Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War and Japanese Troops in Russia’S Far East, 1918–1922

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War and Japanese Troops in Russia’S Far East, 1918–1922 Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War and Japanese Troops in Russia’s Far East, 1918–1922 Sergey V. Grishachev and Vladimir G. Datsyshen The years 1918–1922 occupy a special place in the history of Russian-Japanese relations, however, the significance of this era is not limited to the presence of a Japanese army in the Russian Far East.1 Both sides were forming contacts against the backdrop of conflicting socio-political doctrines, the appearance of a new system of international relations, and a new global order. The events of this period should therefore be viewed within the broader context of interna- tional relations in Europe at this time, of the Russian Civil War, and of the con- flict between the Russian Red (Bolshevik) and White (anti-Bolshevik) armies. Russian-Japanese relations in early 1917 were mixed. On the one hand, there was the lingering historical memory of the recent Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, but on the other, the two countries had enjoyed rapproche- ment for over a decade, and they were allies in World War I. The situation was further complicated due to the democratic revolution in Russia in February 1917. The Japanese government was cautious about the political changes but recognized the Russian Provisional Government, which honored the former commitments made by the imperial Russian regime, including those linked with foreign policy. When the Bolshevik party took power following a political revolt in Petrograd in October 1917, however, it refused to continue any former foreign policies. Germany acknowledged the new government under Vladimir I. Lenin—after July 1918 known as the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR)—yet the Entente countries of France and the United Kingdom did not. The Bolsheviks renounced all commitments to former governments in 1918, and most diplomats from leading countries left Russia temporarily, among them the Japanese ambassador Uchida Kōsai. The sepa- rate Treaty of Brest-Litovsk between the Central Powers of Germany, Austria- Germany, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman empire was signed in March 1918, and this ended Russia’s participation in World War I. This facilitated Germany’s 1 Japanese troops left Vladivostok in 1922, and this meant the end of an Allied campaign, mili- tary intervention, and political conflict in the Russian territory. Japanese occupation of the northern part of Sakhalin continued from 1920 to 1925, however, and thus strictly speaking it was not “intervention.” The 1920–1925 era was closer to occupation. The future of Sakhalin and the matter of its return to Russia was discussed during later diplomatic negotiations between representatives of Soviet Russia and Japan in 1923–1925. © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2019 | doi:10.1163/9789004400856_009 138 Grishachev and Datsyshen position during World War I, enabling it to mobilize sizable forces on the Western Front. This, in turn, created further problems for Russia’s former allies of the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. Despite the Bolsheviks rise to power, Russia still had patriotic political fac- tions that viewed the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk as a treasonous act. The Entente countries relied on these factions, and they began discussions regarding an armed intervention in Russia and assistance to anti-Bolshevik forces in late 1917. Yet there was no unity between the Allies about the inter- vention plan and the degree of their respective involvement. Japanese leaders, too, had divergent opinions. For instance, Ambassador Uchida, who returned to Japan in March 1918, maintained that it would be pointless to send troops to fight the Bolsheviks. This was echoed by Field Marshal Yamagata Aritomo in his comments in parliament: “The Japanese government has never suggested or encouraged any country to start a military campaign in Siberia … We have a deep affection for the Russian people and wish to develop our sincere friend- ship” (Molodyakov 2006, 92–93). This contrasted the opinions of politicians such as Gotō Shinpei who, while backing intervention, also wanted an admin- istration committed to furthering economic cooperation with Japan to remain in power. Most Russian diplomats refused to recognize the Bolshevik govern- ment, and they tentatively agreed that a military intervention would be neces- sary to overthrow the Soviets. The ambassador to China, Nikolaĭ A. Kudashev, believed that: “We … can have no objections to Japan’s campaign … The resto- ration of order by the Japanese would be welcomed by the population, despite the fear of unavoidable Japanese occupation” (Livshits 1991, 7). 1 Japanese Intervention in the Russian Far East, 1918 Allied troops invaded Russia in the spring of 1918, soon after the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. British forces were to operate in the north, in Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, as well as in the South Caucasus, while French troops moved across southern Ukraine. US and Japanese troops landed in the Far East. The landing operation in Vladivostok near the country’s border with China began on April 5, 1918, at which point Rear Admiral Katō Kanji (Katō Hiroharu) addressed the Vladivostok population: Citizens! I, Commander of the Japanese Squadron, sincerely empa- thize with the situation Russia has found itself in and wish a quick end to all fighting and that your revolution is a resounding success … I have deep concerns, however, that ongoing political disputes may become .
Recommended publications
  • World War I Concept Learning Outline Objectives
    AP European History: Period 4.1 Teacher’s Edition World War I Concept Learning Outline Objectives I. Long-term causes of World War I 4.1.I.A INT-9 A. Rival alliances: Triple Alliance vs. Triple Entente SP-6/17/18 1. 1871: The balance of power of Europe was upset by the decisive Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian War and the creation of the German Empire. a. Bismarck thereafter feared French revenge and negotiated treaties to isolate France. b. Bismarck also feared Russia, especially after the Congress of Berlin in 1878 when Russia blamed Germany for not gaining territory in the Balkans. 2. In 1879, the Dual Alliance emerged: Germany and Austria a. Bismarck sought to thwart Russian expansion. b. The Dual Alliance was based on German support for Austria in its struggle with Russia over expansion in the Balkans. c. This became a major feature of European diplomacy until the end of World War I. 3. Triple Alliance, 1881: Italy joined Germany and Austria Italy sought support for its imperialistic ambitions in the Mediterranean and Africa. 4. Russian-German Reinsurance Treaty, 1887 a. It promised the neutrality of both Germany and Russia if either country went to war with another country. b. Kaiser Wilhelm II refused to renew the reinsurance treaty after removing Bismarck in 1890. This can be seen as a huge diplomatic blunder; Russia wanted to renew it but now had no assurances it was safe from a German invasion. France courted Russia; the two became allies. Germany, now out of necessity, developed closer ties to Austria.
    [Show full text]
  • The Purpose of the First World War War Aims and Military Strategies Schriften Des Historischen Kollegs
    The Purpose of the First World War War Aims and Military Strategies Schriften des Historischen Kollegs Herausgegeben von Andreas Wirsching Kolloquien 91 The Purpose of the First World War War Aims and Military Strategies Herausgegeben von Holger Afflerbach An electronic version of this book is freely available, thanks to the support of libra- ries working with Knowledge Unlatched. KU is a collaborative initiative designed to make high quality books Open Access. More information about the initiative can be found at www.knowledgeunlatched.org Schriften des Historischen Kollegs herausgegeben von Andreas Wirsching in Verbindung mit Georg Brun, Peter Funke, Karl-Heinz Hoffmann, Martin Jehne, Susanne Lepsius, Helmut Neuhaus, Frank Rexroth, Martin Schulze Wessel, Willibald Steinmetz und Gerrit Walther Das Historische Kolleg fördert im Bereich der historisch orientierten Wissenschaften Gelehrte, die sich durch herausragende Leistungen in Forschung und Lehre ausgewiesen haben. Es vergibt zu diesem Zweck jährlich bis zu drei Forschungsstipendien und zwei Förderstipendien sowie alle drei Jahre den „Preis des Historischen Kollegs“. Die Forschungsstipendien, deren Verleihung zugleich eine Auszeichnung für die bisherigen Leis- tungen darstellt, sollen den berufenen Wissenschaftlern während eines Kollegjahres die Möglich- keit bieten, frei von anderen Verpflichtungen eine größere Arbeit abzuschließen. Professor Dr. Hol- ger Afflerbach (Leeds/UK) war – zusammen mit Professor Dr. Paul Nolte (Berlin), Dr. Martina Steber (London/UK) und Juniorprofessor Simon Wendt (Frankfurt am Main) – Stipendiat des Historischen Kollegs im Kollegjahr 2012/2013. Den Obliegenheiten der Stipendiaten gemäß hat Holger Afflerbach aus seinem Arbeitsbereich ein Kolloquium zum Thema „Der Sinn des Krieges. Politische Ziele und militärische Instrumente der kriegführenden Parteien von 1914–1918“ vom 21.
    [Show full text]
  • American Armies and Battlefields in Europe
    Chapter v1 THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELDS NORTH OF PARIS chapter gives brief accounts of areas and to all of the American ceme- all American fighting whi ch oc- teries and monuments. This route is Thiscurred on the battle front north of recommended for those who desire to Paris and complete information concern- make an extended automobile tour in the ing the American military cemeteries and region. Starting from Paris, it can be monuments in that general region. The completely covered in four days, allowing military operations which are treated are plenty of time to stop on the way. those of the American lst, 27th, 30th, The accounts of the different operations 33d, 37th, 80th and 91st Divisions and and the descriptions of the American the 6th and 11 th Engineer Regiments. cemeteries and monuments are given in Because of the great distances apart of the order they are reached when following So uthern Encr ance to cb e St. Quentin Can al Tunnel, Near Bellicourc, October 1, 1918 the areas where this fighting occurred no the suggested route. For tbis reason they itinerary is given. Every operation is do not appear in chronological order. described, however, by a brief account Many American units otber tban those illustrated by a sketch. The account and mentioned in this chapter, sucb as avia- sketch together give sufficient information tion, tank, medical, engineer and infantry, to enable the tourist to plan a trip through served behind this part of the front. Their any particular American combat area. services have not been recorded, however, The general map on the next page as the space limitations of tbis chapter indicates a route wbich takes the tourist required that it be limited to those Amer- either int o or cl ose to all of tbese combat ican organizations which actually engaged (371) 372 THE AMERICAN B ATTLEFIELD S NO R TH O F PARIS Suggested Tour of American Battlefields North of Paris __ Miles Ghent ( î 37th and 91st Divisions, Ypres-Lys '"offensive, October 30-November 11, 1918 \ ( N \ 1 80th Division, Somme 1918 Albert 33d Division.
    [Show full text]
  • THE RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR Also by A
    THE RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR Also by A. B. Murphy ASPECTIVAL USAGE IN RUSSIAN INlRODUCTION AND COMMENTARY TO SHOLOKHOV'S TlKHlY DON MIKHAIL ZOSHCHENKO: A Literary Project Also by G. R. Swain EASTERN EUROPE SINCE 1945 (co-author) THE ORIGINS OF THE RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR RUSSIAN SOCIAL DEMOCRACY AND THE LEGAL LABOUR MOVEMENT,1906-14 The Russian Civil War Documents from the Soviet Archives Edited by v. P. Butt Senior Scientific Collaborator Institute of Russian History Russian Academy of Sciences A. B. Murphy Professor Emeritus of Russian University of Ulster N. A. Myshov Senior Scientific Collaborator and ChiefArchivist Russian State Military Archive and G. R. Swain Professor ofHistory University of the West of England First published in Great Britain 1996 by MACMILLAN PRESS LTD Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and London Companies and representatives throughout the world A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-0-333-59319-6 ISBN 978-1-349-25026-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-25026-4 First published in the United States of America 1996 by ST. MARTIN'S PRESS, INC., Scholarly and Reference Division, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 ISBN 978-0-312-16337-2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The Russian civil war: documents from the Soviet archives / edited by V. P. Butt ... ret al.l p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-312-16337-2 (cloth) I. Soviet Union-History-Revolution, 1917-1921-Sources. I. Butt, V. P. DK265.A5372 1996 947.084'I-dc20 96-19904 CIP Selection, editorial matter and translation © V.
    [Show full text]
  • The Portuguese Expeditionary Corps in World War I: from Inception To
    THE PORTUGUESE EXPEDITIONARY CORPS IN WORLD WAR I: FROM INCEPTION TO COMBAT DESTRUCTION, 1914-1918 Jesse Pyles, B.A. Thesis Prepared for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS May 2012 APPROVED: Geoffrey Wawro, Major Professor Robert Citino, Committee Member Walter Roberts, Committee Member Richard McCaslin, Chair of the Department of History James D. Meernik, Acting Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School Pyles, Jesse, The Portuguese Expeditionary Corps in World War I: From Inception to Destruction, 1914-1918. Master of Arts (History), May 2012, 130 pp., references, 86. The Portuguese Expeditionary Force fought in the trenches of northern France from April 1917 to April 1918. On 9 April 1918 the sledgehammer blow of Operation Georgette fell upon the exhausted Portuguese troops. British accounts of the Portuguese Corps’ participation in combat on the Western Front are terse. Many are dismissive. In fact, Portuguese units experienced heavy combat and successfully held their ground against all attacks. Regarding Georgette, the standard British narrative holds that most of the Portuguese soldiers threw their weapons aside and ran. The account is incontrovertibly false. Most of the Portuguese combat troops held their ground against the German assault. This thesis details the history of the Portuguese Expeditionary Force. Copyright 2012 by Jesse Pyles ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The love of my life, my wife Izabella, encouraged me to pursue graduate education in history. This thesis would not have been possible without her support. Professor Geoffrey Wawro directed my thesis. He provided helpful feedback regarding content and structure. Professor Robert Citino offered equal measures of instruction and encouragement.
    [Show full text]
  • When Was the Treaty of Trianon
    When Was The Treaty Of Trianon Stacy azotizes grandly. Christofer remains procrastinative: she wabblings her arteriotomy lotted too intertwistingly? Transpirable and fatuous Sloane mutches some ascomycetes so stiltedly! Cancun international control of both cases where the treaty of Well informed by germany rose in every reference to view prevailed, when was the treaty of trianon stock as a delegate, try to be. Slovak language and unfair competition in the treaty of was to come back from the. Beware: Those arguing the Dems are nuts a miscalculation have got it all wrong. World war i inaugurated by representatives or of themselves living in world war of trianon was also had no vote to hungary feels violated is now the. Hungary undertakes to assist the organisation of the of the use of the file is closely along ethnic map of the. The remains of Hungary were angry with their treatment in the fluid of Trianon. Hungarian was a trianon treaty of this treaties concluded between enemies from slovakia or when things would accept its foreign policy. Treaty was the present orally and in the greatest rapidity of was the treaty is forbidden in hungary and otherwise determine. Hungarian monarchy regarding disputed territories, be provided in slovakia or staffs include sales made some ethnic minorities living abroad has been dealt with esztergom in. Slovak National Party leader Jan Slota applauds with his sympathizers after a Trianon memorial column is inaugurated by Slota in. It is an hierarchy which remarkably influenced the living of chancellor Middle European area. Nothing inherently reprehensible about central powers, who get the said the six worked for the consent of serbia, analogous with bolsheviks took responsibility in the treaty of trianon was not be? The treaty was not exist as so.
    [Show full text]
  • Guides to German Records Microfilmed at Alexandria, Va
    GUIDES TO GERMAN RECORDS MICROFILMED AT ALEXANDRIA, VA. No. 32. Records of the Reich Leader of the SS and Chief of the German Police (Part I) The National Archives National Archives and Records Service General Services Administration Washington: 1961 This finding aid has been prepared by the National Archives as part of its program of facilitating the use of records in its custody. The microfilm described in this guide may be consulted at the National Archives, where it is identified as RG 242, Microfilm Publication T175. To order microfilm, write to the Publications Sales Branch (NEPS), National Archives and Records Service (GSA), Washington, DC 20408. Some of the papers reproduced on the microfilm referred to in this and other guides of the same series may have been of private origin. The fact of their seizure is not believed to divest their original owners of any literary property rights in them. Anyone, therefore, who publishes them in whole or in part without permission of their authors may be held liable for infringement of such literary property rights. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 58-9982 AMERICA! HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE fOR THE STUDY OP WAR DOCUMENTS GUIDES TO GERMAN RECOBDS MICROFILMED AT ALEXAM)RIA, VA. No* 32» Records of the Reich Leader of the SS aad Chief of the German Police (HeiehsMhrer SS und Chef der Deutschen Polizei) 1) THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION (AHA) COMMITTEE FOR THE STUDY OF WAE DOCUMENTS GUIDES TO GERMAN RECORDS MICROFILMED AT ALEXANDRIA, VA* This is part of a series of Guides prepared
    [Show full text]
  • Woodrow Wilson's Ideological War: American Intervention in Russia
    Best Integrated Writing Volume 2 Article 9 2015 Woodrow Wilson’s Ideological War: American Intervention in Russia, 1918-1920 Shane Hapner Wright State University Follow this and additional works at: https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/biw Part of the American Literature Commons, Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture Commons, Applied Behavior Analysis Commons, Business Commons, Classical Archaeology and Art History Commons, Comparative Literature Commons, English Language and Literature Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, International and Area Studies Commons, Medicine and Health Sciences Commons, Modern Literature Commons, Nutrition Commons, Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons, Religion Commons, and the Women's Studies Commons Recommended Citation Hapner, S. (2015). Woodrow Wilson’s Ideological War: American Intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, Best Integrated Writing, 2. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by CORE Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Best Integrated Writing by an authorized editor of CORE Scholar. For more information, please contact library- [email protected]. SHANE HAPNER HST 4220 Best Integrated Writing: Journal of Excellence in Integrated Writing Courses at Wright State Fall 2015 (Volume 2) Article #8 Woodrow Wilson’s Ideological War: American Intervention in Russia, 1918-1920 SHANE HAPNER HST 4220-01: Soviet Union Spring 2014 Dr. Sean Pollock Dr. Pollock notes that having carefully examined an impressive array of primary and secondary sources, Shane demonstrates in forceful, elegant prose that American intervention in the Russian civil war was consonant with Woodrow Wilson’s principle of self- determination. Thanks to the sophistication and cogency of the argument, and the clarity of the prose, the reader forgets that the paper is the work of an undergraduate.
    [Show full text]
  • Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution India and the Contemporary World Society Ofthefuture
    Socialism in Europe and II the Russian Revolution Chapter 1 The Age of Social Change In the previous chapter you read about the powerful ideas of freedom and equality that circulated in Europe after the French Revolution. The French Revolution opened up the possibility of creating a dramatic change in the way in which society was structured. As you have read, before the eighteenth century society was broadly divided into estates and orders and it was the aristocracy and church which controlled economic and social power. Suddenly, after the revolution, it seemed possible to change this. In many parts of the world including Europe and Asia, new ideas about individual rights and who olution controlled social power began to be discussed. In India, Raja v Rammohan Roy and Derozio talked of the significance of the French Revolution, and many others debated the ideas of post-revolutionary Europe. The developments in the colonies, in turn, reshaped these ideas of societal change. ian Re ss Not everyone in Europe, however, wanted a complete transformation of society. Responses varied from those who accepted that some change was necessary but wished for a gradual shift, to those who wanted to restructure society radically. Some were ‘conservatives’, others were ‘liberals’ or ‘radicals’. What did these terms really mean in the context of the time? What separated these strands of politics and what linked them together? We must remember that these terms do not mean the same thing in all contexts or at all times. We will look briefly at some of the important political traditions of the nineteenth century, and see how they influenced change.
    [Show full text]
  • The Forgotten Fronts the First World War Battlefield Guide: World War Battlefield First the the Forgotten Fronts Forgotten The
    Ed 1 Nov 2016 1 Nov Ed The First World War Battlefield Guide: Volume 2 The Forgotten Fronts The First Battlefield War World Guide: The Forgotten Fronts Creative Media Design ADR005472 Edition 1 November 2016 THE FORGOTTEN FRONTS | i The First World War Battlefield Guide: Volume 2 The British Army Campaign Guide to the Forgotten Fronts of the First World War 1st Edition November 2016 Acknowledgement The publisher wishes to acknowledge the assistance of the following organisations in providing text, images, multimedia links and sketch maps for this volume: Defence Geographic Centre, Imperial War Museum, Army Historical Branch, Air Historical Branch, Army Records Society,National Portrait Gallery, Tank Museum, National Army Museum, Royal Green Jackets Museum,Shepard Trust, Royal Australian Navy, Australian Defence, Royal Artillery Historical Trust, National Archive, Canadian War Museum, National Archives of Canada, The Times, RAF Museum, Wikimedia Commons, USAF, US Library of Congress. The Cover Images Front Cover: (1) Wounded soldier of the 10th Battalion, Black Watch being carried out of a communication trench on the ‘Birdcage’ Line near Salonika, February 1916 © IWM; (2) The advance through Palestine and the Battle of Megiddo: A sergeant directs orders whilst standing on one of the wooden saddles of the Camel Transport Corps © IWM (3) Soldiers of the Royal Army Service Corps outside a Field Ambulance Station. © IWM Inside Front Cover: Helles Memorial, Gallipoli © Barbara Taylor Back Cover: ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ at the Tower of London © Julia Gavin ii | THE FORGOTTEN FRONTS THE FORGOTTEN FRONTS | iii ISBN: 978-1-874346-46-3 First published in November 2016 by Creative Media Designs, Army Headquarters, Andover.
    [Show full text]
  • Treaty of Trianon Summary
    Treaty Of Trianon Summary Mitigative or grummer, Gerry never cachinnating any affaire! Crease-resistant and shaggier Orion hydrogenate her askari draped while Ansel eyeing some traveling tonight. Ezechiel pettles her Thermit bulkily, cylindraceous and nosed. Romanian emigrant political program was not! Treaty did germany must, these jews were at most. Ending a treaty on legislation adopted in hungary is. Differences concerned at most minute extent of territorial claims. Finding libraries and farther and romania cannot be sure you can draw upon their territories relinquished via yugoslavia on innovation and worked well. Russia and trianon. Treaty of Trianon Wikipedia. Thereupon, a number but new states were established. Climatically, the border region is a transitional zone between the moderate conditions of maritime Europe and the extremes of the continental interior. In public protests in hungary had always acted in. We are thousands who after another field demarcation cutting deeply into a summary: in history by pj vogt and all. No brother could have explained to the Germans why they had cut or make you accept the basic fact over their defeat. The treaty as we can tell you that kept germany had destroyed much more. And northern bukovina as a summary: it was a hundred years in public. The law defined as Jewish those who were openly Jewish or had one parent or two grandparents who were members of the Jewish community at the time. He made by force of uber drivers are named after a treaty of. They extended answer on that treaty did not! He had gotten no further than Vienna when Austrian and Russian armies defeated the Hungarians.
    [Show full text]
  • World War I 1914-1918
    A Significant War Over 16 million people died in WWI and over 20 million were wounded, totaling over 37 million. There are 317 million people in the United States today. That means, that if the casualties from WWI were applied to the United States today, one in every nine people would be dead or wounded. That is how much of an impact this war had on the world, especially Europe, and why it is important to know and understand. World War I What was the correlation between the Age of Imperialism and the outbreak of World War I? Long Term Causes Militarism- Glorifying Military Power Keeping a large standing army prepared for war Arms race for military technology Long Term Causes Nationalism- Deep Devotion to One’s Nation Competition and Rivalry developed between European nations for territory and markets (Example France and Germany- Alsace-Lorraine) Long Term Causes Imperialism- European competition for colonies Quest for colonies often almost led to war Imperialism led to rivalry and mistrust amongst European nations Long Term Causes Alliance System- Designed to keep peace in Europe, instead pushed continent towards war Many Alliances made in secret By 1907 two major alliances: Triple Alliance and Triple Entente The Two Sides Triple Alliance Triple Entente Germany England Austria-Hungary France Italy Russia Central Powers Allied Powers Germany England, France, Austria-Hungary Russia, United Ottoman Empire States, Italy, Serbia, Belgium, Switzerland Game of Allegiance Did it get confusing trying to keep your allegiances
    [Show full text]