V. I. Lenin

Direct- Line Conversation
With The Moscow Soviet
February 20, 1918

At 2.15 p.m. the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars,
Comrade Lenin, was called up by Comrade Feldman, member of the
Executive Committee., who, on behalf of the Bolshevik group,
asked Comrade Lenin the following:

(1)	What happened after the receipt of the telegram from
Berlin;

(2)	What measures have been taken by the Council of
People's Commissars at present; (3) Whether or not there was any other reply from Berlin apart
from Hofimana's telegram.

To the first question Comrade Lenin replied:

There is no army; the Germans are attacking from Riga along the
entire front. They have taken Dvinsk and Rezhitsa and are on their
way to Lutsk and Minsk. Those who want to do something-and stop
talking-must conclude peace and continue the task of consolidating
and extending the revolution at home

To the second question:

Until the offensives are stopped, an order has been issued to
put up resistance wherever possible, and destroy everything,
down to the last hunk of bread, all along the way.

To the third question:

No, there was none.