861.00/7317: Telegram
The High Commissioner at Constantinople (Bristol) to the Secretary of State
473. Following from McCully [,Sevastopol?]:
“72. August 31, 10 p.m. On Tauride front fighting has been continuous during the past two weeks, Reds being on the aggressive. Wrangel forces still hold original line between Dnieper and Azov but losses have been severe and troops have been fighting continuously behind hand [sic] three months. Reds also made strong drive across lower Dnieper, penetrating about 50 miles into Wrangel territory but are now being slowly driven back. Reds have used all their reserves including [garbled group], students from military schools and detachments from Polish front. In the Kuban the Wrangel expedition has suffered some set back and population has not been over enthusiastic but operations there are continuing with increased forces. Wrangel captures during period August 16th to 31st, include 5,000 prisoners, 12 guns and 51 machine guns.
Elections are being carried out and population shows interest in management. Most serious difficulty with Wrangel Government is financial, the pound sterling now being worth 100,000 rubles causing increase of prices and making impossible for officials, army and workmen to live on rates of pay established when pound sterling was worth only 10,000 rubles, much dissatisfaction arising in consequence. Government is very anxious to conclude a loan and will offer special privileges in trade as inducement. Matter is being discussed with British and French but no decision taken.
Financial administration has managed to keep army and population supplied but operates on unsound principles so that expenditure of any loan made must be under the supervision of lender. Resources of Crimea are sufficient to justify loan of $10,000,000 and if financial difficulties were solved Wrangel, in my opinion, could hold Crimea indefinitely. Commerce lately has been very active mainly with British and Greek firms although American foreign trade corporation has also begun business in Crimea.
[Page 615]Wrangel has not yet won active support of majority of peasant population which is not antagonistic but is restrained by doubts of his final military success and fear of Red reprisals if they join Wrangel and he then fails. If convinced of Wrangel’s success, 90 percent of the population would gladly join him and his government, if not everything it should be, would be still superior to present Soviet regime. Wrangel is particularly well disposed toward America and would be receptive to any suggestions from the United States Government. Opinions expressed are not the result of consultation with Wrangel Government.
British naval vessels are now active in Crimea waters, there being at present two battleships (seven?) cruisers and five destroyers in Crimea ports but their policy of observation only remains unchanged. Diplomatic representative of French Government has not arrived yet. McCully.”
- Telegram in four sections.↩