TELEGRAM TO L.D. TROTSKY1

December 31, 1918

31.XII.1918

To Kozlov and to the location of Trotsky

There are several party reports from the vicinity of Perm about the catastrophic state of the army and drunkenness. I am sending them to you, and they request that you come there. I thought of sending Stalin, but I fear that Smilga will be too lenient with Lashvich, who, it is said, also drinks and is unable to restore order. Please telegraph your opinion.

Lenin.

Instruction to the Secretary

Encrypt and send to Trotsky. Return this original to me.

Fund 2, op. 1, file 8033 - autograph.

1 At this time, L.D. Trotsky was in Voronezh. On January 1, 1919, he replied to V.I. Lenin: "Based on operational reports from the 3rd Army, I concluded that there is complete confusion among the top leadership. I proposed replacing the command. The decision has been delayed. I now consider the replacement to be urgent. I fully share your concerns regarding the excessive leniency of the comrade who has gone. I agree with sending Stalin with the authority of the party and the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic to restore order, clean up the composition of the commissars, and strictly punish the guilty. A new commander will be appointed in agreement with Serpukhov. I propose appointing Lashvich as a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Northern Front, where we do not have a responsible party person, and the front may soon gain significant importance. Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council, Trotsky." (The Trotsky papers. 1917 — 1922. V. 1, p. 228-230).

S.A. Mezheninov was appointed commander of the 3rd Army in March 1919. The question of appointing a commander, Trotsky intended to coordinate with the Field Headquarters of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic, which was located in the city of Serpukhov from November 1918 to July 1919.

M.M. Lashvich was not directed to the Revolutionary Military Council of the Northern Front, as the Northern Front was abolished in February 1919. In March 1919, Lashvich was appointed a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Eastern Front.

See also doc. 153.