[61] General Parsky now occupies an important post in the Soviet Army, while General Boldyrev was subsequently Commander-in-Chief of the Anti-Bolshevist “Front of the Constituent Assembly” on the Volga.
[62] 21st August.
[63] From the Chief Committee of the Union of Officers, the Military League, the Council of the Union of Cossack Troops, the Union of the Knights of St. George, the Conference of Public Men, etc.
[64] Until August 27th, i.e., until the rupture with Kornilov, Kerensky could not bring himself to sign the draft laws embodying the “programme.”
[65] The 3rd Cavalry Corps was summoned to Petrograd by the Provisional Government.
[66] From the report of the inquiry it is seen that Savinkov, in charge of the Ministry of War, and the head of Kerensky’s secretariat, Colonel Baranovsky, despatched to the Stavka, themselves admitted the possibility of simultaneous action by the Soviet of Workmen’s and Soldiers’ Delegates and the Bolsheviks, the former under the influence of the publication of the “Kornilov programme,” and the necessity for ruthlessly suppressing this. (Protocol Appendix XIII. to Kornilov’s deposition.)
[67] As we shall see later, Savinkov stated in his evidence that he “suggested no political combinations in the name of the Minister-President.”
[68] The “Kornilov programme” is meant here.
[69] The Commanders-in-Chief of the other Fronts sent the Provisional Government telegrams of a completely loyal nature on August 28th. Their tenor is seen from the following extracts: “Northern Front—General Klembovsky: Consider change in Supreme Command extremely dangerous when the threat of an external enemy to the integrity of our native land and our freedom demands the speedy adoption of measures for the strengthening of the discipline and fighting value of our Army.” “Western Front—General Baluev: The present situation of Russia demands the immediate adoption of exceptional measures, and the retention of General Kornilov at the head of the Army is an imperative necessity, no matter what the political situation.” “Roumanian Front—General Scherbachev: The dismissal of General Kornilov will infallibly have a fatal effect on the Army and the defence of the Motherland. I appeal to your patriotism in the name of the salvation of our native land.” All the Commanders-in-Chief mentioned the necessity for the introduction of the measures demanded by Kornilov.
[70] This telegram was not received at Headquarters. Kerensky gives the episode with Lvov thus: “On August 26th General Kornilov sent to me Vv. N. Lvov, member of the State Duma, with a demand that the Provisional Government should cede all its military and civil authority, leaving him to form a Government for the country in accordance with his own personal views.”