 224th Infantry divisions, the fights peaked on March 10 and lasted until the last train with legionnaires left the town, continuing toward Vladivostok. March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in Leap years). ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... City and harbor of Vladivostok with the Statue to the fighters for Soviet power in the Far East (bottom right) Vladivostok (Russian: ) is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated close to the Russo-Chinese border and North Korea. ...

Losses of the Legion were: 145 killed, 210 wounded, 41 missing. Estimate of German losses is around 300 deads and hundredths of wounded.

Similarly to Battle of Zborov or the "Siberian anabasis" battle of Bakhmach became one of the symbols of heroic military cult around the Legions. Memorial of the killed legionnaires in battle, Kalinivka, Ukraine Battle of Zborov (bitva u Zborova in Czech and Slovak language) was a small part of the Kerensky Offensive (the last Russian offensive in World War One, taking place in July 1917). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Sources

• Václav Cháb: "Německý vpád na slovanský východ : kus dějin - kus boje o budoucnost", Prague, 1938
• Václav Cháb: "Bachmač : březen 1918", Prague, 1948
• Karel Goš: "Bitva u Bachmače byla slavnou epizodou Hanáckého pluku : největší oslavy proběhly v roce 1938", article in newspaper Olomoucký den, March 20, 1999, page 10
• M. Vlachynský: "V březnu 1918 bojovali legionáři u Bachmače", article in newspaper Českobudějovické listy, March 14, 1998, page 12

• Adolf Kubíček: Hanáci v revoluci (Hanakians in revolution: The Chronicle of 6th Czechoslovak Rifle Regiment), Olomouc, 1928

External links

• Short overviews of the battle (in Czech): [1], [2]