The hot summer of 1918

In the early spring of 1918, the Russian Empire was embroiled in an increasingly frantic civil war, a conflict in which Czechoslovak volunteers soon became actively involved. After several clashes, they decisively took up arms against the Bolsheviks. The legionaries' goal was to fight their way out of Russia and join the battles on the Western Front, but they quickly reconsidered their decision. This began their journey to seize control of the Trans-Siberian Railway, a path marked from the outset by bold and daring acts. These included the “naval” battle on Lake Baikal and the capture of the Russian gold reserve, which is still shrouded in legend to this day. However, it soon became clear that fulfilling the “mighty dream” of this immense and now almost forgotten adventure – defeating the Bolsheviks – was beyond their power.