Quick question about Xinjiang rebellions

[FramFramson]

Hi guys. I was reading today about the rebellions and conflicts in Xinjiang in the 30's (1934 and again in 1937, I think?). One question I had was what on on earth were White Russian forces still doing in the area and what did they consist of?

My understanding was that the last time White Russians were active militarily ANYWHERE else was in the 20's. But in Xinjiang, not only did they survive, they were allied with the Soviets?

How on earth did this come to pass?

[cuprum]

Yes, there was a story.

In 1931, in the Chinese province of Xinjiang rebellion broke Turkic-Muslim population. In government troops were mobilized Russian immigrants - as Whites who have lived in Xinjiang ever since the the Civil War in Russia and those who fled from famine and collectivization in the USSR. Two years later, Governor-General of the province Sheng Shicai able to negotiate with the Soviet Union for help in suppressing the uprising. In China was transferred 13th Almaty Regiment the OGPU whose soldiers were dressed in White Guards uniform and called "Altai  volunteer army." In addition, the USSR directly financed - already who had fought units composed of Russian immigrants. Thus, the "red" and "white" involved in the conflict on one side.




Former White Guards in service in China




General Sheng Shicai




Here's a more detailed article - but in Russian: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CA%F3%EC%F3%EB%FC%F1%EA%EE%E5_%E2%EE%F1%F1%F2%E0%ED%E8%E5

[FramFramson]

Thanks again Cuprum!

[Hammers]

The explorer Sven Hedin write a quite remarkable first hand story about this conflict and the weird fact that the Chinese provinisal government employs both White and Red Russians to fight the Turkmene and Chinese Muslim insurgents of he area.

[Patrice]

1931 was far away from the RCW. Between that, Stalin allied with the Chinese nationalist Kuomintang and that led to the massacre of the Chinese communists in 1927. In the late 1920s and in the 1930s all strange alliances were possible.

[giles the zog]

Hi guys. I was reading today about the rebellions and conflicts in Xinjiang in the 30's (1934 and again in 1937, I think?). One question I had was what on on earth were White Russian forces still doing in the area and what did they consist of?

My understanding was that the last time White Russians were active militarily ANYWHERE else was in the 20's. But in Xinjiang, not only did they survive, they were allied with the Soviets?

How on earth did this come to pass?

If you can get hold of it, "Turkistan Tumult" by Aitchen K. Wu is very useful