[World War I]. [American Expeditionary Force, Siberia]

[Vernacular Photograph Album Documenting the Allied North Russian Intervention in Vladivostok Just After World War I]

[Mainly Vladivostok: 1918-1922]. 261 images, about half real photo postcards and half vernacular photographs, between 2.5 x 1.5 inches and 3.5 x 5.5 inches. Oblong folio. Contemporary brown leather photograph album, string-tied. Lacking fore-edge flap, spine chipped, moderate rubbing and scuffing to boards. Minor occasional wear to photographs. Very good. Item #3735

A unique collection of photographs documenting the joint military expedition by Allied Forces into Vladivostok in southeastern Russia after the conclusion of World War I, the October Revolution, and the Russian Civil War, most likely assembled by an American soldier serving there at the time. The American contingent of the incursion was called the American Expeditionary Force, Siberia, which partnered with nine other countries to attempt to bring stability to the region, rescue 40,000 members of the Czechoslovakian Legion being held up by Bolsheviks outside Vladivostok, protect and retrieve American supplies in eastern Russia, and stem the early spread of Communism. A similar expedition to northern Russia, now known as the Polar Bear Expedition, was attempted in Archangel. By practically every standard, the joint missions failed, and in fact damaged relations between the Allied Forces and Russia, especially for the United States, for decades to come.

The present collection of photographs and real-photo postcards opens with several photo postcards with printed captions showing parades of the military forces of the various Allied countries who participated in the expedition to Vladivostok as they arrived in the city. These include the British Army landing in Vladivostok, the Imperial Japanese Expedition marching in front of the Czech Headquarters, the Japanese Vanguard relieving the Imperial Japanese Naval Party, the French Army landing in the city, the Allied Naval Fleet in the Vladivostok harbor, and two views of the landing of the American Army. Two additional captioned postcards show the Czech forces joining the French Army and a rather shocking image of about ten dead Czech soldiers, with the image captioned, "Czech victims in vicinity of Nicholoske former Bolshevik Head-quarters at Vladivostok."

The remainder of the photo postcards and photographs capture additional parades, numerous street scenes but also scores of images showing the outskirts and countryside around Vladivostok, ships from various countries anchored in the harbor or trying to navigate the icy conditions, military patrols often carrying weapons, American and other soldiers interacting with the locals, scenes along the railway, views of refugees fleeing the region, and much more. Upon arriving in Vladivostok, American soldiers were tasked with guarding segments of the rail lines of the Trans-Siberian Railroad running into and out of Vladivostok. American forces are seen here performing those duties, but also overseeing a temporary dormitory of beds in an evacuation hospital, patrolling the area around the city as well as the refugees along the railway, hanging out in their makeshift barracks, and more, with one image even showing a group of American soldiers posing in baseball uniforms.

Particularly striking are the images of the indigenous refugees posed near the railroad and in other locations. Some of the subjects appear to be Siberian nomads, but others traveling along the rail line are almost certainly Czech refugees fleeing Russia after their role in fighting for their own freedom against the new Russian regime. Several photos here capture groups of people obviously en route to somewhere else along the railroad, at train depots, and resting in makeshift encampments or tent cities overseen by military personnel.

Historical material from the Vladivostok expedition is exceedingly rare, especially images of soldiers with boots on the ground. The present collection provides a fascinating glimpse of life in Vladivostok during this volatile moment in Russian history, as well as a notable instance when American and Allied gunboat diplomacy utterly failed.

Price: $8,250.00