861.00/5790: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Tenney) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 1, 1919, 12:04 p.m.]
[From Harris at] Irkutsk:
486. November 28, 8 p.m. Following report received from Vice Consul Ray, Novo Nikolaievsk, in substance:
Interviewed General Ivanoff-Rinoff November 26th. He frankly discussed present situation stating that in the course of two or three weeks Novo Nikolaievsk would be evacuated; that the final front will be somewhere between Marinsk and Krasnoyarsk. The Altai district will not be evacuated as it is the intention to hold Barnaul and Semipalatinsk. Dutoff’s army along with Siberian Cossacks has been ordered to reinforce the armies now there. Dutoff’s troops already arriving Semipalatinsk. This move will create a new front to be known as the southern front. Rinoff believes that all valuable materials will be evacuated from Novo Nikolaievsk. He further advised me to begin a complete evacuation of the Red Cross to Krasnoyarsk and work from there with the front. Bolsheviki have occupied Tatarskaia and are now about 400 versts west this city. According to the general belief the Bolshevik army in [is] suffering a good deal morally inasmuch as the commissars when urging them to capture Omsk stated that the civil war would end when Omsk was captured thereby eliminating Kolchak. As this is not the case and [Page 228] the opposition continues they are creating several minor difficulties in the rear and may develop into more serious outbreaks.
I learn from reliable source that Kolchak is calm and while confident is prepared for the worst. Railway authorities state that they will successfully evacuate all rolling stock from here. Kolchak, Sakharoff and army staff here and from what I can learn they will be here for some time. Situation here far from hopeless but very serious. Interviewed General Sakharoff on 27th who informed me that the army of General Kappel, operating south of railroad, had been ordered to check advance Bolshevik army for the next few days. The Siberian Army now occupies line on railroad from Slavgorod to Tatarskaia, while the second army under General Voitzekhovski is operating to north of railroad. Retreat this far continues orderly and general condition of troops fair, but very poorly clad. I personally believe that Novo Nikolaievsk will fall in the course of the next two weeks and are [am] taking measures for the complete evacuation of all personnel and all American interests during the next few days.
Everything is quiet on Siberian Railway line from Novo Nikolaievsk eastward. New Ministry has not yet been formed. Kolchak sent angry reply to Czech appeal which is being withheld from Czechs by Soukine who fears same might lead to complications. Social Revolutionaries have not yet found bases upon which to work with Kolchak government. Harris.