Communism -- Soviet Union; Soviet Union -- History -- Revolution, 1917-1921
The Allied Ambassadors received Trotzky’s note with contemptuous
silence, accompanied by anonymous interviews in the newspapers, full of
spite and ridicule. The order to Dukhonin was characterised openly as
an act of treason….
As for Dukhonin, he gave no sign. On the night of November 22nd he was
communicated with by telephone, and asked if he intended to obey the
order. Dukhonin answered that he could not, unless it emanated from “a
Government sustained by the Army and the country.”
By telegraph he was immediately dismissed from the post of Supreme
Commander, and Krylenko appointed in his place. Following his tactics
of appealing to the masses, Lenin sent a radio to all regimental,
divisional and corps Committees, to all soldiers and sailors of the
Army and the Fleet, acquainting them with Dukhonin’s refusal, and
ordering that “the regiments on the front shall elect delegates to
begin negotiations with the enemy detachments opposite their
positions….”
On the 23d, the military attaches of the Allied nations, acting on
instructions from their Governments, presented a note to Dukhonin, in
which he was solemnly warned not to “violate the conditions of the
treaties concluded between the Powers of the Entente.” The note went on
to say that if a separate armistice with Germany were concluded, that
act “would result in the most serious consequences” to Russia. This
communication Dukhonin at once sent out to all the soldiers’
Committees….
Next morning Trotzky made another appeal to the troops, characterising
the note of the Allied representatives as a flagrant interference in
the internal affairs of Russia, and a bald attempt “to force by threats
the Russian Army and the Russian people to continue the war in
execution of the treaties concluded by the Tsar….”
From Smolny poured out proclamation after proclamation, (See App. XI,
Sect. 19) denouncing Dukhonin and the counter-revolutionary officers
about him, denouncing the reactionary politicians gathered at Moghilev,
rousing, from one end of the thousand-mile Front to the other, millions
of angry, suspicious soldiers. And at the same time Krylenko,
accompanied by three detachments of fanatical sailors, set out for the
_Stavka,_ breathing threats of vengeance, (See App. XI, Sect. 20) and
received by the soldiers everywhere with tremendous ovations—a
triumphal progress. The Central Army Committee issued a declaration in
favour of Dukhonin; and at once ten thousand troops moved upon
Moghilev….
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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