861.00/5090: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Davis) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8 p.m.]
2852. Following from [Cole at] Archangel:
1390, August 20, 3 p.m. The Zemstvo and City Assembly is in session and after accepting the changes in the Government reported in my 1375, August 12, 6 p.m.58 chose a commission to organize the defense of Archangel after Allied departure and one to consider internal and political affairs with the same object. The City Duma had previously arranged to send a delegation to England to petition the British Government to continue military and other assistance to the region and the Assembly added a member to it. The commission [Page 654] for internal affairs is discussing the amnesty for the radical leaders now undergoing sentence for the speeches in the City Duma reported in number 971, March 18, 3 p.m.60 and others imprisoned on various political charges.
The Provisional Government yesterday communicated its decision to remain in Archangel and defend the city as long as possible to General Rawlinson and requested that an offensive south along the railroad front and west into the Onega region be made at once by Allied forces. Rawlinson categorically refused to permit the use Allied forces for this purpose and advised strongly against the Russians attempting it alone. The Russians hoped to establish their line as far as possible from Archangel in order to have a longer line on which to retreat gradually, and to regain the entire Onega district. It was also thought to stiffen the men’s moral support [morale?] by putting them in territory heretofore occupied by the Bolsheviks and in contact with peasants who have just passed through Bolshevik regime. In view of the refusal to allow Allied troops to participate in such an offensive, Miller stated the Provisional Government must reconsider the whole question of its defense.
It seems that the Government is not likely to come now to any other decision except to defend Archangel to the last although this is recognized as suicidal. The opinion of the Zemstvo Assembly is overwhelmingly in favor of such defense and political leaders declare it necessary for its good effect on loyal Russians in Soviet Russia. I believe, however, that the actual movement of British troops from the front which will begin about September 1st and the departure of the Embassy [Embassies?] probably between September 1 and 15 will cause the Russians to alter their decision.
The Government now hopes to obtain 4,000 volunteers from men hitherto not mobilized to infuse fighting spirit into the troops by good example and by propaganda. I understand, however, that the first day’s recruiting gave 150 and yesterday only four. A delegation from the Russian colonels now at the front has stated that the moment Allied troops depart from any sector all the Russian officers there will at once be killed.
Rawlinson has brought the attention of the Provisional Government strongly to the dilemma with regard to supplies. Either large quantities of food and munitions must be left behind for its use, thus giving Bolsheviki excellent reason for attacking Archangel because rich booty, or the so-called defense must be organized without adequate supplies for the winter. He also called their attention to the extreme danger to all should the Allied troops not disarm the [Page 655] Russian troops before departure. It may result in adding the majority of the present Russian forces here, fully equipped, clothed and armed, to the Red Army. Cole.