Moscow, Kremlin.

Only for Lenin.

Kharkov, 31/7.

I have already written that the Commander-in-Chief is coming to our front. Today he writes that he is canceling the trip in connection with the situation on the Western Front. It seems to me that he has simply lost his nerve, is intimidated by Wrangel's actions, and does not want to associate himself with the fate of our operations against Wrangel, in which he apparently does not believe, although it is clear that the association remains despite the canceled trip. Wrangel continues his furious attacks along the entire front. The Denikin forces that were interned by Georgia are already at Wrangel's disposal and are fighting against us on the front. In the Orekhovo area, after fierce fighting, we lost six guns. In the Berdyansk area the enemy is advancing, has taken Verkhne-Tokmak, and has disabled one of our armored trains. It can be said with confidence that the reverses will continue until our forces are concentrated and the blow is launched, and the concentration of our forces is proceeding, as I have already written, slowly -- mainly because the Commander-in-Chief was too late in ordering the transfers, despite a series of warnings from my side. This evening I leave for the front with the front commander.

Stalin.

Source: Bolshevik Leadership. Correspondence. 1912-1927, pp. 151-152.

RGASPI. F. 558. Op. 1. D. 1892. L. 3-5.