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Stalin School of Falsification - Chapter 13
months Trotsky did not raise the "question" of Voroshiloy. But in June, it all started up again. This time
Lenin no longer counted on a compromise but made a sharp rebuff to Voroshilov and Co.
We reprint a telegram by Trotsky and two telegrams by Lenin in reply.
"From Kantemirovka. To Moscow. To Sklyansky. To Lenin.
"Insistent demands of certain Ukrainians to merge the Second, Thirteenth and Eighth Ukrainian Armies
under Voroshilov are utterly indefensible. What we need is not an operative unity on the Donetz scale but
a general unity against Denikin. The disgraceful condition of food supplies in the Donetz basin are a
result in the first place of inade quate deliveries and secondly of the absence of a civil supplies apparatus.
The idea of the military and food dictatorship by Voroshilov is the result of the Donetz 'separatism',
directed against Kiev and the Southern Front. Melnichansky has failed completely to take this into
consideration. I have no doubt that the realization of this plan would only aggravate the chaos, and
completely kill military leadership. Please demand of the C.C. that Voroshilov and Mezhlauk carry out
the wholly real task set them: the creation of a strong Sec ond Ukrainian Army. Expect tomorrow or the
next day to summon to Izyum, the central junction, the commanders of the Eighth, the Thirteenth, and
the Second Armies, i.e., Voroshilov (together with Mezhlauk and Podvoisky) and the supply-men in
order to effect a union of all that should be united, without in any way creating a Donetz Military
Republic. June 1, 1919. No. 79/c. Chairman of the Military Council, Trotsky."
The same day, Lenin sent a reply to the "Ukrainians":
"Kharkov. To Mezblauk. To Voroshilov. To Melnichan sky. To Artem. To Kaminsky.
"It is absolutely imperative that all agitation be stopped immediately, and that all work be placed on a
military basis. You must appoint without fail individual who will be respon sible for carrying out strictly
specified tasks. After all, we must have military discipline. The Commander of the Second Army and the
Military Council of the Second Army must consult on all things with their direct superior command, i.e.,
Gittis. Drop all plans of separate groups and any similar attempts at restoring the Ukrainian front in a
disguised manner. The equipment and the arms in the Ukraine and at the disposal of Gittis will su~ce. If
chaos, agitation and bickerings as to priority are done away with, you will be able to obtain everything.
Send detailed information as to the fulfillment of specific orders, such as the arrival of military
detachments at the appointed place, the collection of arms, etc.
"June 1, 1919. No.350. Lenin."
"Kharkov. To Mezlilauk. To Voroshilov. Copy to Mel nichansky, Artem and Kaminsky.
"The Political Bureau of the C.C. met on June 1 and in complete agreement with Trotsky decisively
rejected the plan of the Ukrainians to unite the Second, Eighth and Thirteenth Armies and to create a
separate Donetz unit. We demand that Voroshilov and Mezhlauk carry out their immediate task of
creating a strong Ukrainian Army. Tomorrow or the next day Trotsky will call you to Izyum and issue
more detai!ed orders. Send more precise, adequate and strictly factual
accounts of how much war material Voroshihoc took from Grigoriev, and elsewhere. By the instruction
of the Bureau of the C.C. Lenin."
We observe from these two telegrams that the Tsaritsin experiment did not pass without leaving a trace,
and that Lenin was considerably worried by the situation. The second of Lenin's two telegrams, sent a
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