861.77 Chinese Eastern/102: Telegram
The Minister in Latvia (Coleman) to the Secretary of State19
[Received July 26—9:05 a.m.]
53. On July 17, at a session of the Russian Communist Party’s central committee, Rudzutzak said that the Chinese, with British and Japanese support, had been preparing for war; that the Political Bureau had given the Soviet Government instructions to send China an ultimatum; and that, if a satisfactory reply was not received, an attempt should be made to recover the Chinese Eastern Railway by force and to have a final settlement with Chinese reaction. The War Commissar stated that Soviet tactics would be defensive and the Chinese proletariat would rise up against Chinese reaction. Kalinin suggested the possibility of a peaceful issue through external pressure on China.
Smirnov expressed a hope for peace, because the grain-stocking campaign would be upset and the internal situation complicated by war. Smidovitch and Brukhanov also spoke similarly, and these three speeches did not get a good reception. Mikoyan thought the Soviet Government would be able to arrange for grain supplies to the army and to industrial centers despite the war.
Piatnitski declared the Chinese military clique to be digging its own grave, South China to be preparing a revolutionary rising, and an eastern war to be an excellent instrument for revolution, particularly because the U. S. S. R. was not the attacker.
Resolutions were passed by the committee to require the Soviet Government’s taking the most needful measures to combat Chinese rapacity, summoning organizations of the party to arrange huge protest demonstrations, and mobilizing all organs in Siberia.
Stalin is reported to be extremely annoyed by the speeches made by Smirnov, Smidovitch and Brukhanov, and the latter may be dismissed from the Political Bureau.
- This telegram was a repetition of No. 53, July 23, 1929, noon, which was received July 24, 7:27 a.m., badly garbled.↩