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Bolshevik leadership Correspondence. 1912-1927
Collection of documents 1996.
Compiled by: A.V.Kvashonkin, L.P.Kosheleva, L.A.Rogovaya, O.V.Khlevnyuk.
No. 10
Telegram from V. A. Antonov-Ovseenko to V. I. Lenin and N. I. Podvoisky
[late January 1918]
Urgently, out of turn, the Council of People's Commissars - to Lenin, a copy of the people's commissar [at] Podvoisky
From KHARKOV
I protest in the strongest terms against the announcement of a general demobilization . Since you place responsibility on me, I demand the announcement of a telegram that the demobilization does not concern the troops operating on the Ukrainian front. All my artillery and cavalry are dying. Your order, not stipulated for the artillery and cavalry of certain fronts, I simply protest. Take away the collegium of military commissars that does not understand the matter 2 . Don't let things get messed up. The situation could have been saved, now I don't know anything. You have deprived me of an army. People's Commissar - Antonov-Ovseenko.
RTSKHIDNI. F. 17. On. 109. D. 12. L. 2. Uncertified typewritten copy.
Notes:
one. After the adoption of the Decree on Peace, in the conditions of the actual collapse of the fronts and mass desertion, in November 1918, the partial demobilization of the Russian army began. The Soviet government intended to create a new army on the basis of a class attribute and voluntariness. On January 15 (28), Lenin signed a decree on the creation of the Red Army and the establishment under the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs of the All-Russian Collegium for the organization and formation of the Red Army. Thus, the creation of a new army had to go hand in hand with the demobilization of the old one. However, Trotsky, who led the Soviet delegation at the peace talks in Brest-Litovsk as People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs, declared on January 28, 1918 on behalf of the government that Soviet Russia would not sign peace, would not wage war, and disband the army. Probably at his insistence, On January 29, 1918, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Krylenko sent an order to the active army to disband it. Obviously, Antonov-Ovseenko writes about this order. On January 29, 1918, Lenin telegraphed Krylenko: “Today’s telegram about peace and about the general demobilization of the army on all fronts can be canceled by all means at your disposal [...]”, and a day later he reminded again: “Give all the army commissars and Bonch- Bruevich about the detention of all telegrams signed by Trotsky and Krylenko about the disbandment of the army. We cannot give you the terms of the peace, since the peace has not actually been concluded yet [...]” (Lenin V.I. PSS. T. 50. P. 364). “Today’s telegram on peace and on the general demobilization of the army on all fronts can be canceled by all means available to you [...]”, and a day later he reminded again: “Tell all army commissars and Bonch-Bruevich about the detention of all telegrams signed by Trotsky and Krylenko on disbanding the army. We cannot give you the terms of the peace, since the peace has not actually been concluded yet [...]” (Lenin V.I. PSS. T. 50. P. 364). “Today’s telegram on peace and on the general demobilization of the army on all fronts can be canceled by all means available to you [...]”, and a day later he reminded again: “Tell all army commissars and Bonch-Bruevich about the detention of all telegrams signed by Trotsky and Krylenko on disbanding the army. We cannot give you the terms of the peace, since the peace has not actually been concluded yet [...]” (Lenin V.I. PSS. T. 50. P. 364).
2 . The institute of military commissars was created on the basis of the decision of the Military Revolutionary Committee under the Petrograd Soviet of October 20, 1917. Military commissars, as officials representing the Communist Party and Soviet power in the army, had to control the activities of military specialists and prevent the possibility of their betrayal and going over to the side of the enemy . Often, commissars, having no military education, interfered with the conduct of military operations and clashed with military officers.
No. 11
From a recording of a conversation over a direct wire between I. V. Stalin and V. E. Kingisepp
February 5, 1918
Stalin informs you: we have learned that the People's Commissar Steinberg spoke to Tallinn by wire yesterday, proposing that the fate of the barons and other counter-revolutionaries be mitigated.
We inform you that the Council of People's Commissars approves the decisive policy of the Estonian Executive Committee against counter-revolutionaries and traitors. The idea of a concentration camp is wonderful. We recommend staying closer to the east ... 1 .
RTSKHIDNI. F. 558. On. 1. D. 5399. L. 1. Typewritten copy. Translation from Estonian.
Notes:
1 . Dated according to the publication in the Estonian newspaper "Teeline" ("Worker") on February 5 (18), 1918. The document was deposited in 1947 from the Telegraph Agency of the Estonian SSR under the Council of People's Commissars of the ESSR as an unknown document of Stalin.
No. 12
A. A. Ioffe — V. I. Lenin
March 11, 1918
Adopted on 11/III, 1918 17 hours [hours] 10 minutes [minutes]
NOTE - COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSIONERS TO LENIN. MOSCOW 1 .
Yesterday [at] a meeting of the St. Petersburg part of the Central Committee, my proposal [on] the appointment of Trotsky as Chief People's Commissar [for] Military Affairs was unanimously adopted. The other members of the Central Committee were to be questioned. Trotsky agrees to accept this post. Yesterday the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Commune was organized here under the chairmanship of Trotsky. There was an incident at today's meeting. The majority against Trotsky, me, Blagonravov decided to take over the defense of Petrograd, external and internal, with interference also [in] the strategic and military-technical orders of military specialists. We insisted on granting the broadest powers to political commissars 2, including the right to execute generals on the spot [in] case of their treason, but without the right to interfere with their orders, which are of a strategic military-technical nature. After the failure of this proposal, the three of us announced our withdrawal. It is clear that not only in St. Petersburg, but also on an all-Russian scale, the organization of a new army and the reconstruction of combat power will perish if the decision adopted by the majority here is carried out, because not a single honest and self-respecting military specialist will work in such conditions. The only salvation would be the immediate appointment of Trotsky as Chief People's Commissar for Military Affairs 3, because then he could simply ignore these boyish nonsense. I repeat, he agreed, it is necessary to immediately carry out his appointment officially through the Council of People's Commissars and publish his appointment. It is essential that tomorrow this appointment be announced everywhere by telegraph and radio, otherwise the military specialists who are now working will scatter. The political significance of this appointment is immeasurable, especially in England and France, according to the latest information I have received. I insist on the immediate implementation of this project. Answer quickly in Smolny.
Ioffe 4
RTSKHIDNI. F. 5. On. 1. D. 1032. L. 6-7. Ticker-tape.
Notes:
1 . In early March 1918, the Soviet government moved from Petrograd to Moscow.
2 . See note 2 to document no. 10.
3 The decision of the Council of People's Commissars on the appointment of Trotsky as People's Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs (instead of Podvoisky) and at the same time as Acting Chairman of the Supreme Military Council was adopted and published on March 14, 1918.
4 At the top of the telegraph form there is an inscription in the hand of an unknown person: “Skobelevskaya Square Derkur. Member of the Presidium.
No. 13
Telegram from G. K. Ordzhonikidze to I. V. Stalin
April 22, 1918
From Rostov-on-Don] 1 , tov. Stalin. Kremlin.
April 22, 1918
Today we had skirmishes with the Left Beks2 and the Socialist-Revolutionaries. The Central Committee adopted a resolution that requires Commander-in-Chief Antonov to issue an order to military units, in the event of their transfer to the territory of the Don region, to immediately disarm and transfer weapons into the hands of the Soviet government, officially invited Tsekuk 3 to leave Taganrog. An Extraordinary Commission was elected and sent to Taganrog to carry out the liquidation of Tsekuk.
Today Bubnov was with us, with whom we had a pretty quarrel. Our situation is nothing at all, although in almost all the villages of the Novocherkassk district the most fierce civil war is going on. It is necessary to hastily send us a large number of cartridges and shells, this must be done as quickly as possible, since the possibility of Chertkovo being occupied by the Germans is not ruled out, after which we will be cut off from the north.
Do you know that the Germans have entered the Kerch Bay, the situation on the Antonov front is formidable 4 . Today Antonov reported that Trotsky was summoning him hastily to Moscow, but Antonov cannot go now, find out what is the matter, that he is being summoned .
Muravyov sent a telegram addressed to Yegorov, inviting him to work, and he was arrested by Antonov.
Tell me the situation in detail and hastily give an answer, I'm waiting at the apparatus.
Ordzhonikidze.
RTSKHIDNI. F. 85. Op. 6. D. 50. L. 1. Certified typewritten copy.
Notes:
1 Being the Extraordinary Commissar of Ukraine (the decision of the Council of People's Commissars of December 19, 1917), Ordzhonikidze was in Rostov-on-Don in April 1918.
2 Left Bolsheviks.
3 CEC of the Soviets of Ukraine.
On April 22, 1918, a radiogram from the Central Fleet arrived at the Council of People's Commissars, in which it was reported that the German and Austrian troops had crossed Perekop and were approaching Simferopol. (Civil War in Ukraine. 1918-1920. Collection of documents and materials. Kyiv, 1967. Vol. 1. Book 1. P. 128).
5 April 21, 1918 in Lugansk, Antonov-Ovseenko received a telegram from Trotsky with a proposal to urgently leave for Moscow. On April 22, Antonov-Ovseenko left for Moscow, where he made a report on the situation in Ukraine. After the report, he specified the plan for the retreat of the Ukrainian Soviet troops to Great Russia and their formal disarmament (Antonov-Ovseenko V.A. Notes on the Civil War. M.-L., 1928. T. 2. S. 245, 250).