Roger Tredwell
Encyclopedia
Roger Culver Tredwell was an American
diplomat
. He received international attention when he was imprisoned in Russian Central Asia
by Bolshevik
forces shortly after the Russian Revolution.
, England
. In 1915 he served in Italy
at Turin
and then Rome
. By 1917 he was serving in Russia
, at which time he went to Turkestan
on a fact-finding mission and was imprisoned. In 1922 he began a three-year tour as United States Consul General at large for Central Asia and Africa
From 1926-1929 he served in Hong Kong
, marrying Metta-Louise Orr from New York in 1929. He was then relocated to Stockholm
in the early 1930s.
In 1918 Tredwell was sent to Tashkent
in Russian Central Asia to investigate the political and cotton
situation there. At this time, World War I
was still raging across Europe. Munitions of the day used cotton (see nitrocellulose
), however a successful blockade by the British
had limited Germany's
cotton supply. The Entente powers
were concerned that the Germans might try to procure local supplies throughout the former Russian Empire
, especially in the Turkestan region, as well as rally political and military support in the area to launch an attack against British India.
Tredwell prepared two reports during that summer after traveling extensively around the region and speaking to many people about the current political and economic situation.
Tredwell was arrested by the Bolsheviks in on October 15, 1918. He was soon able to secure his release, and quickly set about to free other foreigners arrested that same day. Shortly after, however, he was placed once again under house arrest. At one point he was taken to a prison where it seemed he was about to be executed, but the local police chief stopped the process at the last minute.
In March 1919, the British offered to release Bolshevik prisoners they were holding in Persia in exchange for Tredwell's freedom. This exchange, however, never took place.
He was taken from Tashkent to Moscow, then onward to Finland, where he was released in May 1919. Upon his return, he denounced Bolshevik rule and predicted that the Russian people would soon rise up against it.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. He received international attention when he was imprisoned in Russian Central Asia
Russian Turkestan
Russian Turkestan was the western part of Turkestan within the Russian Empire , comprising the oasis region to the south of the Kazakh steppes, but not the protectorates of the Emirate of Bukhara and the Khanate of Khiva.-History:-Establishment:Although Russia had been pushing south into the...
by Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
forces shortly after the Russian Revolution.
Diplomatic career
Tredwell had a variety of positions all over the world. In 1914 he was stationed in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In 1915 he served in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
at Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and then Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. By 1917 he was serving in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, at which time he went to Turkestan
Turkestan
Turkestan, spelled also as Turkistan, literally means "Land of the Turks".The term Turkestan is of Persian origin and has never been in use to denote a single nation. It was first used by Persian geographers to describe the place of Turkish peoples...
on a fact-finding mission and was imprisoned. In 1922 he began a three-year tour as United States Consul General at large for Central Asia and Africa
From 1926-1929 he served in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, marrying Metta-Louise Orr from New York in 1929. He was then relocated to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in the early 1930s.
Imprisonment in Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
in Russian Central Asia to investigate the political and cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
situation there. At this time, World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
was still raging across Europe. Munitions of the day used cotton (see nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...
), however a successful blockade by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
had limited Germany's
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
cotton supply. The Entente powers
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
were concerned that the Germans might try to procure local supplies throughout the former Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, especially in the Turkestan region, as well as rally political and military support in the area to launch an attack against British India.
Tredwell prepared two reports during that summer after traveling extensively around the region and speaking to many people about the current political and economic situation.
Tredwell was arrested by the Bolsheviks in on October 15, 1918. He was soon able to secure his release, and quickly set about to free other foreigners arrested that same day. Shortly after, however, he was placed once again under house arrest. At one point he was taken to a prison where it seemed he was about to be executed, but the local police chief stopped the process at the last minute.
In March 1919, the British offered to release Bolshevik prisoners they were holding in Persia in exchange for Tredwell's freedom. This exchange, however, never took place.
He was taken from Tashkent to Moscow, then onward to Finland, where he was released in May 1919. Upon his return, he denounced Bolshevik rule and predicted that the Russian people would soon rise up against it.