Letter to Leon Trotsky, May 4, 1920

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This note to Trotsky was written on Chicherin’s letter to Lenin dated May 4, 1920, informing him about Lord Curzon’s radio message. The message suggested a general amnesty and a conciliatory attitude to the defeated whiteguards and spoke of a cessation of military operations in the Crimea and the Caucasus. In Chicherin’s opinion, the proposal for direct talks with Wrangel with the participation of a British officer would be found distasteful by every real whiteguard and was a step towards practical recognition of Soviet Russia by Great Britain. Chicherin proposed “agreeing to an amnesty for Wrangel and to halting further penetration into the Caucasus, where we have already captured everything of importance, and we can reply by giving our consent without a moment’s delay”.

Comrade Trotsky,

I think Chicherin is right: we should reply at once agreeing 1) to the suspension of hostilities (a) in the Crimea and (b) in the Caucasus (every word must be carefully considered) and 2) to negotiations on the conditions for clearing the Crimea on the principle (not more) of a general amnesty for the Whites and 3) to participation of a British officer in the negotiations with Wrangel. The text of Chicherin’s reply to be discussed in the Politbureau today, so that a reply can be sent tonight.

Lenin

We shall collect votes by telephone.