Volunteer Freedom Corps'' - unrealized American ''Cold War'' project

For the first time in the Russian historiography this article analyzes Eisenhower's administration project to create a combat-ready battle formation - ''Volunteer Freedom Corps'' - made from the migrants from the Eastern Europe and USSR. On 18 February 1953 the question of the creation of the combat formation filled by the refugees from the Eastern bloc countries was discussed at the NSC, and approved for implementation. The core of the project was the creation of the corps from the young single men that had fled from the Soviet bloc countries. The main feature of those enlisted at the corps would have been the desire to fight for freedom, for the liberation of their home countries from the rule of the totalitarian communist regimes. Financing of the project would have been carried out by the Congress through the funds allocated by the ''Kersten Amendment''. The corps would have consisted of battalions and auxiliary detachments created mostly on the national basis from the refugees from Eastern Europe and USSR and under the command of an American or, in particular cases, a UN officer. But the negative reaction from the governments of France and Germany caused the project to be up in the air by August 1953. Eisenhower's administration desire to implement this project faced serious obstacles both inside and outside of the United States. Republican administration had to decide the future fate of the plan. Fall of 1953 seems to be the breaking point for the corps. Eisenhower's administration postpones the implementation of the project till the clarification of the EDC ratification and ending of Berlin conference of the foreign ministers planned for the beginning of 1954. After the EDC ratification was failed by French parliament Eisenhower made another attempt to create the corps almost completely changing its initial nature and goal. The idea to create a serious battle formation that can help substitute American soldiers, disburden American budget, and become a magnet of attraction for all fighters with tyranny in Eastern Europe turned into the idea of a semi-covert project for the creation of the basis for the formation of the battle groups made up by refugees from the communist countries during the war time and without any perspectives of its usage during the peace time for the propaganda sake. The reason for the failure of the project seems to be in the double-faced character of the whole Eisenhower's policy. Desire to pursue more active and most importantly ''productive'' foreign policy conflicted with the unwillingness to start a new world war. That led the administration to engage in negotiations with the USSR and therefore called for the halt and then total rejection of such actions that might have provoked conflict between super powers, and project of the ''Volunteer Freedom Corps'' was one of such actions without doubt.

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