File No. 763.72/8033

The Consul General at Moscow (Summers) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

104. General Brusilov1 who was recently wounded by Bolsheviki yesterday called me to hospital and asked me to state to the American Government that General Alexeev2 as commander in chief and General Kaledin the lieutenant governor, ataman of the combined Cossack troops, have formed a well-equipped army of 50,000 cavalry and a trusted infantry force. A union will be effected with the Ukrain[ian] troops and loyal elements of the army and people who are flocking to the south. Rodzyanko3 and other leaders of the constitutional regime supporting them. In case Bolsheviki dissolve or terrorize Constitutional Assembly, a cabinet will be determined upon. In case they cannot control same, Alexeev and members of the partisan government will proclaim seat government in Cossack country and will then send forces to Moscow and St. Petersburg to reestablish order. Brusilov thinks armies Alexeev and Kaledin more than sufficient to reestablish order and avert further anarchy but thinks several weeks wilt elapse before active operation can be begun. Brusilov states that there are still loyal troops in Russia which will continue to fight Germany and hold German troops on this front. He says that Prince Trubetskoi has communicated Alexeev’s plans to British Embassy and that financial support has been promised. He asks that the United States support them morally and financially. He strongly urged that unless such an important movement is successful Russia will become a prey to anarchy and civil war.

General Alexeev sent a trusted friend to inform me confidentially of his movements. He confirmed Brusilov’s statements that Alexeev had formed a union with the Ukrain[ian] forces and a part of the army of the southwestern front. He stated that Alexeev strongly recommended the occupation of the Siberian Railway by the Allies in order to insure arrival of supplies and prevent liberation of large numbers of German prisoners who may do irreparable harm by stirring up civil war, organizing massacres of foreigners, and destroying the railway.

The Consulate General would greatly appreciate the confidential aims of the Department as to its attitude with respect to the Bolsheviki [Page 588] who have violently seized the power and the government which has been recognized as that of the Russian people.

Summers
  1. Gen. A. A. Brusilov, in 1916 commander of the Russian offensive in Galicia; from June to July 1917 Commander in Chief of the Russian Army.
  2. Gen. M. V. Alexeev, from March to June 1917 Commander in Chief of the Russian Army and in September 1917 Chief of Staff.
  3. M. V. Rodzyanko, President of the Fourth Duma.