206. Kowalsky, Stalin, paragraphs 503–14. When Kaganovich and Molotov reported (Sept. 5, 1936) on a proposed deal to sell England and Sweden petroleum products at a 5 percent discount to the world price, Stalin wrote back from Sochi, “Why . . . do we have so much oil? Stalin.” They informed him that that was standard international practice. RGASPI, f. 558, op. 11, d. 94, l. 65–6. Stalin had just recommended selling oil to Republican Spain at well below world prices (d. 9, l. 28–30). The Nationalists got their oil from Standard Oil of New Jersey and the Texas Oil Company.
207. The regime discharged 22,000 soldiers for various reasons (including political ones) in 1936, worsening the housing shortage. RGVA, f. 33 987, op. 3, d. 1045, Volkogonov papers, Hoover, container 17.
208. The Soviets also unloaded on Spain some 280 British-, French-, and Japanese-made artillery pieces. Rybalkin, Operatsiia “X,” 30 (citing TsAMO, f. 119, op. 663, d. 1, l. 22: Nov. 2, 1936).
209. Kowalsky, Stalin, paragraph 604 (citing RGVA, f. 33987, op. 3, d. 961, l. 158).
210. Meshcheriakov, “Sovetskii Soiuz i antifashistskaia voina ispanskogo naroda,” 29; Radosh et al., Spain Betrayed, 147 (RGVA, f. 33987, op. 3, d. 1010, l. 295: Krivoshein to Voroshilov, undated, probably early 1937); Rybalkin, Operatisiia “X,” 25.
211. Costello and Tsarev, Deadly Illusions, 255–6 (citing ASVRR, file 17679, operational correspondence, Spain, I: 20). On the mixed performance of Soviet military advisers, see Payne, Spanish Civil War, 166–72.
212. Pons, Global Revolution, 81 (citing RGASPI, f. 495, op. 18, d. 1135).
213. Pravda, Oct. 16, 1936; Degras, Soviet Documents on Foreign Policy, III: 212.
214. De Mayo, Last Optimist, 281, 285–6. It is possible other Soviet officials knew of the secret gold stash earlier than Rosenberg. The Spanish government made the request official on Oct. 15. Four days later, Krestinsky telegrammed Soviet assent and conditions to Rosenberg. Kudriashov, SSSR i grazhdanskaia voina v Ispanii, 89 (APRF, f. 3, op. 65, d. 234, l. 1), 99 (APRF, f. 3, op. 65, d. 234, l. 2: Krestinsky to Rosenberg, Oct. 13, 1936), 102 (l.3), 106 (l. 5), 107–9 (l. 9–10, 6, 11); Rybalkin, Operatsiia “X,” 92–3 (citing APRF, f. 3, op. 74, d. 20, l. 104).
215. Kuznetsov worked with the Spanish navy, which had arrived at Cartagena around Oct. 18, to provide a secure escort. Possibly because of an enemy air raid, departure was delayed until the next night. Rybalkin, Operatsiia “X,” 93 (APRF, f. 3, op. 74, d. 20, l. 104–5; RGVA f. 33987, op. 3, d. 912, l. 84); Bolloten, Spanish Civil War, 150; Kuznetsov, “S ispanskimi moriakami,” 241–4.
216. Rybalkin, Operatisia “X,” 31 (citing AVP RF, f. 010, op. 11, d. 53, pap. 71, l. 141: early Nov. 1936). See also Haslam, Struggle for Collective Security, 115; Pons, “Papers on Foreign and International Policy.” Litvinov wrote on a report by the Soviet delegate Stein from the League of Nations in Geneva that “France has given striking evidence of her weakness and indecision.” Dullin, Men of Influence, 127 (citing AVP RF, f. 5, op. 17, d. 128, pap. 15).
217. DVP SSSR, XIX: 463–4, 513–4.
218. DBFP, 2nd series, XVII: 475–6.
219. That Oct. 1936, a new French ambassador, Robert Coulondre, assumed his duties in Moscow and conveyed that French participation in any “preventive” war was unthinkable and instructed his hosts that Soviet interference in French domestic affairs was impermissible. Coulondre, De Staline a Hitler, 30–46.
220. DGFP, series C, V: 1066–8 (Oct. 12, 1936).
221. The memo by Schnurre called for trade to be “rendered completely non-political.” DGFP, series C, V: 1115–8; Hilger and Meyer, Incompatible Allies, 284.
222. Surits wrote to Litvinov (Oct. 27, 1936) that “the initiative for revitalizing and strengthening economic relations in recent years has come from Göring and his entourage.” Abramov, “Osobaia missiia Davida Kandelaki,” 149 (citing AVP RF, f. 082, op. 19, pap. 83, d. 4, l. 110). In late Oct. 1936, Göring received Kandelaki (accompanied by Friedrichson), but would then push further contact into the hands of his cousin Herbert, who lacked the authority to make the decisions. Kandelaki would go back to Schacht, whose power had waned. Göring would pull together aluminum plants, oil refineries, ironworks, and manufacturing of synthetic oil and rubber (made from coal) and synthetic textiles (made from pulped wood). He also requisitioned foreign currency from the populace. Tooze, Wages of Destruction, 214 (citing BAI R2501 6446, 13–9), 219–24.
