ny a : ▁The ▁Case ▁for ▁Independ ence . p 3 6 ▁They ▁did ▁have ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁Germ ans . ▁However , ▁there ▁were ▁prof ound ▁ide ological ▁differences ▁between ▁the ▁Che ch ens ▁and ▁the ▁Naz is ▁( self - det erm ination ▁versus ▁imperial ism ), ▁neither ▁trust ed ▁the ▁other , ▁and ▁the ▁German ▁cour ting ▁of ▁the ▁C oss acks ▁anger ed ▁the ▁Che ch ens ▁( the ir ▁traditional ▁enemies ▁with ▁which ▁they ▁still ▁had ▁numerous ▁land ▁disput es ▁and ▁other ▁conflicts ). ▁M air bek ▁Sher ip ov ▁reported ly ▁gave ▁the ▁Ost minister ium ▁a ▁sharp ▁warning ▁that ▁" if ▁the ▁liber ation ▁of ▁the ▁C au cas us ▁meant ▁only ▁the ▁exchange ▁of ▁one ▁colon izer ▁for ▁another , ▁the ▁C au cas ians ▁would ▁consider ▁this ▁[ a ▁theoretical ▁fight ▁p itting ▁Che ch ens ▁and ▁other ▁C au cas ians ▁against ▁Germ ans ] ▁only ▁a ▁new ▁stage ▁in ▁the ▁national ▁liber ation ▁war ." ▁ ▁Deport ation ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁as ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁began ▁to ▁retre at ▁in ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front , ▁the ▁mountain ▁gu err illas ▁saw ▁their ▁fort unes ▁change ▁as ▁many ▁former ▁reb els ▁defect ed ▁to ▁the ▁S ovi ets ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁am n esty . ▁On ▁December ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁German ▁invol vement ▁in ▁Che ch ny a ▁ended ▁when ▁Soviet ▁counter - int elligence ▁agents ▁in fil tr ated ▁and ▁arrested ▁the