861.00/6870: Telegram
The High Commissioner at Constantinople (Bristol) to the Secretary of State
324. Following from Admiral McCully, Sevastopol:
“49. May 3, [11?] p.m. On April 29th head of British military mission delivered to General Wrangel the following message from Lord Curzon to [Admiral] de Robeck:
“The replies we have received from Chicherin to our endeavors to make terms for General Wrangel’s forces in Crimea have not been so far encouraging. Chicherin instead of putting forward Soviet conditions as he was asked, is trying to obtain political concession elsewhere which we cannot grant. Thus for the moment we are unable to carry out General Wrangel’s requests. If as seems probable we cannot make terms for him, the only alternative is for him to make them for himself. The continuance of the struggle by General Wrangel can have only one result and cannot be encouraged by us with grants of material or supplies.”
May 3, 11 p.m. On May 2 General Wrangel answered, reminding British Government of its definite assurance that British naval forces would assist in defense of Crimea if Soviets refused to accept British mediation. He reminds British that attempt of General Bukretov [Page 599] to obtain armistice on east coast Black Sea, was met by refusal of Soviets to consider any terms except unconditional surrender. He pleads that Crimea may be kept as a healthy nucleus about which other groups may group themselves against the tyranny of Bolshevism. He agrees if [calls] attention to British Government and all powers of Entente to the danger to themselves of depriving him and his army at this critical time of all support for no fault of his own and when his forces had remained immovably faithful to the Allies.
May 3, 11 p.m. He proposes sending special delegates to London to facilitate negotiations. The head of French Military Mission here, Lieutenant General Mangin, has proposed to General Wrangel to take [omission] the function of negotiating between the Soviet and Wrangel but his proposition [omission] accepted. With such knowledge as I have of the situation here I would urge that our Government do everything it possibly can to approach [obtain?] an armistice in Crimea until passions cool. Otherwise, I am convinced that this already sorely tried people must suffer indescribable misery and wretchedness, most of which will fall on innocent sufferers. McCully.”
- Telegram in three sections.↩