White water, Red tide: Sino-Russian conflict on the Amur 1917-20

Abstract

he failure of the White movement in Siberia, one of the key theatres of the Russian civil war, has often been attributed to domestic actors and disunity among the Allies. Less attention is devoted to one of the region's closest neighbours, China. By examining the acrimonious negotiations between China and Russia over Amur River shipping, this article argues that the Whites inherited a legacy of imperial conflict which they were ideologically unable to resolve. Their mishandling of China's nationalist aspirations severely undermined their cause, whereas the Reds won Chinese sympathies through concessions. As in other regions, the White movement collided with nationalism on the Russian periphery.