179. TELEGRAM TO L. D. TROTSKY

Written on September 10, 1918 · First published (in facsimile) in 1930 in Grazhdanskaya voina. 1918–1921, Vol. III. Printed from the original. · page 146

Secret
Ciphered
(Original to be returned to me)
(A copy of the cipher to
be sent to me)

Trotsky
Sviyazhsk

I am surprised and worried at the slowing down of operations against Kazan, especially if it is true, as I have   been informed, that you have every opportunity of destroying the enemy by artillery. In my opinion, one must not spare the city and put things off any longer, for ruthless annihilation is essential once Kazan is said to be in an iron ring.^[1]

Lenin

Notes

[1] Lenin’s telegram was transmitted to Kazan at 6.54 a.m. on September 10, 1918, and by 2 p.m. units of the Red Army had liberated Kazan from the whiteguard and White Czech troops.

For Lenin’s greetings to the Red Army men on the capture of Kazan see present edition, Vol. 28, pp. 93, 100.