By Lt.-Colonel B. Roustam Bek.
When planning intervention in Siberia the Allied Powers neglected one of the most important condi-' tions necessary to make for th attainment of a definite common end—they did not have unity between them either in action or in ideas.
It was absolutely forgotten that cooperation and coordination of diplomacy is an indispensible condition, without which a final victory is impossible. It can be said without any hesitation that there was anything but unanimity in the coalition which undertook armed intervention in Russia. Great Britain hesitated to start a war on Russia. She realized better than any one of the Powers involved in the Great War the superhuman suffering which fell to the fate of the Russian people.
Lloyd George was even ready to establish certain diplomatic relations with the Bolsheviki, and perhaps would have done so had the conditions on the Western front been more favourable. The conservative press in England in those days was'of the opinion that the Russian Revolution was directed by the Germans, and unfortunately the shortsighted British diplomats in Russia supported this foolish point of view. In starting the armed intervention in Russia Great Britain was sincere in declaring openly that its aim was to overthrow the Soviet regime in Russia and to establish there a government on democratic lines.
AMERICAN AND FreNncH Views.
The United States of America acted without any definite plan, and sent her 8,500 men to eastern Siberia, as has been confessed by Colonel Willham T. Donovan in the "New York Evening Journal' of October 4, 1919, in order to "Watch Japan in Sibera."" Let us not forget the fact that President Wilson was one time considerably inclined to the Bolsheviki and sent a telegram of greeting to the Congress of Soviets. Later on he changed his mind and started a fierce campaign against the same Soviets which he so recently had congratulated in such a cordial manner. The other Powers directly or indirectly interested in Russia acted blindly without any investiga tion of the political situation.
France in her fear of Germany on one the hand and afraid of losing ker billions of francs on the other hand, looked on the Bolsheviki as on her bitterest enemy, and determined to fight them to the death. I do not think that any of the Allies, except Janap, had any idea of annexation of one or another part of Russian territory. Japan; alone remained absolutely indifferent to the existing regime in Russia. Her strategical plan con-; sisted of annexation of a part of: Russian territory. It is amusing to; suppose that Bolshevism could be' a menace to Japan, taking into consideration her isolated geogratical position as well as other oratacles to jcuuamanistic. propaganda, namely language, wonder fully organized espionage, ete.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.