It would take too much time and space to describe al] the Japanese intrigues in China which took place within the period of armed intervention in Siberia, but there cannot be the slightest doubt that the hostile action of China towards Soviet Russia and the appearance of organized bands of Hunghutzes, well equipped and armed, was entirely due to Japan. The same Japanese military command, which so often declared its love for the Russian people, now was responsible for most wanton and most disgusting manslaughter throughout Siberia. There are procurable so many documents referring to the violations of human rights, of murders and most terrible tortures of the Russian peasants by the Japanese and their paid satellites that these stories would fill up many volumes. When I read what happened in Ivanovka, th of the county of Nikolsk: Maritime Province, or laievka, Konstantinovka and hundreds of other places, then I understood the reason for the so-called "atrocities" which took place later in Nikolaievsk, and I forgave it to the Russians. Any honest thinking man, whatever his political opinion may be, would agree that there must be a limit even to the patience of a Russian peasant.
The burning, in March, 1919, by the Japanese soldiers of Ivanovka, the largest and richest settlement in the Amur region, was even confirmed by the Japanese military authorities. The peasants of that settlement were suspected by the Japanese of giving assistance to the Bolsheviki. Finally 169 houses were destroyed by the enraged Japanese and 232 peaceful inhabitants were killed. Besides that more than 200 other buildings were
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.