Lenin wanted to lease the Far East to the United States for 60 years in order to curb Japan's expansion.

Lenin wanted to lease the Far East to the United States for 60 years in order to curb Japan's expansion.

A few days after meeting Lenin, Vanderlip flew back to the United States, but instead of returning empty-handed, he brought back a draft cooperation without the signature of any Bolshevik leader. It is said that this cooperation draft comes from the Bolshevik regime, and its content is that the Soviet Union and Russia are willing to lease the kamchatka peninsula area in the northern part of the United States, not far from Alaska, to the United States for 60 years, and are willing to keep in touch with the United States on such issues.

In the traditional Russian concept, territory is sacred and inviolable. But under certain circumstances, Russians will also reluctantly give up what they want. For example, 19 18 On March 3, when the Bolsheviks just seized power, they had to sign the Brest Peace Treaty to cede territory in the face of the German attack. In addition, Lenin also considered letting the United States lease the territory of the Soviet Union and Russia in the Far East to curb Japan's aggression and expansion at that time.

1. Lenin met this mysterious American in his busy schedule.

A recent article in Russian Debate Weekly reviewed this little-known historical episode.

19 17, where is the Bolshevik? October Revolution? As soon as China came to power, he was immediately intervened by armed forces from many countries. Among them, the Japanese actions in the Far East made the red leaders of the Kremlin feel at home.

At this time, the newly born red regime was in absolute international isolation, without any allies, but it had to resist the joint invasion of several powerful countries, and the Bolshevik regime was in urgent need of external assistance. In this context, Lenin was interested in the olive branch from the west.

1920 One day in September, a mysterious American arrived in Moscow from the other side of the ocean, and Lenin also met him, although the leader had been busy dealing with the war with the Soviet Union (19 19 February? 192 1 March). He is willing to take time out of his busy schedule to meet a foreigner. He must think this man is extremely important. In fact, the Bolshevik regime at that time did not find out the true identity of this man, because he called himself Vanderlip and was a great American banker at that time. Van der Lip's relatives. The name Vanderlip was a household name in the United States at that time. As one of the co-founders of the Federal Reserve, Frank? Vanderlip's influence in the United States can be used? Call the wind and rain? To describe (his National City Bank of new york was translated into Citibank by China people).

Although another Bolshevik leader, dzerzhinsky, has created the predecessor of the KGB? Cheka, but Cheka has not established a spy network in North America. So the new regime really won't know for a while whether this Vanderlip is really a relative of a big banker, and it's not sure whether this American is a liar.

Lenin listened quietly to the statement and nodded from time to time.

At first, the Bolsheviks intended to drive away the Americans, but Vanderlip told another story? A trump card, he claimed to put the United States and the party senator Warren? News from Harding.

It was this that aroused Lenin's interest. Because the American presidential election was in full swing at that time, Harding, who represented * * * and the party in the presidential election, was the most popular. According to the situation at that time, if there were no accidents, Harding would be elected (from 192 1 to 1923 as the 29th president of the United States). Therefore, when Vanderlip moved the future American president out, the Soviet and Russian leaders were tempted. As mentioned above, what the new regime needs most at this time is external assistance. If we can take this opportunity to get in touch with the future president of the United States, it will be a rare opportunity for the Bolshevik regime to survive. In this way, Lenin decided to meet this unidentified Vanderlip.

After the two men sat down, Van der Lip made a clean breast of his so-called message, which read: The United States wants to cooperate with the Bolshevik regime, and Washington wants to curb Japan's expansion, but it suffers from the lack of a military stronghold with a superior geographical position to achieve this goal. Therefore, if the Soviet Union and Russia can sell or lease the Far East and East Siberia to the United States, the United States can rely on this land to contain Japan. At the same time, the United States will develop this land, so that when Soviet Russia redeems or recovers this land in the future, it can recover this land. Appreciation? The territory of. If the Soviet Union and Russia agree to this request of the United States, the United States will recognize the Bolshevik regime and provide it with assistance.

After conveying this message, Vanderlip repeatedly analyzed Lenin: Japan is the number one enemy of the United States in East Asia, and Japan is what the Bolsheviks are most worried about in the East. In that case, why not let the United States get the most needed military base? In this way, Russia and the United States can form an anti-Japanese alliance. The Bolsheviks not only greatly improved their external environment, but also eased the pressure brought by Japan's expansion in the Far East with the help of the United States.

Lenin listened quietly to Vanderlip's statement and nodded from time to time, but gave no advice. Until the end of this meeting, Lenin did not elaborate his position on this proposal, but promised to consider the American proposal. Finally, Vanderlip expressed the hope that the Soviet Union and Russia would not make the news of their visit public, let alone publicly report the cooperation proposal of the United States. Van der Lip believes that if this is done, Harding's campaign will be seriously affected. Lenin agreed to this request of Vanderlip. Van der Lip also asked for a portrait of Lenin with Lenin's autograph, which Lenin declined.

Russia is willing to lend kamchatka peninsula to the United States for 60 years?

Did Lenin discuss this proposal with other Soviet and Russian leaders in the following days? At present, there is no public historical data on this point. However, in some reports at that time, it can be seen that Vanderlip flew back to the United States a few days after meeting Lenin, but he did not return empty-handed, but brought back a draft cooperation without the signature of any Bolshevik leader. It is said that this cooperation draft comes from the Bolshevik regime, and its content is that the Soviet Union and Russia are willing to lease the kamchatka peninsula area in the northern part of the United States, not far from Alaska, to the United States for 60 years, and are willing to keep in touch with the United States on such issues. It seems that although it is impossible to confirm the true identity of the other party, the Soviet Russian regime led by Lenin is still willing to take a chance.

Regrettably, after returning to China, Vanderlip took this manuscript and did a lot of public relations, but in the end he failed to make any waves. However, after the incident was widely reported by the media, Americans began to look at the new Russian regime from another angle, and many American businessmen who were willing to do business with the Soviet Union appeared. 192 1 year, Harding became the president of the United States. When someone asked Harding to verify the draft that Vanderlip got back from Russia, Harding only said that he had never entrusted anyone to contact the Russians.

Lenin took the initiative to mention this to British tourists.

Now it seems that Vanderlip whom Lenin met was just a speculator who was going to make some money. The so-called news from Harding in his hand is just a cover. However, this brief episode in the long river of history shows from the side that Lenin really wanted to introduce the great power of the United States to balance Japan. Of course, Lenin can't be kept in the dark all the time, but at least two months ago, he mentioned this proposal of Vanderlip, and on very formal occasions, his attitude was very serious. What is particularly striking is that he also expounded his own thinking on this issue.

Wells, a British science fiction writer who is as famous as Verne, described his meeting with Lenin in the book Russia in the Shadow.

Coincidentally, his meeting with Lenin was only a few days apart from the meeting between Vanderlip and Lenin. It turned out that the famous novelist at that time had always been fascinated by the mysterious country and regime of Soviet Russia, so he embarked on a journey and began a two-week trip to Soviet Russia, and applied to meet Lenin. Fortunately, he got the chance to meet. Coincidentally, Wells and Vanderlip stayed in the same hotel in Moscow at that time, and they had dinner together and had an in-depth conversation. However, both Wells and Vanderlip said that they had not talked about the US proposal to buy the Far East.

However, in the book Russia in the Shadow, there is still something about it. It turned out that Lenin himself revealed the news. In the conversation with Wells, Lenin talked about the United States and its position in the world. He said: At present, there is a cooperation plan between our two countries (Russia and the United States). The United States will lease China's Kamchatka and other areas, and build military bases on them to join hands with us against the Japanese. Through this cooperation, we will get assistance from the United States. ?

Rostain, who translated Lenin at that time, later wrote in his memoirs that when Lenin mentioned this matter, rostain had been motioning with his hand in secret, because he knew the true identity of Vanderlip was still a mystery, so it was inappropriate to disclose the news prematurely. But no matter how rostain reminded him, Lenin went his own way and told Wells everything about it.

5. Lenin told it widely? meaningful

Two months later, Lenin once again talked about cooperation with Americans, this time at an important meeting within the party. Lenin said to the main Bolshevik leaders gathered together: Since Americans are willing to cooperate, why don't we try? Now Japan is aggressive in the East and poses a great threat to us. If we can dominate the United States between the United States and Japan, the pressure from the East will be much reduced. We have reached a cooperation draft with the United States, and now all we have to do is wait. ? Obviously, Lenin's draft of cooperation is the draft that Van der Lip brought back to the United States from Moscow. In other words, Lenin still has illusions about the draft cooperation after meeting with Vanderlip for three months.

Of course, Russia finally figured out that Vanderlip was just a liar. In this way, the cooperation between the United States and Russia, which was valued by Lenin, vanished and was rarely mentioned in the days to come.

In reviewing this matter, Argument Weekly analyzed that Lenin may have known that Vanderlip was just a speculator, but he deliberately put this unreliable cooperation draft? Tell it widely? On the surface, this is very inconsistent with Lenin's consistent style. However, this only shows Lenin's superb and flexible diplomatic skills? This incident released a smoke bomb, which made several powerful countries ready to interfere in Soviet Russia feel uneasy and reminded them that Soviet Russia would get external recognition and assistance at any time.

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Source: Gu Changhe, author of Youth Reference