Office of the Historian

861.00/4859: Telegram

The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of State

Paris, July 16, 1919, 10 p.m.
[Received July 17, 5:25 a.m.]

3177. Your 2542, July 10, 7 p.m. for Miles from Whitehouse.

General Bliss states:

“July 14.

1.
Before the President left Paris, a plan prepared by the British Minister of War, Winston Churchill, for the repatriation of the Czecho-Slovaks was submitted to the Council of the powers and was referred by the latter for report to the military representatives with the Supreme War Council. This plan provided that 30,000 Czecho-Slovaks would fight their way out via Viatka, Kotlas, and Archangel. The remaining 30,000 would be repatriated via Vladivostok. After the President’s departure, the military representatives reported to the Council of Five that they were informed by the Czecho-Slovakian Minister for Foreign Affairs that his Government would refuse to assent to this plan unless the British Government guaranteed that Allied expedition now operating from Archangel would remain in North Russia until the arrival of the [Page 286] Czecho-Slovaks. It is understood that the British Government has pledged itself to withdraw this expedition before ice prevents in November next. It will be impossible for the Czecho-Slovaks to reach Archangel in time. The military representatives asked the Council of Five to officially ascertain the British Government’s intentions as to the withdrawal of the Archangel expedition. The military representatives also telegraphed nearly two weeks ago to Admiral Koltchak, to General Janin and to General Knox, whether in their opinion the plan was practicable. No reply received to any of these requests for information and the delay now makes the plan impracticable.
2.
If the entire Czecho-Slovak force must be evacuated by sea via Vladivostok doubtful whether they can be repatriated at all.
3.
Nothing known here as to whether the United States will send troops to replace the Czecho-Slovaks if the latter are repatriated.
4.
To sum up, I think that Mr. Stevens will have to be informed that there is no likelihood that the Czecho-Slovaks can be repatriated this year.”

American Mission