I think this letter from the American officer at Svagena is positive proof of some local or general understanding between the American authorities and the Red army operating in the maritime provinces, and further, that this understanding had existed for many months; that it was this understanding which prevented the American forces joining in the combined Allied expedition to relieve the besieged Russian garrison in the Suchan district; that under this American-Bolshevik agreement the small scattered Red Guard bands who were dispersed by the Allies at the battle of Dukoveskoie in August, have collected together and formed definite military units.  In other words, that the American policy, unconsciously or otherwise, has produced a state of indecision amongst the Allies, and unrest and anarchy amongst the population of the Transbaikal and Ussurie Provinces, which may prove disastrous to the rapid establishment of order in Russia.

There are other indications that the presence of the American forces in Siberia has been used by somebody for purposes not purely American.  The business of the American command is to secure order in those districts which have been placed under its control by the Council of Allied Commanders.  There is another self-evident and obvious duty, namely, to shape their conduct in such manner as to create friendly relations with such elements of Russian authority and order as are gradually appearing here and there, under the influence of the Supreme Governor, and also provide as little space and opportunity as possible for the collection and reorganisation of the elements of disorder.  The policy of the American command, quite unintentionally perhaps, has been quite the reverse.  Their policy has resulted in turning every Russian authority against them, or, where this has not happened, they have themselves turned against Russian authority.  They have prepared plans and created opportunities for the reorganisation of the forces of disorder which, if it does not actually create a serious situation for themselves, will do so for those Allies who are trying to bring order out of chaos.  The reduction of the whole country to order, to enable it to decide its own future form of Government, is as much an American as a British object.  That some sinister underground influence has deflected American policy from this straight and honest course is quite obvious.

Contrary to general Allied opinion, the American command declared a neutral zone in the Suchan district.  Armed operations by Russian, i.e.  Admiral Koltchak’s or Red Guard forces, were prohibited within this zone.  Lenin and Trotsky’s officers jumped at this order and at once began to collect their scattered forces together.  Within three weeks they raised their Bolshevik flag on their own headquarters, under the protection of the flag of the United States.  From this neutral American zone the Bolsheviks organised their forces for attacking the Japanese on the Amur, for destroying British and other supply trains on the Ussurie Railway, and finally exchanged shots with the Russian sentries near Vladivostok itself, always bolting back to the American zone when attacked by the forces of the Supreme Governor.