File No. 861.00/1596
The Ambassador in Russia (Francis) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 15, 9:28 a.m.]
86. Your 472 received. Moscow advised through Robins also through Consul General.
Have given out following statement:
The American Ambassador, upon being asked what was the position of his Government concerning the landing of Japanese and British marines at Vladivostok, said:
The Soviet government and the Soviet press are giving too much importance to the landing of these marines which has no political significance but merely was a police precaution taken by the Japanese Admiral on his own responsibility for the protection of Japanese life and property in Vladivostok, and the Japanese Admiral Kato so officially informed the American Admiral Knight and the American Consul Caldwell in Vladivostok. My impression is that the landing of the British marines was pursuant to the request of the British Consul for the protection of the British Consulate and British subjects in Vladivostok which he anticipated would possibly be jeopardized by the unrest that might result from the Japanese descent. The American Consul did not ask protection from the American cruiser in Vladivostok Harbor and consequently no American marines were landed; this together with the fact that the French [Page 117] Consul, at Vladivostok, made no request for protection from the British, American or Japanese cruisers in Vladivostok Harbor unquestionably demonstrates that the landing of Allied troops is not a concerted action between the Allies.
Soviet press making strenuous effort to strengthen sway of regime by appealing to Russian prejudices against Japanese invasion; intervention by all Allies would in my judgment be welcomed by Russian people and Soviet government could not afford to oppose it. My consistent effort has been to encourage Soviet government to resist German domination, and while I do not think Soviet government likely to form open German alliance, am endeavoring to give them no excuse for doing so; that is object of above public statement.