Leon Trotsky: Letter to Lenin

[Copy. By direct line (cypher). True Copy (From files: “Outgoing papers of the Field Chancery for 1919, No. 1, part II”) The Trotsky Papers 1917-1922, edited and annotated by Jan M. Meijer, The Hague. 1964, Vol. 2., p. 229, 231]

From: Voronezh

Received 1/1.19. 19.00 hrs

January 1, 1919. No. 9

To: Kremlin, Moscow- Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars, Lenin. In reply to No. 6684.

From the operational reports of the Third Army I concluded that total confusion prevailed there at the top and recommended a change of command. Decision on this was deferred. I now consider a change urgent.

I entirely share your apprehensions as to the excessive softness of the comrade who has left. I agree to the journey of Stalin, with full authority from the Party and the Military Revolutionary Council of the Republic, for the purpose of restoring order, purging the commissar personnel and severely punishing offenders. A new Commander will be appointed by agreement with Serpukhov. I recommend Lashevich be appointed Member of the Military Revolutionary Council of the Northern Front, where we have no senior Party representative, though the front may shortly acquire great significance.

Chairman of the Military Revolutionary Council, Trotsky