From the World War I Centennial News Podcast
Remembering Veterans:
James Carl Nelson on America's 339th 'Polar Bear' Regiment
In April 19th's edition of the World War I Centennial News Podcast, Episode 119, author James Carl Nelson joined the show to discuss a theatre of combat that America participated in, and most Americans have forgotten: Russia, just before and after the armistice. The men of the 339th Regiment braved bitter cold and fought the Bolsheviks before returning home in July of 1919. The following is a transcript of the interview, edited for clarity:
Theo Mayer: For remembering veterans, when people think World War I, they mostly think Western front. They think November 11, 1918 Armistice, and fair enough. Maybe they think Middle East. But, there was yet another fight going on, that started mere months before the armistice and went on through the summer of 1920. America had 13,000 men, in a cold and miserable fight up in Northern Russia. From Archangel, that's a place up near Finland, across Siberia, to Vladivostok, all the way east, just north of what today is known as North Korea. That works out to be about 11 time zones away, all at or above the Arctic Circle. No wonder the men of the 339th Regiment were known as the Polar Bears. It's a pretty incredible and not widely told World War I story. With us today is James Carl Nelson, the author of four books about the military experience in World War I, including The Polar Bear Expedition: The Heroes of America's Forgotten Invasion of Russia. James, I'm shivering just thinking about it. Welcome.
James Carl Nelson is the acclaimed author of several books on WWI history, including The Polar Bear ExpeditionJames Carl Nelson: Thank you, very much.
Theo Mayer: Now, James, I didn't really know much about this story. Could you start by giving our listeners an overview of this whole part of World War I, the Red and the White armies- the 10,000 foot view?
James Carl Nelson: As you mentioned, most people think of the Western Front, the fighting in France between the British and the French and the Germans. But in actuality, the Russians had entered World War I in 1914, as well. And they were holding a front in the East, fighting Germans and Austria-Hungarians, and it was quite an active front.
But, in late 1917, with the Russian Revolution, Vladimir Lenin took Russia out of the war, signed a separate peace with Germany, and that allowed Germany to transfer 80 divisions of men to the Western Front, and many of these divisions took part in a massive offensive that was launched March 21, 1918. By the early part of June, Germans were only 30 miles from Paris. The situation was perilous, and the high command was casting about for some way to relieve the pressure when they came up with the idea of an intervention in Northern Russia, aimed at recreating the Eastern Front. They had this idea to land some troops, get local support from anti-Bolsheviks and reached out to this sort of ephemeral large body of men, about 40,000 to 50,000 Czechs, called the Czech Legion. Who had been prisoners of war in Russia, and were trying to make their way through Siberia, to actually get back to France and fight on the Western Front. So, they had this idea that they could do that, push into the interior, and get this legion turned around. Thereby, make the Germans, at least stop removing their troops from the Eastern Front, or even make them return.
The 339th Infantry en route to ArchangelTheo Mayer: So, how did the 339th Regiment get this honor? Who were they?
James Carl Nelson: President Woodrow Wilson had resisted the Allies and treaties, to join their little party in Northern Russia. But finally, in mid-July 1918, he caved and decided that he would send a regiment to northern Russia. Proviso being, that they only guard military stores that the Allies had sent to the Russian Army during World War I. And so, they selected the 339th, mainly men from Michigan. Part of the reason was, coming from Michigan, knowing cold weather, they thought that they would be hardier, and be able to withstand the conditions, which were going to be brutal. We're talking 16 below temperatures. The commander, Colonel George Stewart, had spent several years serving the Army in Alaska, so he was inured to the cold. And, by the time the decision was made and things started rolling, the 339th was in London training, expecting to be sent to France, and instead found their way to Archangel in Northern Russia.
Theo Mayer: Now, they fought under British command, didn't they? What's the story?
James Carl Nelson: Yeah, the British were running the show. So, what happened was as soon as the 339th landed on September 9th, 1918, the British hauled them off their transports and put them right in the action. There was no thought of just guarding stores. One battalion stayed in Archangel, sort of service and supply. But the 1st and 3rd were sent into the interior. The 3rd went rolling southwards towards Vologda, along the railway line. The 1st Battalion was sent up the Dvina River, in just into the Hinterlands aiming to get to Kotlas. Where they were about 300 miles away, where they hope to reach out to the Czechs. They found themselves in battle with the Bolsheviks very quickly.
Theo Mayer: How many people did we lose during all this?
James Carl Nelson: In the regiment, 235 men died. 70 of those were from influenza. Influenza had broken out on the ships, while they were on their way to Russia. The rest were killed in action, died of wounds, there were some accidents. Maybe not super significant compared to some of the losses on the Western Front, but the fact that they were there at all, was a travesty in some ways.
Theo Mayer: Now, when these boys came home, was it to special recognition, or was this act of heroism as unknown as the whole story.
James Carl Nelson: Well, I think locally, being from Michigan, they rolled into Detroit on the Vanguard on July 3rd, 1919. The local population there celebrated them, they got a big fourth of July event, a parade and speeches. Locally, it's known in Michigan, but this story is not really well known outside of Michigan. Like many men of World War I in general, they kind of just drifted back into society. Although, they did create a Polar Bear association to commemorate themselves, their losses, and their sacrifice. In 1929 they sent a contingent back to Russia, gained entry, and were able to retrieve 86 bodies out of the 100 and some that they left when they left Russia.
The Northern Russia Expeditionary Force Monument in Troy, MichiganTheo Mayer: Okay, James, how did you personally get into this story. What made you decide to do the book?
James Carl Nelson: I have to be honest, it kind of came from my editor, Peter Hubbard, at Harper Collins. He saw a link to the Siberian end of this, contacted my agent, said, "Wow, this is a wild story. I wonder if there's a book in it?" Jim sent it to me, Jim Hornfischer, and I looked into it, and I decided the Archangel end was doable, and there were characters who could be delineated.
Theo Mayer: Were there any first person accounts that popped up?
James Carl Nelson: Oh, yeah, the Bentley Historic Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan has some great stuff. They've got diaries. From all the regiments I've studied, this one seems to have really documented its time because of the unusual circumstances. There were diaries, letters, photographs, a lot of personal accounts. Plus, three of them when they came home wrote books about it. That was pretty good resource material too.
Theo Mayer: When people dig into World War I stories, they always come up with unexpected gems. What do you think we should remember about the Polar Bears, and their fight in northern Russia?
James Carl Nelson: I think if people had known about this when we were talking about getting into Vietnam, they might have thought twice. And just, I think they should celebrate what these men went through. Like I say, the temperatures, the conditions were cruel. A single Company, manning an outpost 250 miles from Archangel, meanwhile the gathering hoard of Bolsheviks are ready to pounce on them. Which they did, in January of 1919, and sent a lot of these men running for their lives towards Archangel.
Theo Mayer: James, thank you for bringing us all this story. I've got to go sit in the sun.
James Carl Nelson: Thank you.
Theo Mayer: James Carl Nelson, the author of The Polar Bear Expedition: The Heroes of America's Forgotten Invasion of Russia. You might also want to check out his third book, I Will Hold: The Story of USMC Legend Clifton B. Cates. Which won James the 2017 Colonel Joseph Alexander Award for biography, from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. We have links for you in the podcast notes.
Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Polar-Bear-Expedition-Forgotten-1918-1919/dp/0062852779/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=smithsonianco-20&linkId=95b4c562125cf9405a552ce0206308e6&language=en_US
https://www.amazon.com/James-Carl-Nelson/e/B00294I39A/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/forgotten-doughboys-who-died-fighting-russian-civil-war-180971470/
https://history.army.mil/html/bookshelves/resmat/wwi/prologue/default/prologue-sec01.html