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Stalin School of Falsification - Chapter 13 This is the worst type of commander. They remain ever ignorant, but they ever refuse to learn. For their fail ures-how could they possibly gain successes ? -- they always seek explanations in somebody else's betrayal... . Tenaciously hanging on to their posts, they react with hatred to the very mention of military science. For them, the latter is synonymous with treason and betrayal." (L. Trotsky, How the Revolution Armed Itself , Vol. I, pp. 172f.) Later on in his article, Voroshilov, with undisguised approbation, almost in ecstacy, quotes the following from the White Guard turncoat, Nossovich: "What particularly characterized this breach was the attitude taken by Stalin to the telegrams with instruction from the center. When Trotsky, in alarm at the disruption of the regions he had with such great difficulty organized, sent a telegram pointing out the necessity of leaving the Staff and Commissariat as they were, and of giving them an oppor tunity to function, Stalin would make a categorical and very significant notation on the telegram: 'Disregard this.' "So the telegram was disregarded, and the entire artillery staff, together with a part of the leading staff, would remain sitting on a barge in Tsaritsin." Voroshilov puts his signature to these words; he adopts them, as it were. Until now, we must confess, it would have never even entered our mind to give any credence to Nosso vich. But we are compelled to take the word of both Voroshi lov and Nossovich. "What particularly characterized" Stalin's attitude toward telegrams with instructions from the center was: "disregard." Stalin's worst enemy could not have caused him greater injury than did Voroshilov by appending his seal of approval to the characterization of the White Guard, Nossovich. It is not difficult to judge what sort of discipline prevailed in the Tenth Army under these conditions. The orders of the Military Revolutionary Council were being violated in a deliberately demonstrative manner. Stalin's "resolution" was made common knowledge to Nossovich, to the army itself, while the center alone was kept in ignorance. Observe, gentle men, here is an example for you of how to "cover up." If the instructions of the center were incorrect from the standpoint of local conditions, there was always the opportunity of revoking or changing them through the normal channels. The Military Council maintained a practical discipline and not an officious one. Especially characteristic of Stalin is his manner of not fulfilling orders, without the knowledge of the Military Council, behind the latter's hack, and with a special display of "independence." It must be stated candidly that had one-fifth or even one-tenth of the responsible leaders of the army displayed the above-mentioned "characteristic trait" of Stalin, the Red Army would have never gained its victories, and the revolution would have been massacred. And it was precisely owing to this "characteristic trait," and for no other reason, that first Stalin and then Voroshilov were removed from Tsaritsin by the decision of the Political Bureau. Stalin's indiscipline and disloyalty were likewise clearly made evident in his direct relations with the Military Council itself. It was of course impossible in this case to reply "I disregard this," but there were other methods of expressing the notorious "characteristic trait." We shall give a few such examples, together with Lenin's attitude to them. In transmitting to Trotsky one of Stalin's telegrams (No. 02588, May 29, 1920), Lenin, who was well aware of Stalin's disloyalty, appended the following note in his own hand writing: "Comrade Trotsky: If you have not received this telegram as well as all decoded telegrams to the http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/works/1937-st2/sf13.htm (2 of 14) [06/06/2002 15:07:18]
Stalin School of Falsification - Chapter 13 Secretariat of the Vice- Chairman, then you should immediately send Stalin the following code telegram with my signature: 'Forward all military dispatches also to Trotsky, otherwise dangerous delay. Lenin'." (Lenin's emphasis throughout. The Secretariat of the Vice-Chairman refers to Sklyansky, Trotsky's alternate in the Military Council. -- N. M.) The gist of the matter is clear without any commentaries. Another instance. Transmitting (during one of the sessions) Stalin's telegram-No. 4620, June 4, 1920-to Trotsky, Vladimir Ilyich added the following note: "Comrade Trotsky: It is necessary to get in touch with the Chief Commander and to demand their conclusions. After receiving their opinion, send me your own conclusions to the session of the Council of Defense. We shall talk (if it is not too late) on the telephone." (The note is in Lenin's hand writing.) "I do not understand this system: why does not Yegorov (in command of the Southern Front) report directly to the Chief Commander as he was ordered to do -- this roundabout way disrupts all stability of communications." (This notation is in Trotsky's handwriting.) "Some capriciousness here, no doubt . . . ," replied Lenin on the same note. In concluding his Tsaritsin recollections, Voroshilov writes: "Stalin worked with a colossal energy." But Voroshilov passes over in silence the end to which this energy was in the main directed, and the conclusion of this Tsaritsin epic (which had its sequel in the Ukraine). The reason for his silence can be easily gathered from documents we print below. Telegram "Moscow. To the Chairman of the C.E.C. of the Soviets; copy, Moscow: To Lenin., Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars. From Tambov. "I insist categorically on Stalin's recall. Tsaritsin front in a bad way, despite the abundance of troops. Voroshilov qualified to command a regiment, but not an army of 50,000. Nevertheless I shall leave him in command of the Tenth Tsaritsin Army on condition of obedience to Sytin, the commander of the Southern Army. The Tsaritsinites have failed to date to transmit to Kozlov even reports of operations. I ordered them to transmit twice a day reports of operations and reconnoitering. If this is not done tomorrow, I will commit Voroshilov and Minin to trial, and announce this in an order to the Army. In so far as Stalin and Minin remain in Tsaritsin, they, in accordance with the constitution of the Military Council, possess only the rights of members of the Military Council of the Tenth Army. Very little time left for an offensive before the roads become impassable either by foot or by horse. Without cotirdinating activities with Tsaritsin, serious steps are impossible. No time left for dip lomatic negotiations. Tsaritsin must either submit or be removed. We possess a colossal superiority in forces but there is complete anarchy among the tops. This can be overcome within 24 hours provided your support is firm and decisive. In any case, this is the only way out that I see personally. "October 4, 1918. No.552. "Trotsky." The next day Trotsky sent another telegram: http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/works/1937-st2/sf13.htm (3 of 14) [06/06/2002 15:07:18]
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