“I am firmly convinced that nothing was ever accomplished in Siberia by Allied military forces except to intensify hatred and suspicion of the foreigner.”
— From his memoir: "America's Siberian Adventure" (1931)The "Siberian Briar Patch" is a figurative expression that derives from the folk tale Br'er Rabbit, which means one that feels safe in what others may render a dangerous situation. The irony in America's involvement in Siberia is that they were not supposed to get involved in Russia's civil war. America became involved in protecting the railways, which violated Wilson's promise of making it a peace mission. During geopolitical uncertainty, the White House proved there is a thin line between policy and practice concerning Russia, where America directly helped anti-Bolshevik forces. Being an idealist, Wilson tried to show the world that America was a peacemaker, but sending troops to Siberia contradicted this notion. Therefore, President Wilson's moral uprightness as a peacemaker was a front to the public while meeting different objectives in helping anti-communist forces.
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