File No. 861.00/2530
Members of the Czecho-Slovak National Council (Girsa, Spacek, and Houska) to the President of the Czecho-Slovak National Council (Masaryk)1
Our advance guard has now reached the River Ussuri, the Vladivostok detachment having lost 170 wounded and 80 killed, while the enemy have had considerably heavier losses. The enemy have good and plentiful equipment, and we are still in need of much to complete our equipment, more especially artillery, aircraft, and cavalry, and we need considerable assistance from the Allies in this respect. The Bolshevists have proclaimed a forced mobilization in the district between Chita and Khabarovsk, but this is no less unpopular with the inhabitants than the previous voluntary mobilization. The enemy have now a total of some 50,000 men operating against our two forces. The advance guard of our western group has reached the south shore of Lake Baikal at Kultuk. They are in a critical position and require help from us immediately, but we cannot supply this unless the Allies, by immediately landing troops to protect our rear, free us from Vladivostok, and also support us by sending one division with our force. When they do this we can immediately advance towards Chita on the Manchurian Railway, and we could thus connect in five weeks with our force advancing from Irkutsk. We could then proceed either to Dairen or Vladivostok, if the winter is to be spent here. Our men are in excellent spirits and health. Rest will be required after operations are finished, and military technical reorganization could be undertaken during this period of rest. The task immediately before us is to set free our force and to concentrate it either in Vladivostok or at some other point. In undertaking this, we maintain the principle of keeping ourselves free from Russian domestic affairs, unless our interference is absolutely essential for the protection of our force and for carrying on military operations. This attitude is recognized by the population, who are therefore friendly disposed to us. We ask you to place at once before the Allies:
- (a)
- The question of the completion of our armament and equipment; and
- (b)
- The need for expediting military support, which Japan would have already given if they had obtained the official concurrence of the United States. This point is an essential one for us.
Bolshevism now seems to be disappearing, and continues to exist only owing to the forcible support of the Germans and Magyars of [Page 320] the “International Army.” The movement against the Bolshevists has been strengthened throughout Russia by our action, and reports have been received indicating the deposition of Soviets in Russia, and it is also stated that a coalition central government has been created in European Russia, including Milyukov and Rodzyanko. A temporary government of autonomous Siberia has been set up in western Siberia and it is stated that the Russian central government will be recognized by this government. Conditions are not so favorable in eastern Siberia owing to the disputes between the Bolshevists and General Horvat. We request your opinion, in view of the new situation thus presented, as to whether we should stay in Russia, supposing this to be possible, and if so, under what conditions. Please communicate to us for our information the results of our formations in America and, further, whether it will be possible to make use of our surplus officers with these detachments, and also whether, supposing that we remain in Russia, we can depend upon completing our army with volunteers from the United States. We should also like details as to our forces in Italy and France.
- Copy received from the Czecho-Slovak National Council and transmitted by the Acting Secretary of State to the President Aug. 8, 1918.↩