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to an agreement with the allies against German Imperialism! It was, therefore, untrue that the bolsheviks had been resolutely hostile to any allied anti-German action in Russia! And this project, which our ambassador had not even consented to discuss or to examine but which must, undoubtedly, have offered some interest, a project which he had put aside a priori, deliberately! A short while after this first direct blow to my convictions, our intervention, which had so often been deferred, at last came to a head. It was announced in a laconic telegram from M. Noulens, who, prior to leaving Vologda (from whence he stated that he would return in two or three weeks with French troops) gave warning of the imminence of the occupation of Archangel and, in pointing out that very probably, „faithful to their habitual tactics“, the Bolsheviks would not fail to enter into negotiations with us, he concluded with the words: „You at any rate will not take part in any negotiations whatsoever“. On the other hand, a telegram from M. Pichon announced the commencement of a Japanese intervention which would probably „rapidly assume important proportions“ in the Far East. This time the allied intervention announced and promised to „our friends“ for several months past had really come!
But it took place much too late. It had allowed the moment to pass when the Germans, intoxicated by their draconian peace of Brest, were continuing their advance further and further into the interior of Russia. It took place at a moment when the Germans began to retreat from one part of the occupied territories or, at least seemed on the point of doing so,
