The landing of the Japanese army. Welcomed by every nation at Vladivostok
In November 1917, the Japanese General Staff developed a plan sending troops to northern Manchuria and Russian Far East. The decision of the Japanese Cabinet from January 13, 1918 referred to the need to limit significantly the power of the Russian Army in the Far East, to achieve freedom of action for the Japanese entrepreneurs and to open access to the Amur-river.
Foreign missions in the Far East began to spread the reality of the German threat to the region, the possibility of capture the military depots in Vladivostok (and, as it turned out, the fears were not unfounded, remember the famous events related to the Czecho-Slovaks Corps). This explains the absurdity of some Japanese propaganda pictures issued in 1919 and shown below. There are presence Austro-Hungarian and German troops in Siberia.
The march of the Japanese army at Vladivostok city 1919
Furious fighting at Amur
The battle of Ussuri, Siberia. were Captain Konomi died in battle
The brilliant exploit of the Noshido Infantry Company
The Japanese cavalry having taken possession of Khаbarovsk
Our cavalry occupied Khabarovsk, and march past took place in front of the enemy's gun-boats
The Japanese army occupied Khabarovsk, and the Amur Fleet surrendered
The Japanese Army occuping Vragaeschensk
Starting out from the head-quarters of the combined army in Siberia
Our army attacks from sky, water and shore, and repulsed the enemy of Siberia
And now there is the actual brief background of events. The formal reason for the occupation of Russia was the Russo-German separate peace and the exit Red Russia from the Alliance.
The march of the Japanese army. Nov. 1918, Vladivostok
Czecho-Slovaks inter-allied parade. Nov. 1918, Vladivostok
June 29, 1918 the Czecho-Slovaks arrived in Vladivostok for evacuation to France. They arrested Vladivostok Revolutionary Council. Czecho-Slovak’s act were supported by the landing of Britain, Japanese, American and French troops in August of the same year. Formally, the power went to the Provisional Government of Autonomous Siberia. Allied Command announced Vladivostok under international supervision.
And coming back to the pictures of virtually victorious “Siberian War”; we need to understand: the task of propaganda to influence on emotions and the mind of the target audience in any way; so no matter who the enemies are – the Kaiser German Army, the Imperial Russian Army, the White Army, the Red Army or someone else – it does not matter because the goal always been the geopolitical and strategical, not moral.
All The prints depicted here are courtesy of The Library of Congress Washington D.C.
