861.00/5558: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
3658. Following telegram received From Harris at Omsk is repeated for your information:
“455, November 2, 2 p.m. Held long conference with Kolchak today. He informed me definitely that the Czech soldiers would not participate in the fighting at the front and they would be evacuated from Siberia according to the plan outlined by the Paris Conference and Czech. He informed me further that there was a lull in operations during the past two days at the front and that both sides were preparing for a battle which would shortly be fought at some point yet to be determined between Petropavlovsk and Omsk. Kolchak stated that no matter what happened he was determined to fight on to the last. He desired me to thank the American Government for the present great material assistance being given in the shape of [omission] and rifles, and especially point out the magnificent services being rendered by the American Red Cross without which it would have been impossible for him to have continued operations until now.
Petropavlovsk is in the hands of the Bolsheviki. It has been arranged by mutual agreement that all foreign missions at present in Omsk will leave the city on the evening of Wednesday the 5th. This is done in accordance with the wishes of the Government as it is felt that the large number of trains occupied by all foreigners should be moved out in order to give greater facilities for the movement of troops and also to relieve congestion in the yards. It is my intention to leave on that date, together with Generals Knox and Janin23 and Ambassador Kato, the personnel of all the various staffs and the last of the Czech contingent amounting to 600 soldiers. It is my intention to proceed as far as Novo Nikolaievsk and there await developments. I shall be accompanied by Colonel Johnson and the corps railway engineers, as well as Major Slaughter and the personnel of the American Hospital. There is absolutely no panic in the city and everything is going forward as planned. Copy of this telegram sent to Tokyo for the information of Morris and Teusler. Harris.”
- Gen. Maurice Janin, of the French Army, supreme commander of the Czechoslovak Army.↩