White movement in Transbaikal

The White movement in Transbaikal was a period of the confrontation between the Soviets and the Whites over dominance in Transbaikal from December 1917 to November 1920.

The first regular military formation of the Whites was the Special Manchurian Detachment (SMD) made up of 9 officers, 35 Cossacks and 40 Buryats on December 12, 1917, by Grigory Semyonov. By August, 1918 the SMD had a considerable force and its strength grew because of the Japanese military assistance. The Japanese were interested in gaining Transbaikal and its resources and especially they supported Grigory Semyonov as a result of confrontation with British-supported Admiral Kolchak.

The Special Manchurian Detachment and the Japanese Expeditionary Corps launched the first massive offensive in order to conquer Chita in the spring of 1918 but were repelled. Finally, Chita was taken on 25 August 1918. It was the beginning of the Siberian Intervention of the Japanese and Chita became the headquarters of the Japanese 5th Division for more than two years.

The first action of the newly formed White government was to "encourage" Baikal Cossacks to join the White Army of Grigory Semyonov. Baikal Cossacks were drafted in the newly formed military formations among them even the Jewish regiment was created in order to raise all possible resources. All in all, Ataman Semyonov managed to make up 20,000 strong army as of May 1920.

After taking Chita and expelling the Soviets in the summer of 1918, the future Ataman Semyonov and his advisers started forming new governmental institutions. On August 25, 1918, the Provisional Oblast Government was initiated in Chita by the former members of the Chita Town Duma, the Transbaikalian Oblast Zemstvo, and the Chita Uezd Board. The Provisional Oblast Government included many Jews of various political affiliations.

The Government announced itself under jurisdiction of the Provisional Siberian Government located in Omsk and immediately annulled all Soviet acts related to confiscations.

On September 14, 1918, Grigory Semyonov arrived at Chita and together with the Japanese he started his rising to . He became the Commander-in-Chief of the Separate Eastern Siberian Army, pronounced the Ataman of Baikal Cossacks, and finally on July 9, 1919, Admiral Kolchak's Government appointed him as the Head of all Governmental Institutions of Transbaikal.

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