Office of the Historian

861.00/3702: Telegram

The Chargé in Russia (Poole) to the Acting Secretary of State

Archangel, January 23, 1919, 7 p.m.
[Received January 24, 10:25 a.m.]

779. The following is respectfully submitted in connection with the discussions of Russian policy now in progress at Paris.

Under number 681, June 29th, 6 p.m.33 I telegraphed from Moscow—

“intervention in Siberia, like that in northern Russia, will fail if undertaken as a purely military enterprise. … The people of the Allied countries must not permit themselves illusions regarding intervention. The bulk of the Russians are densely ignorant and moved only by immediate and material considerations, the educated policy leaders are party men lacking in the western conception of patriotism. No class has developed self-reliance and all dislike hard work. They look to others for guidance and support and delude themselves with the thought that foreign intervention will forthwith bring order and comfort without special privation or effort on their part. It is certain therefore that even with the good will of the Russian people we can count upon very little serious help from them. We must also foresee that following a possibly enthusiastic initial reception there will be a reaction of disillusion and discontent.”

I venture to repeat these sentences because the history of the North Russian expedition shows so clearly the importance of the two points made; namely, first, that the direction of any Allied enterprise in Russia must be committed primarily to political and not military guidance, the history of the September coup d’état at Archangel and subsequent events reveal the failures of the British and French military at least to grasp the political essentials of the Russian situation; second, no reliance should be placed upon help from the Russians. Help from them will be forthcoming at different times in varying measures but not steadily enough to be relied upon. The Russians are not to be disparaged for this; it is the outgrowth of their environment and history and any policy based upon a different conception will be as unfair to the Russians as to ourselves producing eventual disappointment and disgust on both sides.

I ask the privilege of recommending most earnestly that no active Russian policy be entered upon unless we are ourselves willing and able to put it through vigorously and generously. Please read in this connection Embassy’s 748, January 16th, 5 p.m.34 Foregoing sent to Paris under number 14, dated January 23rd, 7 p.m.

Poole
  1. Probably telegram no. 683, June 30, 1918, 10 p.m., is intended, Foreign Relations, 1918, Russia, vol. ii, pp. 236–239.↩
  2. Not printed.↩