A Cossack who has arrived at Ellis Island, 1910.
The term Cossack is the collective name given to a diverse group of people from Ukraine and southern Russia, predominantly East Slavic-speaking Orthodox Christian people's.
When the Russian Empire expanded many deals were made ro take advantage of the mercenary lifestyle of the Cossacks. During the 19th century, the Cossacks were semi-autonomous but had fully been incorporated into the Russian army. Soon the Cossack personified the Russian Army, haunting the minds of soldiers across the centuries, from Napoleons soldiers of the Grandee Army to Germans in the first World War.
During the First World War, Cossacks made successful raids against the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire, despite the Russian armies inability to cope with conflict on such a large scale.
With the collapse of Tsarist Russia and the Bolsheviks throwing a coup, many Cossacks took the time to declare their own sovereign nation, these forces formed the bulk of the counter revolutionary White Armies, many would flee Russia with the success of Lenin's Bolsheviks. Other Cossacks fought alongside the Soviets, retaining high roles in the newly established Soviet Union.
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