Simon Montefiore - Stalin

RGASPI 82.2.1592, Molotov to Polina 13 Aug. 1940. This account of Molotov’s trip to Berlin is based on Berezhkov, pp. 24–42, inc. Hitler’s hint about meeting Stalin; MR, pp. 15–20, 145; Hilger-Mayer, pp. 321–7; Yakovlev in Bialer (ed.), pp. 117–22; Gorodetsky for Stalin-Molotov instructions and cables, pp. 58, 74, 76, 81, 83; Volkogonov, pp. 372–82; Beria , pp. 102–3; Zubok, p. 92; Read-Fisher, pp. 510–33. Merkulov/Himmler: Lesser Terror , p. 61.

Meetings up to the war: “More afraid if I’d known”: Nikolai Baibakov. “Never call him by his name”: Emelianov, in Bialer (ed.), p. 113; Kuznetsov, pp. 95–7, 173; Yakovlev, p. 100. Dmitrov diary, 7 Nov. 1940.

Gorodetsky, pp. 125–31. Also: Kazakov in Bialer (ed.), pp. 139–45; Yeremenko, pp. 146–51. 900 Days, pp. 55–7. Insomnia: Stalin to Churchill, Record of private talk between Prime Minister and Generalissimo Stalin after Plenary Session, July 17, 1945, Potsdam, PREM 3/430/7, Churchill and Stalin, FCO Historians, March 2002. Korol, Sliusarenko and Nikolarenko, pp. 147–64.

Experiences in Civil War: Zhukov I, pp. 95–115, 148; on purges: Zhukov I, 137–40, 180–2.

Gorodetsky, p. 228. Zhukov I, pp. 305–73.

Kulik, Zhdanov and Howitzers: Vannikov in Bialer (ed.), pp. 153–9. Mad tanks and planes: Emelianov in Bialer (ed.), p. 109; Yakovlev, p. 101.

Aircraft crashes: RGVA 4.19.14.1–74. Supreme Military Council, 16 May 1939. Stalin received complaint about the poor parts in aeroplanes: RGASPI 45.1.803, N. Sbytov to Stalin 14 Sept. 1940. This was only one of many others: but he was also informed closer to home. Vasily , p. 66: Vasily Stalin to Stalin 13 Nov. 1939. On Vasily and marriage to Galina: Svetlana RR. Vasily , pp. 81–3: Vasily Stalin to Stalin 4 Mar. 1941. Spahr, p. 230. Shukman, Stalin’s Generals , Ghosts, p. 366. Simonov, “Glazami,” p. 73. Lesser Terror , p. 30.

Khlevniuk, Circle, pp. 265–7. Volkogonov, p. 374. Beria, p. 106. Medvedev, Stalin’s Men, p. 132. Medvedev, p. 310. MR, pp. 228–9. Kaganovich, pp. 29, 77–8. Kaganovich’s beads—Strakhov in Bialer (ed.), p. 443.

Gorodetsky, pp. 146–51, 193, 197–9. Zubok, p. 83. MR, p. 21. Sudoplatov, pp. 118–9. Party: Leonid Redens and his brother Vladimir Alliluyev Redens. Svetlana/Stalin note: RGASPI 558.1.5164.

Gorodetsky, p. 166. Zhukov thought Stalin believed Hitler was wrapped around his finger—hence his mysterious trust in the Führer. Simonov, “Zametki,” pp. 50–3.

Felix Chuev (ed.), Sto Sorok Besed s Molotovym, p. 31. Meretskov, p. 202. Reginald Dekanozov, Some Episodes of the History of Soviet/German Relations Before the War. Nadya Dekanozova. Zhukov I, 321–36. Gorodetsky, pp. 207–34. Ehrenburg, Eve of War, pp. 275. Dekanozov stood between Stalin and Voroshilov—photo collection of Nadya Dekanozova. V. A. Nevezhin, “Stalin’s 5th May Address: The Experience of Interpretation,” Slavic Military Studies , vol. 11, no. 1, Mar. 1998, pp. 116–46.

Khlevniuk, Circle , pp. 265–9, 274. Mikoyan, p. 344. Chadaev on Voznesensky, Beria and Malenkov, in Kumanev (ed.), pp. 383–442. Development of Zhdanov/Malenkov feud: see Jonathan Harris, “The Origins of the Conflict between Malenkov and Zhdanov 1939–1941,” Slavic Review , vol. 35, no. 2 (1976). Zhdanov was officially raised to Stalin’s Deputy in the Party Secretariat, the position held by Kaganovich during the early thirties. On 7 May, Stalin became the chief of the inner Buro of the Council of Commissars with Voznesensky, his Deputy, alongside Molotov, Mikoyan, Beria, Kaganovich, Mekhlis and Andreyev. Voroshilov, Zhdanov and Malenkov joined in the next few days. Beria supervised the security Organs as well as various industries. Stalin’s new clothes: Charkviani, p. 37.

Nevezhin, pp. 116–46. Suvorov debate: Klaus Schmider, Slavic Military Studies , vol. 10, no. 2, June 1997, pp. 183–94; RUSI Journal 130, 2, June 1985, pp. 183–94; Victor Suvorov, “Who was planning to attack whom in June 1941?” B. V. Sokolov, “Did Stalin intend to attack Hitler?” Slavic Military Studies , vol. 11, no. 2, June 1998, pp. 113–41. Also on Vasilevsky: Spahr, p. 237. Gorodetsky, p. 207.

Supreme Military Council 4 June 1941: Zhdanov, Malenkov and Budyonny discuss new propaganda documents, TsAMO RF 32.11302.20.84–6.

Mikoyan, p. 377; Gorodetsky, pp. 212–16. Dekanozov, Episodes . Nadya Dekanozova.

Hess: Mikoyan, p. 377, KR I, p. 155. Gorodetsky, pp. 234–8, 241–3. May paralysis: Zhukov I, pp. 341–6. Stalin to Koniev: Simonov in Brooks, Thank You C. Stalin, p. 251. Beria’s dungeons: N. G. Pavlenko, “G. K. Zhukov: Iz neopublikovanykh vospominanii,” Kommunist , 14, Sept. 1986, p. 99. Kulik—Voronov in Bialer (ed.), p. 209. Simonov, “Zametki,” pp. 51–3.

Last days: Zubok, p. 24. G. Kumanev, “22-go na rassvete,” Pravda , 22 June 1989. Account of meeting with Stalin threatening to shoot Timoshenko: Timoshenko in Kumanev (ed.), pp. 270–1. Zhukov I, pp. 332–69. Merkulov often reported with P. M. Fitin, Head of the NKGB’s Foreign Directorate. Izvestiya TsK KPSS, 4, 1990, p. 221, Merkulov to Stalin, 16 June 1941. Sudoplatov, pp. 120–1. Gorodetsky, pp. 296–8. Lesser Terror, pp. 260–3. Slavic Military Studies, June 1999, pp. 234. Molotov worried: Kuznetsov in Kumanev (ed.), p. 294. Khrushchev, Glasnost, p. 56.

Yury Zhdanov. MR , p. 25. Mikoyan, pp. 377–81. Lesser Terror , pp. 260–5. Vaksberg, Vyshinksy , p. 219. Nekrasov, Beria , p. 399. See also: Vestnik , 10, 1989. Dmitrov diary, 21 June 1941. Gorodetsky, pp. 306–15. Overy, pp. 71–4. L. Trepper, Bolshaya igra, p. 125. Djilas, p. 123. Tiulenev in Bialer (ed.), p. 202. VP Naumov, 1941 god, Bk 2, p. 416. Medvedev, Neizvestnyi Stalin, chapter “Stalin and the War.” Mao Tse-tung warning from Chou En-lai, who heard it from Chiang Kai-shek: Dmitrov diary, 21 June 1941.

See note 1, chapter 35.

The account of the Great Patriotic War in the two “War” sections is based on John Erickson’s two masterpieces, The Road to Stalingrad and The Road to Berlin ; on Richard Overy’s outstanding narrative history, Russia’s War , on Harold Shukman’s excellent Stalin’s Generals , on memoirs such as those of Molotov, Mikoyan, Kaganovich, Khrushchev, Sergo Beria, Svetlana, Zhukov and other soldiers; on Budyonny’s Notes ; on the Dmitrov diary; on the author’s research in the archives of RGASPI, RGVA, TsAMO, GARF; interviews with witnesses, and recent Russian histories such as Rubtsov’s biography of Mekhlis, Alter Ego Stalina . Last hours: Read-Fisher, pp. 612–42. Budyonny Notes . Anfilov on Budyonny, Stalin’s Generals, p. 62. Zhukov I, 2, 1–14, 369–71. Pavlenko, “Zhukov,” p. 99. Stalin’s logbook: IA, 1998. Hilger-Meyer, pp. 335–6. MR, pp. 34–7. Mikoyan, p. 388. Volkogonov, pp. 401–7. Bloch, p. 333. Gorodetsky, pp. 309–15. Mikoyan in Kumanev (ed.), pp. 24–5, Chadaev, pp. 409–12. Nina Budyonny. Yury Zhdanov. Mekhlis , p. 151. Ian Kershaw, Hitler: Nemesis , p. 394. Burleigh, p. 489. Kuznetsov in Bialer (ed.), pp. 195–6. Voronov quoted in Mekhlis , p. 153. Anfilov on Timoshenko, Stalin’s Generals, pp. 246–7. Natalya Poskrebyshev: Poskrebyshev told her Stalin called him to say the bombing had begun. Berezhkov in Bialer (ed.), pp. 216–8. Number of Soviet forces: 3 million refers to Western districts. The Soviet soldiers were inferior in numbers to the Germans but superior in equipment. Total number of Soviet soldiers: 5 million. Y. Kulikov, “Napadeniye Germanii na SSSR” in Mirovye voiny XX veka , bk. 3, pp. 133-86. Molotov says no and trains/supplies: Kaganovich , p. 88. Mikoyan, pp. 388–9. MR , p. 39. Press, Koniev: Brooks, Thank You C. Stalin, pp. 166, 168. Erickson, Stalingrad: pp. 101, 136–8. Chadaev in Kumanev (ed.), p. 42. Budyonny Notes , p. 49. Zhukov II, pp. 12–13. IA , 1998:4, 22, 23, 24 June 1941. Spahr, on Kulik, p. 265. Beria on phone / Stalin’s confidence: Dmitrov diary, 22 June 1941.