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“From the time the news of the Russian Revolution reached Paris,
Russian newspapers of extreme tendencies immediately began to appear;
and these newspapers, as well as individuals, freely circulated among
the soldier masses and began a Bolshevik propaganda, often spreading
false news which appeared in the French journals. In the absence of
all official news, and of precise details, this campaign provoked
discontent among the soldiers. The result was a desire to return to
Russia, and a hatred toward the officers.
“Finally it all turned into rebellion. In one of their meetings, the
soldiers issued an appeal to refuse to drill, since they had decided
to fight no more. It was decided to isolate the rebels, and General
Zankievitch ordered all soldiers loyal to the Provisional Government
to leave the camp of Courtine, and to carry with them all ammunition.
On June 25th the order was executed; there remained at the camp only
the soldiers who said they would submit ‘conditionally’ to the
Provisional Government. The soldiers at the camp of Courtine received
several times the visit of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian
Armies abroad, of Rapp, the Commissar of the Ministry of War, and of
several distinguished former exiles who wished to influence them, but
these attempts were unsuccessful, and finally Commissar Rapp insisted
that the rebels lay down their arms, and, in sign of submission,
march in good order to a place called Clairvaux.
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