The Czechoslovak Review/Volume 1/A real Czech army
A REAL CZECH ARMY
On of the good results of the Russian revolution, as seen from the standpoint of Bohemian independence, is the disappearance of all obstacles that were placed under the old regime in the way of forming a Bohemian army. Since 1916 there were in the Russian army two divisions of Czech soldiers, composed principally of prisoners of war who volunteered to fight against their nominal ruler. But they did not form the nucleus of a national Bohemian army; they were merely units of the Russian hosts. Even this concession, namely to fight in the ranks of the Russians against the Germans and Austrians, was granted by the old government grudgingly, and local officials put many obstacles in the way of recruiting.
The new government adopted a friendly, almost brotherly attitude toward the aims of Bohemian emigrants and prisoners of war in Russia for the attainment of free Bohemia. Two divisions and smaller units of Czechs and Slovaks in Russia were made into a Bohemian army which took the oath of fidelity to Bohemia. The text of the oath, just received from Petrograd, is as follows: "I declare my allegiance to the independent Czecho-Slovak state, to Professor Masaryk as its provisional dictator and to the Czecho-Slovak National Council in Paris as the provisional government. I solemnly swear that I will faithfully serve our free state, its dictator and government.”
A nation that has an army of its own must be reckoned with in the councils of the diplomats. Free Bohemia will grow out of the camp in which is gathered the Bohemian army.