The Military Writings of
Leon Trotsky

Volume 2, 1919

How the Revolution Armed


The Southern Front

III. The Red Army’s Second Offensive in the Ukraine
(August-December 1919)

ORDER No.149

By the Chairman of the Revolutionary War Council of the Republic and People’s Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs to the Red forces advancing in the Gryazi-Voronezh direction, September 12, 1919. No.149, Tambov

Transcribed and HTML markup for the Trotsky Internet Archive by David Walters

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Mamontov’s principal successes have been due, up to now, to the extreme slowness of our armies’ advance. The result has been: seizure of towns- shooting of workers, destruction of stations and so on. Every hour that we gain saves the lives of thousands of workers and public property worth millions.

I call upon the Commanders, commissars and Red Army men to redouble their efforts Wherever you are, on wheels, on horseback or on foot – forward, without stopping! The Soviet Republic will judge the merit of different units, and of their commanders and commissars, by the speed of their advance. Everyone will be rewarded according to his deserts. Do not allow Mamontov’s thugs to rest, hit them on the back of the head, cut off their baggage-trains, destroy their rear bases!

To the rescue of Voronezh! Forward!


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Last updated on: 23.12.2006