Chin*
ORlOfN IHEATdt
subject lEilitary Tnforjiatla;: iiuirfcn Looted by Kuaaien Arny.
Shanghai
suasounce Aa stated
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bit. YV-lOCO
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distriouted G
confirmation DUPPLIMBNr
mo. OF PAOES ttachments
Note: The following Is information takontatementnman resident norchant of Kukdan.)
the nous of tho end of the var came, there nanfeeling of relief In Itukdon. People hadmorst, seeing tank barricade's and gun positionsIn tho main streets andhaoticof evacuation of Japanese women and children.
Japanese army units warn busy dismantling tho gun positions In tho streets. Tharo nas poaco and ordor,ense atmosphere provallcd, as tha Rod Army Ml rapidly progressing towards liukdon. But most peoplean orderly occupation, especially due to tho fact that the Soviet Union mas an ally of China and it mas to Chlnose territory they came.
Advance foroos of sirborno troops arrivod in tha aftornoon ofugust. They more received with ax-presslons of spontaneous joy by the people, nho offered tho soldiers food ond drink. Immediate connection nas established by the advance forces tilth tho local community of Russian emigrants. Emigrants of known anti-Soviet leanings were arrooted. The chief of tho local Naziocturor of Gorman ond Latin nt the Uukdon Medical College nas also arrested.
My first connection nlth the Bed Aray aas made on the following day. Three officers ond one driver came In, ledocal Tartareighbor of mine. They deoandod ny car and after nroeislng to return tho car on the same night "when all their equipment had arrived" thoy left without doing so. ave never soen my car sine*, on tha aftornoon ofirst Lieutenant, accompanied
ocal emigrant, visited no nnd demanded cameras, lie gave mo throe minutes to produce rry valuable camera, secret military plans, etc. old him it would bo absurd to oxpect to find military plansorman merchant's house and alsoad no camera, he throatonod to 9hoot ny nhole Tamil-/. nvited hlri to search my house. Obviously convinced about tho truth of ny assertion, ho produced two bottles of boor,ad to drink filth him.
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5- Various officers Including two from tho "Anti Itosvetka" gave me orders to collect Ccrr-an property such as guns, typo-writers and cameras. The collection orders wore always given by the commandant. Eight hunting riflesevolvers wore collected. On the following day, accompanied by twoollectedameras. Later in theas forced to give the officers inist of my office* equipsient purchased during the last few years. Two days later, tho office was cleared of all typewriters and portable furniture. All the desks and cupboards were forced open and contents thrown out and completely upset,
6. Kany arrests were made or.ugust. Troops, now in the city in great numbers, rounded up leading Jopancse, as well as theof the German Consulate ere__soesied to have been still no friction with the population, who overlooked small pilferages of street stalls, boing glad to be liberated froa the Japanese regime. In these days, however, looting of godowns, factories and stores began. It seemed that occupation troops Investigated the contents first and after selecting tin more valunblo things. Invited the cob to continue what had been started- Many fires were started and groups of ruffians marched through tho streets onof their own. The commandant hadroclamation that life should go on as usual, guaranteeing personal safety and property, but it seemed that this proclamation was of little value. Soldiers had now begun to stop poople on tho streets and takepocket articles.
7- Visits and searchos in the homos Increased. The officers vis-lsted oe continuously. Oneneral with six officers inspected my houseas. assured afterwards that no more than one room would be confiscated. Tho next sornlng, the saise officer billeted Rinseii with us, leaving again after depositing some clothing, two guards.and giving instructions on how to arrange tho furniture. We were busy with the latter, when he camo back Kith six or seven soldiers heavily amed with Brownings. e were told to vacate tho houso within two hours. We wore allowed to pack rind take clothes,ut no furniture. Wo ploaded for smell living quarters or for more tiso but were refused. Wo were continuously watched by the soldiers who had distributed thomsolvcs all ovor the house while we pocked. Wo wore later stranded on tho road with our baggageutch gentleman invited us to tho civiliancacp where we were given something to eat nnd also offered shelter for the night. It was found out however, duringeighboring house was not cleared and we moved to our friends flat there. Afterours of rain which afforded us someirst Lieutenant and two soldierslotted thonselves In tho downstairs offlco quarters of the flat.
8. The next morning the Captain invitod us downstairs for lunch and told us he expected my friend and do, as noil as Our wives, to Join then for dinner at night. Afterwards we should havo to go
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Tn*!lii5lTVhKnt,for..v'lai,Me stores.specially interested In caoJilng notorial end ho gave us until evening to find out about
^ lcl the worst from tho party, and os the looting job could not be turned down bo cause of threats ae found m> other alternative hut to novo to the snoll house of another Gorman.
Septeaberieutenant ivith an unknown emigranthousentroducing hiaiaelf as the "nayon Chef". arty of five officers ond tan oion to us thoa fen hours after Ur- BachId had aslrod us to give him one pearl
fcnPresentsussian General". The two soldiers lined up all six non of the house and searched our pockets Anything of value was taken while tie were threatened with revolvers and Knives. Meanwhile, the Junior officers started to search the ground floor of the house and took some suitcases stored there. After looting downstairs, the two Junior officers and ono soldier went up-
su"cases. omptlod the wardrobo and cliest of drawers, brought everything downstairs and with revolvers, forced us to load the baggage on the truck. My own loss, contolnedrunks and suitcasee, can be estimated at about
anotherransdlately xvent to thoyoung officer was ordered to proceod to our house to'
investigate endetailed report. We took him to tho "Hayonho led the looting party to our house, but he now disclaimed any knowledge of tho roon of the looting party. As the truck was not marked with any nuaber, wo could, unfortunately give no clues. As expected, we never again heard anything concerning the matter. we felt safe from further looting parties, as there was nothingrunken soldier broke Into tho houso shortly after lunch one day and with pointed revolver forced us to give him the cash ae had in our pockets.
eptember, Mr. Baehin told me that our houso was not It would however, bo occupied again and in the meantimebuy my furniture. Ke wont over to the houso with me. Theof the place can hardly be described. All my food andhad been consumated, the tins and bottles ware lyingwith hundreds of empty vodka bottlos, egg shells,nnd cushions wore slit open; all curios, cutlery,oorrors, easy chairs, grnnophone records, radioplayer, linen and most of tlio porcelain was stolon. Theof furniture in scratched ond spoiled condition woro left.
lie offeredum of one-third the vBluo of tho rurnlture, but under theould, do nothing better than accept. Tho house was not occupied by Bussion soldiers again.
September end October, the whole townarchodwor.th taking. Tho sentiments of friendship towards thehad changed with practically the ontlro population.' It wasto walk on tho roads. Chinaso of all classes wore sometimes
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rounded up for cork in buildings occuplod by Soviot rcrco.i. Truck-loads of Bachlnery taken fron factories was transported away.
Japanese and German engineers nere forced to assist in dlynantllng and packing tha ports.
At tho end oras called by Messrs. Skorniakoff and Kuknrkln to tho office of the Wnesch-Torg concerning aiy house. Major llovlkov, who had recently arrived from Moscow, toldthet their organisation would bo interested In buying the house. old hin that In order to fulfill oil obligations, especially clue to the large loss of porsonnel in our fira, the house could only bo soldair price and only if such sale would not causo any difficulties to me oftorwards. lie mentioned that the Chinese Government had granted then tho rights to buy property horo, and for mo it would bo bottej to toll, as tho Chinese would confiscate everything without compensation. Heidiculous priceefused. Then he told me that ho would confiscate the house. opllodould do nothing againstecision but aa wero in China and the house could not bo carried away; it Bust rooain for final decision by tha Chinese COTerncent. lie answered that he could not protect ths house further and it would soon belaller condition to oost Japanese houses, lie ordered oe to cooo beck two hours later with oy decision, isited again, another English speaking Kajor talked with re. Twice, ho increased tho price but It was stillew days later, soldiers or the sc-callod "Chinese Bedpporontly recruited from Manchuria, occuplod the house. Tor socio tine Itenter for propaganda .leaflet distribution, the whole rorecourt being filled with casos'of leaflets.
14. ewerman acquaintance called on mc andme to come toth the Wnesch-Torg. Ho told no thoy were now offering five times the rigura mentioned at first. It was still ridiculous. ow days, Ur. Gurbuchio camo end told oe Major Hovllcov did not understand my behavior; thoy could sand De to Siberii, for five years for noth tJio occupation forces. Furthorooro, thoy wBreoffering no ono-third of theyself had considered correct. All hopes wore shattered when tho announced evacuation by Russian troops onlQth was repudiated- *ith the prospectong occupation by tho Red Amy, no chance to earn anything, and being at the ond of forssras taken to the Wnesch-Torg to sign tho purchasing contract.
15- One eor.th later,as again called uponawyer froa Harbin who had sol:ew contract, not only In Russian, but also in Chinese rr.'. demanded another signature. Furthermore, he took Be to tho Court for registration of the salo. The clerk in charge was not in. The court officials refused to sign anything and sought to delay the natter. More or loss under duress, thoy consented to stamp the aulas contractsayalf of bargaining.
ong suspense, the Russians startod to raoko preparations for withdrawal at tho beginning of March, Tlio more valuoblo articles having been dispatched already, one could soo trucksith
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furniture, even with doors, windows, etc. Cur office es well, was once more visited in February. Tha locks were forcod opon and writing desks, book shelves, etc. carried away. enerally knowi, however, that in tho latter period of the occupation the patience of the majority of the population was oxhoustodingle soldiers disappeared, or nen looting attacks wero opposed by strong self defense froa the Chinese side. description of personal experience could be repeatedimilar sense froo many quarters. Unfortunately, ay general observations are limited because during the occupation it was more advisable to remain at home. But dotalls of the first few days of observation could be given by the inmates of the Internment Camp. Uy own experiences can be verified by many Chinese. elieve that the former emigrants readily osslsted the Red Army in tracing people to be arrested as well as in looting. West of it was done in the hope of personal gain, somo perhaps out of
>3SU Waahincton Mote:or previous report of Uajor BOVTKOPF in UukdenJ/
Original document.
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