White movement in Transbaikal

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.

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.

He became the Commander-in-Chief of the Separate Eastern Siberian Army, was pronounced as the Ataman of the Baikal Cossacks, and finally, on July 9, 1919, Admiral Kolchak's Government appointed him as the Head of all Governmental Institutions of Transbaikal.

Although he ruled Transbaikalia as an authocrat, Ataman Semyonov kept all representative bodies such as Oblast and Uezd Assemblies and Boards, Town Dumas and trade unions.

[citation needed] During the first months of his rule over Transbaikal, Grigory Semyonov had chosen terror as an oppressive means to deal with the displeased, which ended up creating a massive partisan movement.

After Admiral Kolchak's defeat, Ataman Semyonov formed the Russia Eastern Outskirts Government headed by S. A. Taskin, member of the Constitutional Democratic Party.

The Far Eastern Army left its supply base at Dauria railway station for Mongolia, where it was engaged in a series of confrontations with the Reds and Chinese troops.