 The National Broadcasting Company and its affiliated stations present the Pacific story. In the mounting fury of world conflict, events in the Pacific are taking on ever greater importance. Here is the story of the Pacific and the millions of people who live around this greatest sea. The drama of the people whose destiny is at stake in the Pacific war. Here is the tale of the war in the Pacific and its meaning to us and to the generations to come. The story comes to you as another public service with drama of the past and present and commentary by Dr. Robert J. Koerner. He's either professor of history at the University of California and authority on Russian affairs. Going down to the sea, think of what the Mississippi has meant to the development of the United States. Mississippi has meant to the Midwest, the Armore River has meant to Soviet Asia and Manchuria. Today it is the boundary between them and over its swirling waters men have struggled for supremacy. Nations have fought, cities have been signed. Today both sides of it bristle with arms. The Russians to the north of it, the Japanese to the south. Think of a river 3,000 miles long. That's as long as the distance across the United States. Think of a river navigable for 2,000 miles. That's equivalent of the United States to sailing up Chesapeake Bay and continuing all the way to Kansas City. For centuries Russia traditionally has had an urge to the sea. For years Russia has fought for safe access to the White Sea, the Baltic, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific. Almost landlocked, almost hemmed in, she has sought for strategic frontiers to assure access to the sea. Like those in Finland and the Baltic states. Like those around the Bosporus and the Dardanelles. And like those around the Armore River in northeast Asia. The Armore is a vital outlet of Soviet Asia to the Pacific. We must see that it is secure. This has been the point of view of the Russians since they pushed eastward along Siberia's network of rivers and fortages before the pilgrims landed in America. They pushed eastward from European Russia toward the Pacific. Along the rivers they built trading posts, which today are towns and cities. When they arrived at the Pacific, they found they had opposition over the Armore River. You are trespassing on the land of the Manchu Emperor. This is Chinese soil. The territory of the Tsar extends to the banks of the Armore River. Both China and Russia knew that a satisfactory boundary between them would have to be established. Their ministers met to settle the dispute. When the conference was over in 1689, Russia had been forced to withdraw to align well north of the Armore River. This settlement will prevent war between the Empire of China and the Empire of Russia. But at what price? We could do nothing else. China is too strong. It has deprived us of the use of the Armore River. The Chinese now control both sides of the Armore. It stood like this for more than a century and a half. From the Imperial Russian Court came an enterprising soldier of fortune, Muravya. Stop! Stop! One at a time! One at a time! We are isolated here. That is the reason. We are not permitted to go near the Armore River. So we do not know what is happening beyond our own villages. Yes, it is as if we are exiled here. If we could use the river, we could reach the Pacific easily. It is the Chinese who are preventing us from using the Armore. So it is the Chinese who are preventing us from developing this wonderful country. We must come to a satisfactory settlement of the use of the Armore with the Chinese. That was the start of the negotiations, but ten years passed. Ten years of bickering and dickering before China seated Russia, the left bank of the Armore. The Chinese withdrew to the south bank of the river. The Russians moved down to its north bank. The Armore became the boundary between Russia and China. And the Russians began to use it as a highway of water. The Armore was closed to all but Russian and Chinese boats. They plied up and down its 2,000 navigable miles, carrying the products of the vast plains of East Asia, and more important, carrying people, opening up new territories. And now the possibilities of Asiatic Russia fired the imagination of far-seeing Russians. We should build a railroad from European Russia to the Pacific. Across 5,000 miles of unexplored wilderness. No, no, no, no. Asiatic Russia is more than a wilderness. No, Muradiov, it is only a limitless way. No, it is rich in resources. And it will provide us an outlet to the Pacific. An outlet 5,000 miles away? No, Muradiov, the cost is beyond us. Siberia is a precious fortress. Siberia is worthless. Let us think of ways to solve our problems here at home without going 5,000 miles to find more. It will give us access to the sea. Let us think about access to the sea through the Dardanelles. That is the way it went on. But gradually, other Russians saw eye to eye with Muradiov. Muradiov is right. Siberia is a land of great potential wealth. That is true. We should build a railroad to the Pacific. Yes, look at this map. We could build it from here in central Russia to here, the headwaters of the Amur. Here the travelers could transfer to the boats and sail down the 2,000 miles of the Amur to the Pacific. The value of the Amur was beginning to reveal itself. The Amur winding 2,000 miles into the interior of Asia. At last it was decided. We will start building the railroad from both the east and the west. The main efforts will be here in the west, from European Russia. And here in the east, we will start building from Vladivostok. The Russians, little skilled at this time in engineering and mechanics, undertook bravely the enormous task of building the longest railroad in the world, 5,700 miles from European Russia to the Pacific. In another 10 days we will have to quit building for this season. We have only been building 120 days this year. We must continue with it. It is impossible. We cannot build a railroad in this climate. 120 days of building each year. Then months of dragging supplies and equipment over the snow and ice. Then another 120 days of building. Meantime there were other difficulties. We were expanding great sums of gold to lay 18 single tracks t-line through a wilderness. There is small assurance that we will ever get our money back again. That's what the banker said. But the building went on. After five years of work, your foot was reached. Across rivers, over ridges, through tunnels, the building continued. Now it was at Nierchinsk. And from here travelers could transfer to boats on the Amur. It is like the Pacific reaching up to Verkham. Welcome. The Pacific is 2,000 miles away. Miles? It is the same as if the Pacific were right here. We have conquered the miles between the Pacific and Europe. They reached the headwaters of the Amur with their thin thread of steel from European Russia. But the railroad itself had not yet reached the Pacific. Look at this map. He points to the Great Bend to the north of the Amur River. If the Trans-Siberian Railroad is to stay in Russian territory, it must run along the north bank of the bend, here. But if we could save 350 miles, if we could cut straight across this bend. Well that would be through Chinese territory. Perhaps we could make a deal with China. They made the deal with China. The shortcut was built across Manchuria. But now the Trans-Siberian had a link, not under the control of Russia. No, we must build the Trans-Siberian entirely on Russian soil along the north bank of the Amur. And this at last was done. And the Russians had the longest railroad in the world. For 1500 miles, it ran along the Amur River. This means that our lifeline to the Pacific runs within a stone's throw of the Amur. At all costs, Russia must retain control of the Amur. By this time, complications had set in. Japan had risen as a power in the Pacific. In 1894, she had defeated the Chinese. Until this time, Russia faced China across the Amur. Now Japan was beginning to dream. A lout of expansion to the mainland of Asia. Of expansion to Manchuria. Already the irons were in the fire for the coming Russo-Japanese war. Within Japan, a secret society was forming to promote this war. Its name, the Amur River Society. Destined to become known around the world as the Black Dragon. Our objective is to advance Japan's frontier to the Amur. Amur is a manchew word, taken over by the Russians. The Chinese name for the Amur is Heilung Hyun, or Black Dragon. Our immediate mission is to advocate for war with Russia. The Japanese zealots started beating the drums for war against Russia. Money to carry on the agitation came from unknown sources. Look at this propaganda put out by the Black Dragon Society. It says that we have encroached upon Manchuria. This means that the Japanese have designs upon Manchuria themselves. Yes, they have established seminaries to train young Japanese to speak Russian. Such a campaign as this costs money. Who is putting it up? It is apparent that there is certain interest in Japan are putting it up. So that is it. Someday we may be facing the Japanese across the Amur instead of the Chinese. For three years the Black Dragon Society agitated. Then, as suddenly as the Japanese struck in World War II at Pearl Harbor, they struck at Port Arthur in Manchuria in 1904. Admiral Togo has bundled up Russia's Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur and has paralyzed Russia's Pacific Seaford. The Russians sent their Grand Fleet from the Baltic Sea half way around the world to Vladivostok. Togo has destroyed the Russian Grand Fleet in a furious sea battle in the state of Tsushima. Of the 38 ships in the Russian Grand Fleet, only one... In effect, after the Russo-Japanese War, Manchuria came more and more under the influence of Japan. The Japanese penetrated it economically. Now they were moving up closer and closer to face the Russians across the Amur River. The Amur became more than a mere river. It became an area of tension. The Amur is a vital outlet of Soviet Asia to the Pacific. We must see that it is secure. By the time World War I was over, this had become a policy of the Soviets. Water with Japan is inevitable. We must take all measures to prepare for it. We must build up an autonomous army in the Far East, independent and separate from the armies of European Russia. Also, we must build up and develop the industries of Soviet Asia. And if we are to do this, we can no longer depend on the single track of the Trans-Siberian River. We must take immediate steps to double track the Trans-Siberian. And when this is completed, we shall then re-examine the entire problem of Far Eastern supply. And if it develops that we shall need more transportation, then we must take appropriate steps. It became a race. The Japanese penetrating economically deeper and deeper into Manchuria. Closer and closer to the Amur River. The Russians developing industrially the Amur River region and all Soviet Asia. The villages of yesterday along the Amur River became important towns and cities. This is the city of Nikolayevsk, the most important city near the mouth of the Amur. Here we have built a big oil refinery, fish canneries and naval construction plants. This is the city of Komsomolsk. We call it the city of youth because it was built by Russian youth. 60% of our population of 300,000 is less than 30 years of age. But more important at Komsomolsk, the first Soviet warships built in the Far East were launched. Komsomolsk was developed into a big scale production center and the waters of the Amur wash its shores. This is the city of Habovsk on the Amur River more than 500 miles from the mouth and here we are making. This is the city of Blagovieshchensk, more than 12,000 miles from the mouth of the Amur river. And here we are, vigorous, vital cities growing up on a new frontier. Drawing from the rich resources of the lands behind them. Strong, determined cities growing up in what was the least densely settled region of Siberia, of Soviet Asia. Resourceful, enterprising cities growing up to play an important role in a strategic center. River cities overlooking the approaching Japanese across the street. In the dead of night, the Japanese struck Manchuria at Mukden. The world awoke one morning to find that Japan was no longer rattling the saber but had unsheathed it and was slashing brutally mercilessly through Manchuria. The Japanese took the strategic centers of Manchuria almost before anyone but they knew what was happening. While the world looked unastonished, they occupied all of Manchuria as they had planned for more than 30 years. They moved up to the Amur river and across its waters, Russia and Japan silently pondered each other. This was 1932 and that year some news came out that indicated that Russia had not been caught napping. Hmm, hey, this is interesting. Russia's building another railroad to the Pacific. Another Trans-Siberian? Apparently. They don't say very much about it. They're calling it the B-A-N, the Bikolomor trunk line. How far along are they with building it? Well, that seems to be a secret. Yeah. Probably part of their second five-year plan. That's what it was. World observers saw the significance of the new railroad. Saw why the Russians had kept it a secret. You see, the Trans-Siberian railroad is double-tracked. The two sets of tracks do not run next to each other. No, they're not putting all their eggs in one basket. But both tracks on the Trans-Siberian have their terminus at Radovostok. That's bad. Very bad. Considering the nearness of the Japanese, yes. That's why they built the B-A-M. That's good sense. Where's the terminus of the B-A-M? Well, the B-A-M reaches Komsomolsk on the Armo River and goes on to a smaller port, Soviet harbor. In fact, the under Pacific. So if the Japanese should knock out the terminus of the Trans-Siberian at Radovostok, the Russians would still have the B-A-M at Komsomolsk. Yes, you see, Komsomolsk on the Armo River is the same as having a port right on the Pacific. Slowly it was revealed. While Japan was raffling the saber for Manchuria, Russia was getting ready to defend Soviet Asia on the Armo River. And behind the waters of the Armo River, a hundred miles north of the river, Russia was building heavy installations in the fastness of Siberia. Stand back a little. They are about to pour the metal. What is that molten metal? That is ingot steel. Look. What remarkable machinery you have here. It was made in Leningrad and Magnitogorsk and brought all the way out here to the Amur. Thousands and thousands of miles. Distance is not a great factor in an industrial development of this size. No, not when there's the will to do it. To us it is a matter of being realistic. So we have built cork ovens and open hearth furnaces and all the other facilities of a steam mill. But do you have enough coking coal available here? We have a billion tons of coking coal. And we have our air road spool to bring it directly here to the steel mills on the Amur. When the Japanese moved up to the Armo River after they had seized Manchuria, the Russians had made great strides in the Armo River region. The Japanese flanked Soviet Asia's Maritime provinces, placed themselves in a position to strike directly eastward and cut off Vladivostok. But Soviet Russia was growing in strength and the Armo River, the Russians and the Japanese blowered at each other. The tension was growing. This may be the straw that breaks the camel's back over there on the Amur River. You mean Japan grabbing those Russian islands and the Amur? Yeah, near a blag over your sense. What do you think the Russians can do about it? Nothing right now. They're too busy with their purge. The rattling of the Japanese sabre was getting louder again. A month after they seized the Japanese struck down into China, while other Japanese forces faced the Russians across the Amur. Looks like Russia ought to come to China's rescue if only for her own sake. Russia can't do that right now. Remember, Japan has joined with Germany in the anti-common-turn pact. So, Russia is flanked by her two bitterest enemies, Nazi Germany and Japan. You mean that if Russia jumped on Japan that Nazi Germany might jump on Russia? Who can tell? But beyond the Amur, the Russians went on developing their industries. Japan was carrying on a war, a costly war against China. A war that Japan had not contemplated would take so long, or cost so much. Russian sentries looked across the river to the Japanese sentry. In 1938... Severe fighting has broken out between the Japanese and the Russians at Changkopang Hill near the eastern Siberian border. Reports from the scene of the outbreak indicate the Russians are inflicting heavy losses upon the Japanese. And the next year, fateful 1939, still worse fighting broke out between the Japanese and the Russians at Noamon Han. You see, Russia can take a stronger position against Japan now, because Russia and Nazi Germany are moving toward a non-aggression pact. That was confidential information. And when the non-aggression pact was signed, precipitating the war in Europe, Japan's strength and greater confidence stored the Japanese across the Amur. The friction increased, but America continued to go to the Amur River region for business. But not until Pearl Harbor did Americans see the vital and strategic importance of this region to them. Are you thinking of the Amur River region in terms of air bases against the Japanese? Not only that. That region has become a center of agriculture and industrial development. But that's likely to diminish after the war. It is more likely that it will develop more. There is more rehabilitation of the post-war world. European Russia will need its grain, its coal, its lumber. And we of America must regard the Amur River region as one of the most important developments of this century. We must regard it as part of the new world that is growing up around the Pacific. Think of a river 3,000 miles long. As long as the distance across the United States. Think of a river navigable for 2,000 miles. As long as from Chesapeake Bay to Kansas City. The river is a boundary between two rival nations and is a vital outlet to the Pacific. And Russia's position becomes clear. At all costs. We must see that the Amur is secure. The sixth longest river, the natural barrier between Soviet Asia and Manchuria, washes the dark mud from the Siberian plains and the pine forests down to the sea. And over it, blood has been spilled for centuries. These are the facts. The most important thing to tell their significance is Dr. Robert J. Kerner. Say their professor of history, University of California, and authority on Russian affairs. Dr. Kerner. This evening, you have heard something of the colorful story of the Amur River and the valley through which it flows to the Pacific. The discovery of the Amur River has meant to the Russians the acquisition of a highway to a great sea, the Pacific. In other words, easy access to the sea, one of the age-long yearnings of the Russian people. It will be remembered that they expanded down the rivers and across the portages in their country to reach the seas and that their enemies sought desperately to keep them away or to cut them off from the seas in order to conquer them or to keep them in their power. Russian desire to obtain and to retain the Amur is an important part of that story. Access to the seas means to the Russians the opportunity to be an independent people and to play a part in the world. The Russians reached the Pacific at Okhotsk in 1639 and they soon heard about the Great River far the south. They discovered it, explored it and lost it to the Manchu rules of China in the next half century. For nearly two centuries thereafter that is from 1689 to 1860 they were excluded from the river while their possession of Kamchatka and Alaska became precarious because they were accessible to the Russians only by a long and dangerous journey of 12 or more months over land or by sailing halfway around the globe. Lacking the Amur the Russians endeavored to establish a colony in California at Fort Ross as a source of food supply for Alaska and eastern Siberia in order to fight the ravages of Skirby. It was Governor General Count Muravyov later called Muravyov-Amborsky because he regained the Amur for the Russians between 1850 and 1860 who foresaw what must be the basic policy of Russia a policy which today is as sound as it was a century ago. In short, Russia he said must acquire the Amur river in order to make sure of her access to the Pacific she must get rid of Alaska to the United States because he foresaw Russia and the United States would be friends in the future she must maintain close relations with China and watch with an eagle eye what might take place in Korea Manchuria, Mongolia and Sinkyang which bordered on Russia's precarious route to the Pacific if a hostile power control these regions Russia's access to the Pacific would be insecure if not impossible the building of the trans-Siberian after 1891 near the southern border of Siberia and supplementing the river system again emphasized the same problem with the rise of Japan and her policy of driving a wedge between Russian, Siberia and China by dominating first Korea then Manchuria and then eastern inner Mongolia with wide reaching plans determining the fate of Mongolia and Sinkyang the Japanese hoped to accomplish two things to cut Russia off from the Pacific and to dominate China for these reasons United States aware that such a policy if successful would endanger its position on the Pacific transformed in 1918 the proposed single-handed Japanese intervention in Siberia into an international expedition guaranteeing at the same time the territorial integrity and open door of Russia it was clearly recognized how difficult would be our position on the Pacific if Russia were eliminated and Japan held eastern Siberia became the neighbor of Alaska and dominated Asia including China India and the islands in the western Pacific the Soviet Union realized the significance of the Amur and its basin and strenuously began to develop it as a great agricultural industrial base or independent or autonomous military naval and air forces which were to make sure eastern Siberia would not be lost in any future conflict the Soviet Union is determined to have as Molotov put it the outpost of power on the Pacific to us this is notice that Japan shall not have eastern Siberia and it is this territory which may become a base of action against Japan when Germany is finally knocked out of the ring the conference of Cairo which called for the elimination of Japan land of Asia is wholly in harmony with the basic postulate of Soviet policy in Asia and on the Pacific the story of the Amur touches Russians deeply it also has great significance for us Americans thank you Dr. Robert J. Kerner you have been listening to the Pacific story presented by the national broadcasting company and its affiliated independent stations as a public service to clarify events in the Pacific and to make understandable the crosscurrents of life in the Pacific basin a reprint of the Pacific story program is available at the cost of ten cents send ten cents in stamps or coins to University of California Press Berkeley, California we repeat a reprint of the Pacific story program is available at the cost of ten cents send ten cents in stamps or coins to University of California Press Berkeley, California the story is written and directed by Arnold Marquess the original musical score was composed and conducted by Thomas Paluso your narrator, Gaine Whitman this program came to you from Hollywood this is the national broadcasting company