Chapter 35 U.S. covets Russian oil

Obtaining the monopoly right to develop and control Russia's large oil fields was the dream of Deterding and the United Kingdom in 1922, and the powerful American oil interest groups, including the Rockefeller Standard Group, were also dreaming of the same dream.But until 1922, Britain's new approach to the Soviet Union looked unrealistic.In terms of obtaining Soviet oil exploration rights, Britain's main competitor is the American Sinclair Petroleum Company led by Harry Sinclair. "Amidst the oil lease scandal. Harry Sinclair, who presented himself as an "independent" Oklahoma oilman, was actually a "middleman" between Standard Oil and banking interests, in some cases where a direct bid from Standard Oil might have aroused suspicion. In the market, Sinclair often comes forward to bid, and such doubts mainly come from the powerful British competitor Shell Group.In the early 1920s, Sinclair was not as "indie" as he seemed.On the Sinclair Refining Company's board of directors was Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., the son of a former U.S. president, whose brother, Archibald Roosevelt, was vice president of Sinclair Petroleum.William Powys Thompson was also a director of the Sinclair Oil Company, and he was also a director of Rockefeller Chase Bank, which was part of Standard Oil.

Harry Sinclair talks with Soviet representative Leonid Krasin in London in the early 1920s.As a result of their talks, he visited Moscow with U.S. Senators Albert Farr and Archibald Roosevelt, where they discussed the rights to the prized Baku oil fields, including Sakhalin Negotiate and agree.They will also establish a 50/50 joint venture company with the Soviet government to equally enjoy the profits from global oil sales.Sinclair and others agreed to invest no less than $115 million in the project and agreed to apply for more U.S. loans for the Russian government.Moscow knew Sinclair was close to President Harding and the Republican administration in Washington.In order to obtain a loan from the United States, it is necessary to obtain the diplomatic recognition of the Soviet Union from the United States, which will break the international isolation of the Soviet Union.Sinclair agreed and persuaded President Harding to recognize the Soviet government.

However, in Wyoming, a scandal suddenly surfaced involving Sinclair, Farr, and even President Harding, involving the awarding of leases to the United States government's lucrative oil properties in the Teapot Top region of Wyoming. out.According to rumors, the scandal was secretly instigated by representatives of rival Deterding's Shell group.In the ensuing media scandal and congressional inquiries, no one mentioned the astonishing coincidence that Teapot Top happened just as Sinclair and the US were acquiring the precious Baku from under the noses of Deterding and the UK Oilfield mining rights.

On April 14, 1922, just as President Harding was preparing to announce the normalization of diplomatic and trade relations with the Soviet Union, the Wall Street Journal featured the "Teapot Top" incident and Harry Sinclair's involvement on its front page reports.Within a year, President Harding died suddenly and inexplicably.The succession of President Coolidge aborted the Sinclair and Baku projects, as did the recognition of the Soviet Union.Sophisticated British intelligence operatives were at work thwarting American attempts to dominate Soviet oil drilling, no doubt about that.