Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 26 - From Marx to Mao

186V. I. LENINour fault if we do not verify it most carefully and do notmake a study of the strength and distribution of the Kornilovitetroops of the second draft.Kerensky has again brought Kornilovite troops into thevicinity of Petrograd in order to prevent state power frompassing into the hands of the Soviets, in order to preventthis power from proposing an immediate peace, in order toprevent all the land from being immediately handed over tothe peasants, in order to surrender Petrograd to the Germans,and himself escape to Moscow! That is the slogan of theinsurrection which we must circulate as widely as possibleand which will have a tremendous success.We must not wait for the All-Russia Congress of Soviets,which the Central Executive Committee may delay even untilNovember. We must not delay and permit Kerensky tobring up more Kornilovite troops. Finland, the fleet andRevel are represented at the Congress of Soviets. These cantogether start an immediate movement on Petrograd againstthe Kornilovite regiments, a movement of the fleet, artillery,machine-guns and two or three army corps, such as haveshown, for instance in Vyborg, the intensity of their hatredfor the Kornilovite generals, with whom Kerensky is againin collusion.It would be a great mistake to refuse to seize the opportunityof immediately smashing the Kornilovite regimentsof the second draft on the ground that the Baltic fleet, bymoving into Petrograd, would allegedly expose the front tothe Germans. The Kornilovite slanderers will say this, asthey will tell any lie, but it is unworthy of revolutionariesto allow themselves to be intimidated by lies and slanders.Kerensky will surrender Petrograd to the Germans, thatis now as clear as daylight. No assertions to the contrarycan destroy our full conviction that this is so, for it followsfrom the entire course of events and Kerensky’s entire policy.Kerensky and the Kornilovites will surrender Petrogradto the Germans. And it is in order to save Petrograd thatKerensky must be overthrown and power taken by the Sovietsof both capital cities. These Soviets will immediately proposea peace to all the nations and will thereby fulfil theirduty to the German revolutionaries. They will thereby alsobe taking a decisive step towards frustrating the criminal