861.00/4044 a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
998. Following received by the War Department from General Graves.
“Japanese headquarters inform me of the following losses suffered in fighting against Bolsheviks in the vicinity of Blagovestchensk. February 11th two officers 18 soldiers killed near Zabetaya. February 15 one officer and from 10 to 20 soldiers killed near Andreskaya. February 16, a reconnoitering patrol of one officer and 50 men encountered a Bolshevik force of about 2,500 near Skranskoy about 30 kilometers northwest of Alexeyensk, the entire Japanese patrol killed. On the same day two peace strength companies of infantry total about 250 men, one company of artillery and one section of infantry met the same Bolshevik force at different times and only three Japanese escaped, all others being killed. The Japanese say they are inaugurating a vigorous campaign and are now pursuing the enemy.
In this connection on February 12th General Oi 26 at Khabarovsk called on Colonel Styer for one company of American soldiers to be sent to Japanese assistance. Colonel Styer asked for instructions. I sent Colonel Robinson to Japanese Chief of Staff to tell him that before I could take part in this trouble I must know that the so-called Bolsheviks were not Russians resisting unjust treatment by troops. Japanese Chief of Staff had not heard of this trouble and told Robinson not to do anything unless he heard further from him. Nothing more on the subject.
[Page 475]I understand that feeling of Japanese is rather bitter against Americans for not joining them and reports are being spread that Americans are Bolshevik sympathizers. Relations with Japanese are rather strained and this will intensify this feeling. I have received reports that the Russians had been outrageously treated by troops in vicinity of Blagovestchensk. No more arrests in Vladivostok. I was informed today by two members of Liberal Party that if any more arrests were attempted it would be resisted by force, that they knew these arrests were backed by the Japanese and they would resist the Japanese troops. The Ambassador27 has just told me Japanese legal adviser says no more arrests will be made. In the absence of attempts to make more arrests I do not anticipate trouble here.”