This is the absorbing story of a quixotic crusade by a group of Russian émigrés to take over the Soviet Union , dislodge its Communist rulers , and establish a fascist state there. Rich in irony , humor , and not a little pathos , The Russian Fascists provides the first full account of this small but dynamic element within the Russian emigration. Cast out by the Revolution and now powerless, these exiles tried to compensate for their political impotence by engaging in desperate fantasies . Eager to reestablish themselves in their homeland , they sought collaboration with anyone who catered to their illusions--Chinese warlords , Japanese generals , Nazi satraps and eventually , Josef Stalin.