Draft Resolution of the Central Committee

Having familiarized ourselves with the report of T. G. Zinoviev and approving its contents. G. Zinoviev and approving its contents, the Central Committee decides:

1) to bring to the attention of T. Trotsky a copy of this report;

2) to inform T. Trotsky of the four proposals of the Congress Committee, recognizing these decisions as unconditionally binding on the Central Committee;

3) to ask Trotsky to dismiss and relocate Communist military workers no otherwise than through the Party organization (the Organization Bureau of the Central Committee);

4) to propose to T. Trotsky that all the practical instructions contained in the resolution adopted by the Congress in plenum be put into practice as soon as possible;

5) to point out to T. Trotsky the necessity of treating the Communist workers at the front as attentively as possible, without full comradely solidarity with whom it is impossible to carry out the policy of the Central Committee in the military affairs.

Members of the Central Committee

26/III 1919.

V. Ulyanov (Lenin).

N.Krestinsky.

I.Stalin.

L.Kamenev.

Published p. 5 - "History of the CPSU. Vol. III, book 2-ya. Moscow, 1968, p. 279.

Fund 2, op. 1, d. 8981 - original.

1The published document reflects the outcome of the struggle that unfolded at the VIII Congress of the RCP(b) on issues of military construction. Constantly supporting Leonid Trotsky in his harsh measures to impose order, discipline and increase the combat effectiveness of the Red Army, Lenin, as well as other members of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b), could not help but consider Trotsky's criticism of the military opposition, consisting of authoritative party workers, and refuse to compromise with it.

At a meeting of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) on March 25, 1919, G.E. Zinoviev reported that in the military section of the VIII Congress of the RCP(b) "we managed to achieve unanimity due to the fact that we made a kind of concession and adopted resolutions which it was decided not to announce at the Congress, namely: in the first place, on the reorganization of the All-Roglavstab; in the second place, on the Field Staff and in the third place, on the obligatory monthly meeting of Trotsky with party workers. Trotsky with party workers" (first published in: Eighth Congress of the RCP(b). Minutes. М., 1959). Zinoviev also reported that "the Congress in all its behavior on the military question gave a serious warning and that, as a consequence, it is impossible to take all its instructions insufficiently seriously, and therefore it is necessary for T. Lenin to have a word with T. Trotsky. Lenin to have a word with Mr. Trotsky." Lenin, who presided over the meeting, suggested that Zinoviev give "a written statement of his statement and that the Central Committee should add its resolution to it in conclusion."

The Central Committee of the RCP(b) decided: "To appeal to T. Trotsky in writing, and this appeal should consist of three parts: 1) the statement of T. Zinoviev, 2) the unopposed resolutions with an explanation of why they are an expression of the true will of the Congress, 3) the resolution of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee. All three parts of this appeal are entrusted to be drafted by Vol. Zinoviev, and the final sanction is given by the Political Bureau" (RCCHIDNI, f. 17, op. 2, d. 15, fol. 8).