Survey Protocol (part 3). Warsaw uprising. Relationship between Armia Ludowa and Armia Krajowa.

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Survey protocol

“Oleg” a scout of Staff of the Front, who at night from I to 2.10 has escaped from the central region of Warsaw.

Relationship between Armia Krajowa and Armia Ludowa.

The mainmilitary and political organizations among the rebels were Armia Krajowa [AK] and Armia Ludowa [AL] around which other elements were grouping. Relationships between AK and AL were tense all the time.

Despite the military cooperation between them, AK has never considered AL as an equal organization. AL representatives were not invited to neither military nor political meetings. Major “Senk” was forced to personally search for information about all the situation changes.

Initially, the PKB had instructions to organize terroristic acts against the leadership of AL and infiltrate their agents inside it. The soldiers of AL were arrested and shot for the slightest delinquency.

In the central region the units of AL had up to 2000 men (including PAL{Polish Armia Ludowa} and KB {Security Corps}) while AK had between 5 000 and 6 000 men. Initially AK was not issuing any weapons to the AL from those dropped by the Soviet aviation. Only later the AL got such permission.

General Skakowsky who led the united detachments of AL, PAL and KB was considered a purely military man without clear political orientation. General “Monter” was trying to win Skokowsky over to his side and called him to secret meetings several times. He didn’t have any success though.

As the events unwrapped, the political slogans of AL which were calling to cooperate with the Red Army and Lyublin government were receiving more and more support. Large numbers of soldiers and officers from AK were coming to the AL asking to enlist them. Unwilling to conflict with the AK, the leadership of AL has refused them to join, nevertheless they did account such people. Additionally to this,large amounts of various civilian democratic groups and organisations joined the AL. As a result of this, the AL has considered a possibility to capture the initiative in case the AK leadership betrays them. However AL did not want to use that opportunity in an attempt to preserve the unity which was needed to fight the Germans.
The leadership of AK was pursuing officers and soldiers who swayed to the AL side. For instance major AK Mechislav Nichdetsky for his sympathy towards AL was arrested and put on trial allegedly for his foreign connections before the war.

The AL platform has received wide support among the civilian population. AL, PAL and KB have sent a letter to the Supreme commander Marshal Stalin whom they thanked for the provided support and promised to continue the struggle against the German army together with the Polish Army of the General Lieutenant Rolya-Zhimersky

According to my estimates in the last days up to 80% of soldiers and lower ranked AK officers were willing to join the AL. The leadership of AL had severe problems because of lack of communication with Lublin government. The two members of Lyublin government who were in Warsaw all the time were not connected to Osubka-Morawsky because they didn't have a radio.

In military perspective the units of AL had independent regions under their full responsibility and were in fact independent. They were subordinates to "Monter" as a commander of the garrison. The recon was performed by their own forces and they had to get weapons and food on their own.

Receiving airdropped supplies

The leadership of AK did not organize any uniform system of receiving and spreading the airdropped goods. Initially only the AK units got access to them, but in the last decade of September both AK and AL were organized: those who owned the territory, those owned the supply.

Additionally to that, a lot of supplies, mainly the food, were taken by the civilians among whom the distribution was also not organized. In the last period both the soldiers and the civilians were eating exclusively crackers from the Soviet food drops. Instead of hot water, the units started to receive soup made from concentrates and in some cases - crackers.

Source: ЦАМО РФ. Ф. 233. Оп. 2380. Д. 22. Л. 238–244.

Source: warsaw75.mil.ru

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Survey Protocol (part 2). Warsaw uprising. Attitude towards the Red Army and the Soviet Union.

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Survey protocol

“Oleg” a scout of Staff of the Front, who at night from I to 2.10 has escaped from the central region of Warsaw.

Attitude towards the Red Army and the Soviet Union.

The leadership of Armia Krajowa [AK] following the instructions of the government in London was openly carrying out anti-soviet propaganda among the rebels and civilians. They used a slogan of creating a “second marvel on Visla”, which shouldn’t have let the Russians into Warsaw. The AK propaganda claimed that the Red Army would perform mass extradition of Poles from Poland into SIberia and will be settling Russians in place of Poles. Khatyn was also mentioned many times.

Initially the Soviet Union [SU] and the Red Army [RA] was exposed to multiple assults for not supporting the rebels contrary to England and America. After the soviet aviation started the supply airdrops, the leaders of AK still continued to claim that those are English supplies which were shipped to Moscow and from there transported by airplanes.

The reactionary political organizations had selected propagandists whose job was to visit soldiers and civilians and turn them against the Red Army.
As known, the soviet planes were dropping supplies from low altitudes without parachutesFree-drops are still used in some cases and were used extensively during the WW2 See: Globalsecurity
or: WWII aerial supplies which caused some cargo to break. The above mentioned propagandists were highlighting that specifically those which broke were Soviet ones and those that didn’t were English well-packaged ones.

As the Soviet aviation started to drop cargo and cover Warsaw, Soviet artillery began shelling the German positions within the city, the AK propaganda has started to loose popularity among the civilian and rebel masses. The population started to change its attitude towards the RA and this effect increased after it was announced in the information bulletin that the RA communication officers began to arrive.

If initially influenced by the agitation of AK the Polish army of Berling was viewed as “treacherous elements from SIberia”, then after the liberation of Prague the population began to lean towards the democratic elements, who were agitating for the RA and the Lublin government.

Using the favorable situation, Armia Ludowa [AL] and other democratic organizations have activated their work and released daily bulletins which explained the situation and the position of the Lublin government. By the end of the uprising the entire population was waiting for the RA and blaming the AK for it criminally starting the uprising which caused thousands of casualties among the civilians. Similar thoughts appeared even within the AK itself.

I as an officer of the RA was treated discretely by the staff of AK. Some of my requests were rejected. For example I asked to pass a note for a Soviet officer to Zholobizh district. Initially they promised to deliver it in 3 hours, then delayed it for 3 days and in the end said that delivery is impossible.

The reactionalist elements and primarily the underground organization called the “PKB” were pursuing a clear nationalist policy. The entire Ukkrainian population left in the city was massacred. PKB forces also killed the jews who survived the German times. PKB was raiding the Soviet POWs who managed to escape from the German captivity. They aimed to capture hostages to be exchanged with the RA. For example, AK has held in captivity lieutenant colonel Nikolai Rumyntsev, major Nikolai Gorodetsky and Professor of Medicine Alexander Danilovich Ershov. The members of AK tried to shoot major Volkov, in process and one of the officers said: “You were shooting us at Katyn so we will shoot you”.
Also officers and soldiers of the 9th regiment of 1st Polish army were shot. They escaped to the central district after the Chernyakhovsky district was captured. Lyahno, the sergeant of the regiment, who told this to me was shot from behind the corner soon after our conversation.

The official AK propaganda, as the situation and the population mood was changing, was forced to switch from its open slander against the Soviet Union to indirect defamation. For example, after the Soviet supply drops became widespread, the political groups of the AK could not hide that fact anymore. Only within the last days in one of the bulletins an article appeared with the heading: “Thank you Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin”. This was the first official confirmation of the participation of the RA in supporting Warsaw. In the same time AK would not miss its opportunity to denigrate the RA and the SU.

General “Monter” gave me several requests for needed weapons and also presented his “strategic plan” within which he proposed to immediately take Warsaw by flanking it from both sides, but not attack it directly. In the “Monter” staff the officers have frequently expressed their discontent about why the RA still doesn’t attack.

Source: ЦАМО РФ. Ф. 233. Оп. 2380. Д. 22. Л. 238–244.

Source: warsaw75.mil.ru

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Survey protocol (part 1). Arriving at Warsaw and progress of the Uprising

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Survey protocol

“Oleg” a scout of Staff of the Front, who at night from I to 2.10 has escaped from the central region of Warsaw.

Establishing contact with Polish resistance.

21.09.1944.: I have landed in the central part of Warsaw city, street Gozha. It appeared that in this region units of Armia Ludowa [AL] were operating. I was immediately escorted to the commander of the AL, Major “Senk” and his chief of staff “Roman” who received me.
Major “Senk” has received me well and described the overall situation in Warsaw. As he said, the situation was rather difficult. The inhabitants and the rebels were starving. The uprising dragged on for an unforeseen period. “Senk” said that he is very pleased that I, as a representative of the Red Army have arrived. Also he has warned me that I should not trust the representatives of Armia Krajowa [AK] who are hostile to the Red Army and the Soviet Union [SU].

22.09.1944.: I was received by General Skokovsky who commands the units of AL, PAL (Polish Armia Ludowa), the Security Corps [SC]. Skokovsky has promised me full support and created lists of needed weapons, ammo and food as well as warned me about the necessity of being careful with AK.
After that I was routed to the command of the central rebel district to the staff of general “Monter” {“Fitter” if translated from Russian}.

General “Monter” has received me accompanied by his deputy, colonel Vakhnowsky and staff head colonel “Hirurg” {“Surgeon” if translated from Russian}. There was also a third person, unknown to me, wearing civilian clothes, who was actually leading the meeting. “Monter” would not answer without consulting this person.

After I introduced myself as a communications representative of the Red Army [RA], the first question from “Monter” was: “Do you have an authority to solve political questions?”. After my negative answer, “Monter” disappointingly answered: “You have not arrived as a political representative? Pity. Then there are few things for us to talk about!”

I underlined once more that I have arrived as a military representative and communications officer to solve the questions of dropping food, weapons and ammo, exchanging information about the enemy as well as sending rebel plans and wishes to the RA.

During the talk, “Monter” has said: “We only need ammo and weapons. We do not ask for food as those will be supplied by England and America.” “Monter” has promised to prepare a written request for the necessary supplies and promised to share information about the enemy. The talk was carried out in a restrained tone. A malevolent, suspicious attitude was evident towards me as a representative of the RA.

After the talk, I received a separate guarded room. During the radio contact my radio operator, who was heavily injured during the landing, was fatally wounded by a mine explosion.

The plans and progress of the uprising in Warsaw.

The uprising has been prepared for a long time. Weapons and supplies were shipped from England and stored in secret places. AK, controlled by the government in London, was in the leading role. Other organizations including democratic ones were not aware of the uprising.

The aim of the uprising was capturing the city before the Red Army. After capturing Warsaw the Polish government led by Mikolachik should have immediately arrived here. One of the high priority objectives set by the AK was to clear the government and ministry buildings.

At 5 oclock on 1st of August 1944 AK started the armed uprising which was supported by the entire population of Warsaw. Democratic organizations - AL, PAL, SC were presented with a fact, but however decided to support the uprising.

The rebels initially had success and successfully cleared the central part from the German forces, including the ministry buildings, government buildings and were counting on taking the entire Warsaw soon. Seeing the rapid advance of the AR in the Sedletz area, the command of the AK has accelerated the uprising.
The preparation and execution of the uprising was led by the representatives of the London government, including some ministers that were in Poland all the time. Also Mikolaichik’s deputy prime-minister has arrived and was in Warsaw (I was unable to find out his surname).
General Bor (real surname - count Komarowsky) was performing as an official leader of the uprising. This personality is extremely secret. None of the soldiers and officers has ever seen him. Only “Monter” and some colonels had access to him. His personal signs were kept in secret, so no one really knew whether or not he was in Warsaw.
General Gutek (short, about 55 years old, wearing civilian clothes), Bor’s adjutant, spoke on his behalf. Gutek led the official press conferences, where he informed everyone, including Bor himself about the instructions of the government in London.
General Skakowsky has never been accepted by Bor.
The official intelligence reports which I was receiving while in “Monter” staff were marked “p/p division general Bor”.

By 10th of September the failure of the uprising had become evident. Supplies of food and weapons were dwindling. Contradictions between various organizations and most of all between AL and AK did not allow to put up an effective fight against the Germans. To solve those issues the leaders of AK and AL have come into contact in purely military form. Initially, the leadership of AL was afraid to go against the more powerful AK as it was threatening to eliminate them completely. However, after continuous fierce fighting, the leadership of AK was forced to establish a military contact with the AL. Units of AL obeyed the general leadership of “Monter”. At first, each region had both AL and AK companies, but later AL and AK have gotten a separate region of defence for each of them.

The civilian population was on the AK side at first, but then during the fighting, saw the collapse of the AK plans. It became clear for the civilians the uprising started without any agreement with the Red Army. The anti soviet propaganda, deployed by the reactive elements, began to lose its popularity. Panic, requests for capitulation and protests against the leadership of AK were spreading.
On 18.09 there was a military protest of the civilian groups against the AK. The civilians tried to eliminate AK as an element which was preventing the Red Army from entering Warsaw or supporting the civilians.

By the moment of my arrival to Warsaw, the city was in hunger. The soldiers instead of food were receiving: hot water in the morning; ersatz coffee in the midday and in the evening. There was no bread or grain. The civilians did not receive any food whatsoever. At the same time, there was a lot of product speculation: anything could be bought at the bazaar, including fat and bread. The prices were in gold or dollars. It was known that factory owners and landlords who were in the city have full stocks of food which were guarded by the armed guardsmen. The city government, led by the government in London did not do anything to regulate the supply of the population. Hundreds of people were dying each day of hunger and illnesses.

The official propaganda of the leadership of AK in their daily leaflets was claiming the effectiveness of English-American food and equipment drops for civilians and military. In reality the English-AMerican planes had no effect. On 14.09 a demonstrative flight of 80 heavy aircraft was organized, during which a lot of supplies were dropped from heights of up to 3000m. Of these supplies no less than 95% fell on German territory.

Source: ЦАМО РФ. Ф. 233. Оп. 2380. Д. 22. Л. 238–244.

Source: warsaw75.mil.ru

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Information about the Warsaw uprising. Morawska Ganka.

The main objective, set by the Armia Krajowa [AK] for the rebel units was to occupy the government communal administration buildings.
The town hall, the main post building, power station, the gas plant, filtering facilities, central telephone station, several school buildings, the “Dzeciontka Ezus” hospital, several banks, securities publishing as well as other institutions were occupied.
Not a single railway station was taken, no brailroads have been destroyed - this allowed the Germans to freely use those during the entire uprising period. Bridges were not taken, Kostyushowskoe coast, the highway were left in the hands of Germans. In other words: not a single strategic point was taken.
Barricades were built on almost every street in the city. The civilians were building them mostly without any military supervision. The barricades were not reinforced, frequently didnt have ditches in front of them and were not an obstacle for tanks. Those were useful only to protect against rifle fire (which was not common since the Germans were not sending infantry to attack) and as machine gun nests.
Rebel units were at best armed with machine guns and rifles, but frequently with grenades and pistols only. Many units had only part of their soldiers armed while others were forced to wait for their combat mate to get wounded to take his weapon.
There were absolutely no anti-tank weapons initially, but later some amount of “Piatto” guns were dropped by the English aircraft. There were almost no stationary or light machine guns.
After the initial offensive to the administrative buildings the rebels have chosen defensive tactics. When discussing the cooperation they would also force Armia Ludowa [AL] to follow the same tactics.
The commanders of the AK were claiming that the Germans were trying to occupy only the communication routes leading away from the city:

1. The Pnyatowsky bridge. 3rd of May alley, Jerusalem alley, Gruentskaya street.
2. The Karbedzya bridge, Castle square, Senate street, Electoral street, Cold street, Volyska street.
3. Gorchevskaya street, Lyeshno, Tlomatzkoe, the Kerbedzya bridge

and to leave alone the rebel resistance points between those.

Based on that theory they did not attack when there were all the possibilities for that, but were in the defence. As a result of this, the region of the uprising was squeezed and reduced in size which formed isolated points of resistance which could communicate one with another only through channels.
On the Zhilobozha there were even such cases when they didn’t allow to shoot at the Germans within our firing sector just not to provoke them to return fire and start storming the rebel’s positions.

18.09.1944

Written by lieutenant
Morawska Ganka (from AL)

Translated by the translator of the 7th department of PU [sic] 1st Belorussian Front.
Guards lieutenant B.Aizenman.

Source: original scanned document

To the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of USSR Marshal Stalin.

To the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of USSR Marshal Stalin.

In the name of joint armed forces of Armia Ludowa, Polish Armia Lodowa and Security Corps as well as all the fighting inhabitants of Warsaw I convey my gratitude to you for the help provided for the resistance in the form of weapon drops and foremost in form of direct participation of the Red Army in our fight.
We are deeply convinced that this support will soon lead to the full liberation of Warsaw. The rebel forces will be able to meet up with the Army of Poland under the command of General Rodyzhimersky in order to complete the liberation of Poland together with the Red Army.
The blood spilled by the Soviet and Polish fighters at the walls of Warsaw is a guarantee of the friendship of brotherly nations of Poland and USSR.

Yulian Skokovsky.
Division General.

Source: Original document

Transcript of talks via direct connection between General Lieutenant Telegin and General Lieutenant Schikin.

Beginning: 22:10 - 27.9.44

End: 23:05 - 27.09.44

Schikin.: General Lieutenant Schikin at the device. Hello com. Telegin. Please report.

Telegin.: Telegin at the device. Hello.
Reporting.:
Today we have maintained a stable connection with Northern, Central and Southern regions of the resistance forces and I have received the following reports:
1st radiogram - To the commander of the Prague area. Sent through lieutenant Mak. Nr. 12 from 27.09.44 at 4:00 “Monter”. Brigade general. Mokutov.
The enemy is pushing us badly. Partial loss of the territory on the Southern side. I ask for artillery support and bombing raids against the enemy lower from the Nepodleglosty alley to the South from the line of Odinets - Pulavoka - Vokolska.
There is a famine in the city and a bad mood. “Monter”.
2nd radiogram - Nr. 13 27.09.44 at 7:30 to the commander of the RA Praga. “Mokotuv”. The situation is exceptionally bad. The only way is to provide artillery support and air support. Target the line 1 - Lovitzka street, 2 - Belviederskaya street, 3 - fort Mokotuv, 4 - Checheta street, 5 - Shorter street, Krulikarnya as well as the enemy artillery positions, known to you. “Monter”.
3rd radiogram - from our officer in the region Nr.1. “The rebels in fierce fighting have destroyed 33 enemy tanks, 6 armoured cars, 4 wooden bunkers within the last 7 days.
Famine and powerful artillery shelling are ruining the spirit of the rebels. The situation is becomming critical. Please provide artillery and aviation support. 30000 civilians are starving, kids are dying, army is recieving only 150 grams of crackers per day. Everyone is waiting for the RA to come. We are starving here, please throw a sack of food, wrapped with a bandage for us. Inform us about the drop.

T.:Another one from him, where he answers our questions regarding our yesterday telegram.
“There were people sent by the Germans who tried to kill us. We have information that some of the Krayovy army supporters are hiding machineguns. We didn’t get the barrel, the breech, the axis and spring for the cannon.”

T.: Finally I got a radiogram from my officer from the 3rd district which was sent unencrypted because our radio operator has died when parachuting. Here are the contents of that radiogram:
“There is panic and famine in the city. I ask to provide artillery and aviation support. The uprising will fall within two days. Send a radio operator urgently. Grisha has died. Throw the supplies in the central part of the city. We are losing a lot of drops because of lack of communications. Urgently drop a radio operator and supplies.”

T.: As requested in these readiograms starting at 15:30 today the artillery was shelling blocks Nr. 625, 629, 630. The anti-air artillery was on full alert but did not fire because there were no targets, the fighters were airborne but did not encounter the enemy.
I ask to report that to do air missions to support the rebels we have no fuel. Our air forces would be capable of fulfilling this task if comrade Semyonov would sign off additional fuel.

S.: How much fuel is needed for this operation?

T.: Answering. Depending on the mission assigned to us and the specifics of a concrete task we will need 500 - 2000 tons.
The rebels from the region Nr.1 confirmed that they have received our supply drop on 26.09 with communication equipment. We will continue to drop food and supplies tonight, however 250 tons of B-70 gasoline signed off to us earlier have almost depleted and for further work…

S.: Please repeat “gasoline P-70”.

T.: Gasoline B-70 supply has almost depleted and for further work we will need additional 300-400 tons. I ask you to report that.
We have a broadcast from London radio regarding the true surname of General Bur, it is General-Lieutenant Skomorovsky, who was commanding a cavalry brigade of the Polish army in 1939.
Regarding the situation at Prague. I have no information except for the following short message.
During the 26-27th of September 30 AKs [Army Karayovy soldiers] arrived at the gathering points.
The commander of the AK Prague district p/p [sic] Zhurowsky - “Andzhey”, has sent a message for Berling at night on 27.09. In this message he states that his appeal was done under pressure and he himself remains faithful to the London government and therefore cannot join the 1st PA [Polish Army] and is leaving to Warsaw.
I think that Zhurowsky has gone underground again.
Zhurowsky has also reported that in the region of Kshivd (near Prague) there is an organisational committee of AK which tries to disrupt the mobilisation into the 1st PA.
According to Berling’s decision, arriving AKs are used to form an infantry regiment and 1100 privates and NCOs and 50 officers have been gathered. Berling thinks that since AKs have come voluntarily, they will fight well and it is possible to form a separate unit from them. I think that Berling as a very short-sighted politician is making a huge mistake by blindly trusting AKs, especially the officer staff. If lower ranks with small exceptions could be used, then officers must undergo a thorough inspection and be separated.
I have data from the head of the information department of the 1st PA that Rolya Zhimersky has forbidden Berling to form an independent AKs regiment, however Berling does not like that, purely formally that if he cancels his own order, then this lowers his authority. In such a way by ignoring common sense he tries to preserve his military honor.
In the region of Prague leaflets have been found, printed in Polish and signed by the Central Committee of the Polish communist party that agitated to create soviet power in Poland. Without doubt these leaflets are German and are aimed at undermining the authority of the Polish worker party.
Recently the Germans and seemingly also Polish pro-fascist elements have made several leaflets with provocative content that call for fight against the Lyublin government which is as they say a cover for the soviet power. They call to not to trust the measures of the soviet government and the Red Army aimed at strengthening the friendship with the polish people.
Of 10000 tons of flour which is being given for free by the soviet government to the inhabitants of Prague, 1000 tons will arrive tomorrow. The rest will be transferred by com. Khrulyov. All from me.

S.: No more questions from me today too. Com. Telegin, the questions you asked about yesterday have been reported to com. Scherbakov who has routed the information up. Regarding the medals, we will gather all we can and will send to you together with your representative. All from me.

T.: I ask to forward my questions quickly because our further help to the rebels depends on their positive solution.

S.: The questions you have asked today will be reported to comrade Scherbakov in half an hour today who will report them further up.

T.: Good, inform me tomorrow at 22:00. Good bye.

S.: Good. At 22:00 I will be waiting for you at the device. Good bye.

Source

First page source

Transcript of talk of the Supreme Commander and the member of Stavka to the commanders of the Leningrad Front.

01.12.1941

Stalin, Molotov at the device.: Hello.

Khozin, Zhdanov.: Hello.

Stalin, Molotov.: It is very strange that in such a difficult time for Leningrad comrade Zhdanov does not feel the necessity to come to the device and call in any of us to share information. If we from Moscow wouldn’t call you to the device, then probably com. Zhdanov would forget about Moscow and muscovites, who could help Leningrad. It seems that Leningrad, headed by com. Zhdanov is not in the USSR but somewhere on an island in the Pacific ocean. Please let us know about what you are doing, how is it going and how you plan to get out of the current situation? Over. Stalin, Molotov.

Khozin, Zhdanov.: сom. Stalin, com. Molotov, we admit this our mistake, but we wanted to report only on something significant. For all this time we were busy transporting KV tanks to the left bank of Neva. We succeeded. 20 KV tanks, 10 T-34 and 16 light tanks have been transferred to the left bank of Neva during the last several nights. Yesterday (30.11) we started an offensive, supported by these tanks the first day of which has resulted in a significant success. On the front of the breakthrough, the first enemy entrenchment line has been taken. We are continuing the offensive and count on success. To exploit that success we are bringing in two fresh divisions and additional tanks. We wanted to report when there are more results.
During this time, we took to work the commanders of the armies that are in defensive positions: 42nd, 23rd armies and Seaside groups, for their insufficient activity. We took one division from each of them to reinforce the active region of the 55th and 8th armies. During this time we have formed two ski regiments and two separate ski battalions and are currently forming a third ski regiment.
We had in mind a very interesting operation which could bring us quick results, by using the 80th division with a ski regiment from the ice of Ladoga lake. The ski regiment had to operate in the rear of the 8th army on the left flank of Neva. This operation however was disrupted because of the cowardly-treacherous behaviour of the command of the 80th division. The division commander Frolov has refused to execute the operation three hours before the start of the operation. The operation therefore was re-scheduled to the next day but the surprise factor was lost. We have sent you a request to allow the trial of the commander of the 80th division and the commissioner of the division Ivanov and shoot them. The front council is forced to deal with traitors and panic mongers, most of whom are among the high command staff. We wholefully support the promotion of young personnel who want to fight.
Regarding the situation on the front of the 55th army there is nothing to boast of. On the front of the 54th army, the most threatened area is the direction of Voybokalo, Myary. Several measures were taken there: in the region of Serokaska a strike group was formed, containing the 80th rifle division, 6th naval brigade6th naval infantry brigade, two ski battalions, which is intended to counter strike the enemies flank and rear. The concentration will finish on 02.12.
To Fedyuninsky we send another 1000 reinforcements.
The situation in the Volkhov direction is stable. Transferring of the brigade with tanks is nearing completion with only two battalions remaining.
We will finish all the transferring together with tanks.

We ask to:

1. faster push of our forces towards Budogosh, Kirishy to deny the enemy of his supply routes.
2. 2- accelerate transferring of all the reinforcements planned by com. Shadenko for the 54th army.
3. 3- we lack the heavy shells (152mm), we ask to send those to Babaevo from where we will transfer them to us. Over.

S.,M.:

1. shoot Folov and Ivanov and declare that in the press.
2. we will try to supply the 152 shells for you
3. the reinforcements from Schadenko also
4. we will take Tikhvin soon and then pile up to Budogosh, Kirishy
5. where you lack the shells for 152mm, massively use 120mm mortars, those are very effective at defeating the enemy.

K.,Z.: Acknowledged, all will be done. We are sure that we can please you in the following days.

S.,M.: Do not waste time. Not only each day is important, but also each hour. The enemy has concentrated against Moscow all of his forces from almost all the fronts. All other fronts are in a good situation to strike the enemy, including your Front. Use this opportunity to strike the enemy before it is too late. I repeat, do not miss the chance. Over. Good bye, wish you luck. Stalin, Molotov.

K.,Z.: We will fight as beasts on all the regions of our front without delaying for even a minute. Good bye. Thank you. Zhdanov, Khozin.

ЦАМО. Ф. 96а. Оп. 2011. Д. 5. Л. 191-194.