287. The Soviets decided to reduce trade with the United States: it would fall during the period from Oct. 1930 to March 1931 by nearly half, compared with the same period the year before. This reflected a surmise that increased trade had diminished the argument for diplomatic recognition. Haslam, Soviet Foreign Policy, 38, 53–4; Ekonomicheksia zhizn’, Oct. 12, 1930.
288. Also present was Pavel Postyshev, a Central Committee secretary. Na prieme, 35. Lominadze, in Stalin’s mind, enjoyed the inexplicable protection of Orjonikidze, a source of friction between them. Lih et al., Stalin’s Letters to Molotov, 162–3 (July 29, 1929); Khromov, Po stranitsam, 201–3 (RGASPI, f. 558, op. 11, d. 23, l. 81–8); Khlevniuk, In Stalin’s Shadow, 32.
289. RGASPI, f. 17, op. 3, d. 801, l. 9. Complaining officials in Western Siberia were dismissed. Lih et al., Stalin’s Letters to Molotov, 202n2 RGASPI, f. 17, op. 3, d. 793, l. 7). Lih gives the date of the politburo session as Oct. 19.
290. Lebedev, “fraviashchaia portiia,” 94; Khlevniuk et al., Stenogrammy zasedanii politbiuro, 353n93 (RGASPI, f. 17, op. 162, d. 9, l. 54); Khaustov et al., Lubianka: Stalin i VChK, 255–6. The politburo resolutions were approved by telephone poll (dated Oct. 25). At the session, Stalin evidently had ordered the windows closed, even though they were high up on the top floor of Old Square. Khlevniuk et al., Stalinskoe politbiuro, 98n2 (RGASPI, f. 17, op. 3, d. 800, l. 7; d. 801, l. 12); Iakovlev et al., Reabilitatsiia: politicheskie protsessy, 242, 244.
291. Khlevniuk, Politbiuro, 39 (RGASPI, f. 17, op. 3, d. 801, l. 12; f. 589, op. 3, d. 9333, t. 2, l. 135).
292. Khlevniuk et al., Stenogrammy zasedanii politbiuro, III: 205–9. Stalin passed it to Orjonikidze (party Control Commission) and Postyshev (CC secretary); Molotov and Kaganovich were away on holiday. Reznikov would soon be hired by Mekhlis.
293. Reznikov asserted that Syrtsov had called the Oct. 22 meeting. Other attendees were Vladimir Kavraisky, in whose apartment the meeting took place, I. Nusinov, and A. Halperin. Khlevniuk et al., Stenogrammy zasedanii politbiuro, III: 209 (Reznikov), 272 (Kavraisky, according to the OGPU), 280 (Nusinov), 285 (Halperin).
294. Stalin received Syrtsov on Old Square on Oct. 22 at 2:40 p.m. Postyshev was present. Na prieme, 35.
295. Khlevniuk et al., Stenogrammy zasedanii politbiuro, III: 121, 347n4 (RGASPI, f. 613, op. 1, d. 142, l. 105, 109).
296. Khlevniuk et al., Stalinskoe politbiuro, 96–7 (RGASPI, f. 589, op. 3, d. 9333, t. 2, l. 134–5); Khlevniuk et al., Stenogrammy zasedanii politbiuro, III: 209–13, 25. See also Khlevniuk, “Stalin, Syrtsov, Lominadze,” 78–96; and Davies, “The Syrtsov-Lominadze Affair.”
297. Kosheleva, Pis’ma Stalina Molotovu, 231–2; Lih et al., Stalin’s Letters to Molotov, 223–4. Around this time, Stalin heard Mark Reizen (b. 1895), a lush, voluminous basso cantante, sing the role of Mephistopheles in a production of Charles Gounod’s Faust at the Bolshoi, and had the Leningrad-based artist relocated to Moscow. Reizen, Mark Reizen, Avtobiograficheskie zapiski, 135–53; Marshkova, Bol´shoi teatr, 824–38.
298. The episode would be revealed only in 1937: Voennye arkhivy Rossii, 104–5; Lebedev, “M. N. Tukhachevskii i ‘voenno-fashistskii zagovor,” 248–9. Not everyone vouched for Tukhachevsky: Shchadenko supported his arrest. Ken, Mobilizatsionnoe planirovanie, 131n25 (RGASPI, f. 17, op. 165, d. 59, l. 102–3: uncorrected stenogram of the June 2, 1937, Main Military Council). Troitsky was sentenced to three years and became an OGPU secret informant; Kakurin, who had been released, would be rearrested in 1932 and given a death sentence, which was commuted to ten years.
299. Kosheleva, Pis’ma Stalina Molotovu, 231–2; Lih et al., Stalin’s Letters to Molotov, 223. Voroshilov did not desist, however: in Jan. 1931 he sent “Dear Koba” a letter with two compromising documents on Tukhachevsky (letters from Verkhovsky and Bergavinov). Ken, Mobilizatsionnoe planirovanie, 131–2 n27 (RGASPI, f. 74, op. 2, d. 37, l. 24).
300. Khlevniuk, Stalin i Ordzhonikidze, 27–8 (citing RGASPI, f. 17, op. 2, d. 607, l. 270–1). Syrtsov was replaced on Nov. 3, 1930, as head of the RSFSR Council of People’s Commissars by D. E. Sulimov: RGASPI, f. 17, op. 3, d. 803, l. 13.
