Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar

RGASPI 558.11.492.35–8, Stalin to Kuznetsov, Molotov, Malenkov 29 Aug. 1941.

RGASPI 558.11.492.49, Stalin, Molotov, Malenkov, Beria to Voroshilov and Zhdanov 9 Sept. 1941. Zhukov and Stalin: 900 Days, pp. 265–6.

RGASPI 558.11.492.50 and 51, Stalin and Molotov to Voroshilov and to Zhukov and Zhdanov, both 13 Sept. 1941. 900 Days, pp. 265–6. Erickson, Stalingrad, p. 189. Simonov, “Zametki,” p. 48.

Bychevsky in Bialer (ed.), pp. 435–8. Kuznetsov in Kumanev (ed.), p. 294. 900 Days, pp. 267, 344, 346. Simonov, “Zametki,” p. 48.

TsAMO RF 217.1258.14.16, Zhdanov to Leningrad Front, 27 Sept. 1941.

TsAMO RF 217.1258.11.18, Khozin, Zhdanov, Kuznetsov to Military Councils of 8th and 55th Armies, 13 Nov. 1941.

RGASPI 558.11.191–3, Zhdanov to Stalin, 5 Dec. 1941.

Erickson, Stalingrad, pp. 194–5. 900 Days, pp. 351, 403, 415, 451; starvation figures, p. 515. Zhdanov quoted in 900 Days, p. 518. Overy, pp. 111–12: over a million dead. Zhdanov’s visit to Moscow: 900 Days, p. 416. IA, 1998:3.

RGASPI 558.11.492.86, Stalin and Molotov talk to Zhdanov 1 Dec. 1941.

RGASPI 558.11.191–3, Zhdanov to Stalin 5 Dec. 1941.

This account is based on Beaverbrook’s Moscow Narrative in BBK/D/96/98/ 99/100 in Anne Chisholm and Michael Davie, Beaverbrook: A Life, pp. 406–20. Berezhkov, pp. 138–50. A. J. P. Taylor, Beaverbrook, pp. 487–91. Harriman, pp. 86–101. Erickson, Stalingrad, pp. 210–15. Mikoyan, pp. 408–15. Molotov chaired the Soviet delegation on Western aid; Mikoyan negotiated the details. Western aid: Mikoyan reports to Stalin who tots up planes: RGASPI 558.11.765.80–104, Mikoyan to Stalin July 1941–Dec. 1942.

This account of the Battle of Moscow is based on Erickson, Overy and the memoirs of Zhukov, Molotov and Mikoyan Lesser Terror, p. 113. Erickson, Stalingrad, p. 217. Telegin in Bialer (ed.), pp. 274–6.

RGASPI 558.11.492.59, Stalin to Zhukov 5 Oct. 1941.

TsKhSD Party Control Commission 13/76, vol. 1, p. 30. Pavel Sudoplatov to the Party Control Commission 11 Oct. 1960. See also: Sudoplatov, pp. 146–7. Sergo B, p. 324. Beria, p. 112. Zhukov II, pp. 201–3. Volkogonov, pp. 172–3, quotes Marshal K. S. Moskalenko on Beria’s 7 Oct. 1941 peace probe, via Stamenev again. Erickson, Stalingrad, pp. 221–2. Anfilov, Zhukov in Stalin’s Generals, pp. 350–1.

TsAMO 48a.1554.91.346, Shaposhnikov to Budyonny and Koniev appointing Zhukov Stavka rep. 6 Oct. 1941. Zhukov II, pp. 201–16. Spahr, pp. 269–71. Anfilov, Zhukov in Stalin’s Generals, p. 351; Stalin’s Ghosts, Woff, p. 364; Rzheshevsky, Koniev, p. 95. Simonov, “Zametki,” Molotov and Zhukov, p. 56. S. Khrushchev, Superpower, p. 236. Overy, pp. 114–5. Plumber Bulganin: Sergo B, p. 127.

35: “CAN YOU HOLD MOSCOW?”

Voronov; Bialer (ed.), p. 302; Zhukov’s tone: Belov, p. 295. TsAMO 132.2642.233, Stalin to Fedorenko, commander of Tank Dept., Red Army 3 Aug. 1941. By 12 October, Stalin uses AA guns vs. tanks; TsAMO 132a.2642. 45.26, Stalin Stavka order, 12 Oct. 1941. Erickson, Stalingrad, p. 238.

RGVA 9.39.103.390, Beria to Mekhlis 12 Dec. 1941. RGVA 9.39.100.312–4, Abakumov to Stalin, Molotov, Malenkov, Mekhlis and Zhukov 28 July 1941. Lesser Terror, pp. 47–9. RGASPI 558.3.25, p.32. D’Abernon, Stalin’s Library.

Yakovlev, Century, p. 174. Lesser Terror, pp. 47–9.

Natalya Poskrebyshev. Lesser Terror, pp. 69–72. Anatoly Sulianov, Arrestovat v Kremle; O zhizni i smerti marshala Beria, p. 189.

Panic: Valery Soyfer, Lysenko and the Tragedy of Soviet Science , p. 148: account of A. A. Prokofyeva-Belagovskaya. Harriman-Abel, pp. 84–5. Panic in Moscow; Beria, Kaganovich, Malenkov; Ilya Novikov, secretary of Sverdlovsk Committee; Vasily Pronin, in Rybin, Stalin v Oktyabre 1941, pp. 3–14. Sudoplatov, p. 135. Chaos at factories: Mikoyan, p. 420. V. P. Pronin, Izvestiya TsK KPSS 4 (1991), p. 218; VIZh 10 (1991), p. 39. Overy, pp. 113–18. Erickson, Stalingrad, pp. 249–50.

Voroshilov marksman: Rybin: Kto Otravil Stalina?—memoir of V. Tukov, pp. 55–6. Panic: Rybin, Stalin v Oktyabre 1941, pp. 3–10. Belov in Bialer (ed.), p. 296. Stalin walking: Natalya Andreyeva. Berezhkov, p. 145. Brooks, Thank You C. Stalin, p. 178. Simonov, “Glazami,” p. 251. Ivan the Terrible book: RGASPI 558.3.350. Parachutists: Voronov, Bialer (ed.), p. 302.

Mikoyan, pp. 417–22. MR, p. 42. Rybin, Stalin v Oktyabre 1941, pp. 8–14. Rybin, who uses the testimony of bodyguards though he himself was no longer one of Stalin’s personal security guards, being responsible for security of the Bolshoi Theatre, claims that the events described during the night of the 15th and morning of the 16th preceded the meeting described by A. Shakhurin, the People’s Commissar for Aircraft Production. Naturally the bodyguards did not know which meeting was which. V. P. Pronin, Izvestiya TsK KPSS 4 (1991), p. 218; VIZh 10 (1991), p. 39.

Soyfer, p. 148. Account of A. A. Prokofyeva-Belagovskaya. Berezhkov pp. 153–5. Mikoyan, pp. 417–22. Natalya Poskrebysheva. Zhukov’s doubts on Stalin: D. I. Ortenberg, “U Zhukova v Perkhushkogo” in Krasnaya Zvezda, 30 Nov. 1991, p. 5. Kuibyshev: Radzinsky p. 467. House in Kuibyshev: S. Khrushchev, Superpower, p. 25. Svetlana, Twenty Letters, pp. 172–3. Mikoyan, pp. 417–22. MR, Rybin, Stalin v Oktyabre 1941, pp. 8–14. Vaksberg, pp. 225–7.

A. Shakhurin, Voprosy Istorii, 3, 1975, pp. 142–3. Shakhurin claims this meeting took place on 16 October but it is clearly later than Mikoyan’s meeting which had a different agenda. Commissars came and left during these meetings which moved between Stalin’s apartment, his office and shelter at Kirovskaya Metro (see next note) and his dachas, so that this is surely a section of the meeting. His logbook of visitors shows Stalin was not in his office on 15–18 Oct.: we know Shakhurin’s meeting took place in his private quarters where no record was kept of meetings: IA. He worked mostly at the house over Kirov Street near Kirovskaya Metro: Rybin, Stalin v Oktyabre 1941, quotes bodyguard N. Kirilin on p. 12. Mikoyan, pp. 417– 22.

I am grateful for the access to General Y. Gorkov’s new work on the Kirovskaya Metro headquarters. Also; Nezavisimoe Voennoe Obozrenie , 19, 2002, p. 5: Memoirs of Communications Official Vladimir Kazakov. Shtemenko: Jukes in Stalin’s Generals, pp. 234–8. Deriabin, “bunked together,” p. 105. Khrushchev, Glasnost, p. 65. Volkogonov, p. 416. IA, 1996:2, pp. 68–9. Kuznetsov: Bialer (ed.), p. 428.

IA, 1996: 2, pp. 68–9. Erickson, Stalingrad, pp. 220–2. Peshkova on Istomina’s “ever smiling.” Svetlana, Twenty Letters, pp. 172–3. Rybin, Stalin v Oktyabre 1941, pp. 8–14, including Istomina. Stalin also discussed this with Zhdanov in Leningrad. Chadaev in Kumanev (ed.), p. 419. RGASPI 558.3.32 Kutuzov by M. Bragin, p. 60. Zhukov in Bialer (ed.), p. 291. Pronin; Izvestiya TsK KPSS, 4, 1991, p. 218. Zhukov dates this conversation after 19 November but Pronin heard a similar one during 16 and 17 October. Zhukov II, pp. 230–6. Belov, Bialer (ed.), p. 296.

Volkogonov, pp. 434–5. Rybin, Ryadom, p. 86. Rybin, Stalin v Oktyabre 1941, pp. 9–13. Belov in Bialer (ed.), p. 296. Visit to train? Vlast 5, 2000. Interview E. Zhirnov with Mikhail Smirtukov, Assistant to Sovnarkom.

Telegin; Bialer (ed.), p. 304. V. P. Pronin, “Gorod-voin, Bitva za Moskvu,” p. 465; Pronin, Izvestia TsK KPSS, 4, 1991, p. 218. Pronin, VIZh, 10, 1991, p. 39. Pronin, “Gorod u linii fronta,” Moskovskie Novosti, no. 21, 26 Mar./2 Apr. 1995, p. 14. On Beria’s anticipating Stalin’s view and Stalin’s attack on Shcherbakov, Sergo Beria quoting what his father told his mother; he puts Shcherbakov’s crisis in June: pp. 75–6, 71. Djilas, p. 38. Zhukov II, pp. 235–40. Rybin, Stalin v Oktyabre 1941, pp. 11–13. Pronin