Office of the Historian

Paris Peace Conference 861 E.00/171

The Russian Delegation in Paris to the President of the Paris Peace Conference (Clemenceau)

[Translation]51
Paris, September 23, 1919.

The situation in the Baltic Provinces gives rise to serious uneasiness. The Esthonian Authorities are already holding Peace negotiations with the Bolsheviks and it is to be expected that in Esthonia’s present situation, once relations renewed with Soviet Moscow, the [Page 713] Esthonian Authorities will not be able to resist the tide of the Maximalists. The Bolchevisation of the country then seems imminent, if the Allied and Associated Governments do not intervene energetically to put an end to negotiations already begun. The Russian Delegation believe that if such an intervention is not forthcoming, or if it is unsuccessful, General Yudenitch’s troops will be in a most dangerous position and the liberation of Petrograd in the autumn impossible.

Besides, Esthonia’s Peace with the Moscow Bolcheviks would compromise the success of the policy of encircling Bolchevism, seemingly upheld by the Allied and Associated Governments.

It is still more urgent in order to reach the goal in view, that help and assistance be given to General Yudenitch’s troops, alone continuing the struggle against the Bolsheviks threatening to invade the regions of the Baltic Sea. The triumph of Bolchevism in Esthonia and Livonia cannot fail to have regrettable influence on the general situation in Eastern Europe, as it will create a common frontier between Russian Bolsheviks and Germany. In view of these dangers, the Russian Delegation in Paris have the honour of begging the Allied and Associate Powers to do all that lies in their power to prevent the Esthonians from making Peace with the Bolsheviks.

At the same time the Delegation renews its demands that efficacious help in the form of armaments and equipment be furnished as soon as possible to the Russian Army under General Yudenitch’s command.

  • Prince Lvoff
  • Sazonow
  • Maklakoff
  • N. Tchaikovsky
  • B. Savinkoff
  1. Translation transmitted Sept. 23 by the Russian Delegation to the American Commission to Negotiate Peace. Copy of the French original is dated Sept. 21.↩