Francis to Lansing on white forces disposed to align with Germany


File No. 861.00/2084
[Telegram]

Vologda, June 19, 1918, 9 p.m.
[Received June 21, 7:55 a.m.]


285.

    Vosnesenski, talkative chief of the Far Eastern Division of Soviet Foreign Office, who represented Soviet government at Summers's funeral, called yesterday saying would be in Vologda five or six days. If his visit had any object it was to tell me that Chicherin had instructed him to say that notes demanding war vessels leave Russian ports[1] were sent to please the Germans or perhaps by German orders and that Chicherin expects no reply or action thereon. Radek had told Lehrs [2] [possible transcription error] and Poole had so wired me.

    Have heard from two sources that a German colonel in uniform had recently met combination group [possibly combination group mentioned in No. 249] in Moscow and promised that 10,000 Germans with German division organized from prisoners of war would overturn Bolshevik government in one week, if combination group would favor German alliance and compel Allied forces and Allied representatives to leave Russia and that combination group considering proposition and disposed to accept....


Francis



[1] See telegrams dated June 16 and June 21, Vol. II, chap. II.

[2] John A. Lehrs, Vice Consul at Moscow.




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