During the Russian Civil War , Chechens and other Caucasian nations lived in independence for a few years before being Sovietized in 1921 . During World War II , the Chechens saw the German invasion as an opportunity to revolt against the Soviet regime . In response , they were deported '' en masse '' to Central Asia where they were forced to stay until 1957
deported
Deportation of the Chechens and Ingush
Chechen–Russian conflict