Written: Written on August 10, 1919
Published:
First published in 1942 in Lenin Miscellany XXXIV.
Printed from the original.
Source:
Lenin
Collected Works,
Progress Publishers,
[1976],
Moscow,
Volume 35,
page 417.
Translated: Andrew Rothstein
Transcription\Markup:
R. Cymbala
Public Domain:
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• README
Comrade Sklyansky,
I am not well, I have had to go to bed.
Therefore reply by messenger.
The delaying of the offensive in the Voronezh direction (from August 1 to 10!!!) is monstrous. The successes of Denikin are enormous.
What’s wrong? Sokolnikov said that there (on the approaches to Voronezh) our forces were four to one.
So what is wrong? How could we miss the boat in this way?
Tell the Commander-in-Chief that this won’t do. Serious attention is required.
Should I not send the following telegram to the Revolutionary Military Council of the Southern Front (copy to Smilga):
In code
To be late with the offensive is quite intolerable, because this delay will yield the whole Ukraine to Denikin and will ruin us. You answer for every day and even hour that the offensive is held up unnecessarily. Inform us at once of your explanations, and the date when at last you will begin a resolute offensive.
Lenin
Chairman, Defence Council
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