Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ubvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!prls!amdimage!amdcad!cae780!ubvax!tonyw
From: tonyw@ubvax.UUCP (Tony Wuersch)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War: Part 2
Message-ID: <159@ubvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 11-Apr-85 23:11:12 EST
Article-I.D.: ubvax.159
Posted: Thu Apr 11 23:11:12 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 15-Apr-85 04:13:27 EST
References: <869@houxf.UUCP>
Organization: Ungermann-Bass, Inc., Santa Clara, CA
Lines: 70

>      Allied Intervention in Russian Civil War.
> 
> Source - Encyclopedia Brittannica
> 
> Allied Reasons for Intervention
> ===============================
> 
>    Once the civil war started (May 1918) British,French,US
>    and Japanese forces were involved within Russia's borders
>    The "Allies" had different reasons (other than crushing
>    Bolshevism).
> 
>                 Britain & France are quoted as wanting to
>    get Russia back into the war with Germany.
> 
> *  [ Either a White victory or a change in mind by the Soviets
> *  would accomplish this]- my comments !

A change in mind???????  The Bolsheviks before taking power had
encouraged that troops leave the front and put their commanding
officers on trial.  Their position that the war with Germany was
a war between imperial and financial interests in which the USSR
should take no part and which all socialist parties should oppose
was THE cornerstone of international Bolshevik policy.

It was the essence of their position as the only socialist party that
stuck to its principles on the entire European continent.  Peace now
was the rallying cry of the Bolsheviks; it might have won them the
revolution itself!  It also sharply separated them from the Mensheviks.

(the paranoics among us might be comforted by learning the one of the
paramount slogans of the bolshevik revolution was that governments should
avoid unnecessary wars, but i doubt it)

Clearly, "getting Russia back into the war" could only mean getting rid
of the Bolsheviks once and for all.

The Encyclopedia Britannica, like most official histories, is engaging
in deception on this statement of intention.

>    With most of eastern Russia nominally controlled by the
>    White Army but with its forces committed against the Red
>    Army, Japan was able to start annexing Russian territories.
> 

Is that like the contras nominally controlling Eastern Nicaragua?

> * [Japan had been taking over German colonies in the far east
> *  so this was pretty routine stuff for them]- me again !
> 
>    According to Brittannica , US aims were restricted to 
>    trying to restrain Japanese expansion.
> 

If US aims were so clean and honorable, why didn't the US negotiate with the
Bolsheviks to take this role in western Russia?  Did it?  If it didn't,
I wouldn't take Britannica's set of aims at all seriously.  If it didn't,
the US was invading the country pure and simple.  (The US negotiating
with Bolsheviks?  I'm just laughing too hard ... I can't go on!)

> *  [However some neighbouring territory to recently aqquired
> *   Alaska might not be unappreciated] - me also
> 
> 
>                             Dave Peak  @ hotel!dxp

I must say, I'm learning a lot of official US history on this net.

Tony Wuersch
{amd,amdcad}!cae780!ubvax!tonyw